Photo: Tobias Alt, Tobi 87 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsRoad RunningBoston Marathon Qualifier
San José Marathon
San José, Costa Rica
Date to be announcedDate TBA
42.2 km21.1 km10 km5 km
City RunPoint-to-Point
CRCountry Running Calendar
Running Calendar Costa Rica: Marathons, Trails & Endurance Events
9 verified events (0 confirmed dates) and 22 races in Costa Rica with course maps and elevation profiles.
Events90 confirmed dates
Competitions22Races & courses
Distances5 - 250 kmCourse distance range
Max. Elevation Gain+12,000 m D+Course elevation profile
Regions, Cities & Sub-Destinations
Selected Events
Featured Events & Highlights
Photo: Tobias Alt, Tobi 87 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Dietmar Rabich · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsTrail RunningUTMB Index Races
Ultra Costa Rica Trail
San José, Costa Rica
Date to be announcedDate TBA
80 km45.5 km21 km8 km
Nature & Off-RoadMountain+2
Photo: Sergey Pesterev · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsTrail RunningUTMB Index Races
The Trail Challenge La Lucha
Desamparados, Costa Rica
Date to be announcedDate TBA
25 km11.4 km5.2 km
Nature & Off-RoadForest+2
Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsTrail RunningUTMB Index Races
Costa Rica Trail - La Transtica
San José, Costa Rica
Date to be announcedDate TBA
200 km119.6 km
Nature & Off-RoadMountain+4
Photo: Dietmar Rabich · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsRoad RunningBoston Marathon Qualifier
Marathon de Cartago
Cartago, Costa Rica
Date to be announcedDate TBA
42 km21 km
City RunCulture & History
Photo: Fukumoto · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsRoad Cycling
UCI CRC 506 Gran Fondo of Costa Rica
Jacó, Costa Rica
Date to be announcedDate TBA
141 km70 km
Nature & Off-RoadSeaside & Coast
Photo: Fukumoto · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsRoad Cycling
L'Étape Costa Rica
San José, Costa Rica
Date to be announcedDate TBA
130 km50 km
City RunSeaside & Coast+1
Photo: Fukumoto · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsRoad CyclingGFNY World Series
GFNY Pérez Zeledón
San Isidro de El General, Costa Rica
Date to be announcedDate TBA
115 km86 km
City RunNature & Off-Road+4
Dates & Schedule
Race Calendar
Date to be announced
| Date | Event | Location | Disciplines | Distances |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date to be announced | San José Marathon | San José, San José, CR | Road Running | 42.2 km21.1 km10 km5 km |
| Date to be announced | Ultra Costa Rica Trail | San José, San José, CR | Trail Running | 80 km45.5 km21 km8 km |
| Date to be announced | The Trail Challenge La Lucha | Desamparados, San José, CR | Trail Running | 25 km11.4 km5.2 km |
| Date to be announced | Costa Rica Trail - La Transtica | San José, San José, CR | Trail Running | 200 km119.6 km |
| Date to be announced | Marathon de Cartago | Cartago, Cartago, CR | Road Running | 42 km21 km |
| Date to be announced | UCI CRC 506 Gran Fondo of Costa Rica | Jacó, Puntarenas, CR | Road Cycling | 141 km70 km |
| Date to be announced | L'Étape Costa Rica | San José, San José, CR | Road Cycling | 130 km50 km |
| Date to be announced | GFNY Pérez Zeledón | San Isidro de El General, San José, CR | Road Cycling | 115 km86 km |
| Date to be announced | Jimbee Volcano UltraMarathon Costa Rica | San José, San José, CR | Trail Running | 250 km |
Events by Month
Overview & Route Character
The running destination of Costa Rica in central-america is represented in the RunningCompass catalog with 9 public events and 22 individual races, including 0 events with confirmed dates for the 2026-2027 season. Core disciplines include Trail Running, Road Cycling, and Road Running. Key host locations include San José, Desamparados, Cartago, and Jacó. Notable events in the selection include San José Marathon, Ultra Costa Rica Trail, and The Trail Challenge La Lucha.
Race distances span from 5 km to 250 km, reaching up to +12,000 m of elevation gain on the most demanding courses. Every race listed for Costa Rica includes an interactive MapLibre course map powered by OpenStreetMap, a high-resolution SVG elevation profile with gradient telemetry, and a direct GPX track download.
Questions & Answers
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
How many running events and races take place in Costa Rica?
RunningCompass currently lists 9 verified events with 22 individual races in Costa Rica. A total of 0 events have confirmed upcoming dates, while additional annual editions include full course and distance specifications. Notable events in the selection include San José Marathon, Ultra Costa Rica Trail, and The Trail Challenge La Lucha.
What disciplines and race distances are offered in Costa Rica?
Events in Costa Rica focus on Trail Running, Road Cycling, and Road Running. Course distances range from 5 km entry-level races up to 250 km endurance challenges. Primary host cities and towns include San José, Desamparados, Cartago, and Jacó.
What is the course profile, terrain, and elevation gain like in Costa Rica?
The most selective courses in Costa Rica climb up to +12,000 m of positive elevation gain. Each event page provides exact altitude range, ascent (+m), descent (-m), average and maximum gradient, an interactive course map, and a downloadable GPX file.
How can I find dates and register for running events in Costa Rica?
The monthly race calendar on this page groups all confirmed dates chronologically alongside annual events awaiting their next date announcement. Use the discipline, distance, and month links or switch to the interactive map view (/en/events?view=map) to inspect individual event profiles and official organizer registration links.
