Haikou Marathon opens 20,000 places for 27 December race

The 2026 Haikou Marathon has opened registration for 20,000 runners, with 15,000 places in the half-marathon. Places are given out on a first-come, first-served basis, with no lottery.

However, official sources give two different registration deadlines: 18:00 and 23:59 on 27 November. Runners should enter early to avoid missing out.

Registration dates and race details

The race takes place on Sunday 27 December 2026. It will be the second edition since Haikou made the last weekend of December its regular marathon date.

Registration opened at 14:00 on 28 October.

The Hainan Provincial Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sports announced that registration closes at 23:59 on 27 November. However, a later FAQ from the organising committee gives an earlier closing time of 18:00 on the same day.

Registration will also close as soon as all places are filled. The organising committee has the right to decide whether to accept individual entries.

According to the race regulations, there are two distances:

Full marathon: 42.195km, with 5,000 places. Starts at 07:00.
Half-marathon: 21.0975km, with 15,000 places. Starts at 07:10.

The Haikou municipal government is hosting the event. The city’s tourism, culture and sports bureau is organising it, while Guangdong Xinzhong Sports Group (广东新中体育集团) is operating it.

Entry fees and how to register

The full marathon costs RMB 200 to enter, while the half-marathon costs RMB 180, according to the registration notice.

The fee includes a timing chip, race shirt, finisher medal, supplies along the route and insurance.

Runners can register through the Haikou Marathon (海口马拉松) WeChat account or the First Track (第一赛道) app.

Age and running experience requirements

Full-marathon runners must have been born on or before 1 January 2006. This means they must be at least 20 years old on 1 January 2026.

Half-marathon runners must have been born on or before 1 January 2008, making them at least 18 on 1 January 2026.

Runners aged 65 or older must also submit a participation declaration and a health-responsibility undertaking signed together with a family member.

All runners must upload proof that they have enough running experience.

For the full marathon, runners must provide either one full-marathon result or two half-marathon results from the 24 months before the registration deadline.

Alternatively, they can provide app records showing one full-marathon run or two half-marathon runs. The two half-marathon runs must be on different days, and the recorded runs must not include pauses.

For the half-marathon, runners must provide one half-marathon result or two 10km results from the same 24-month period.

Alternatively, they can submit app records showing two runs of at least 10km each. These must also be completed on separate days without pauses.

Medical requirements

Every runner must have a medical check completed within the previous 12 months at a hospital rated Grade II-A or higher.

The check must include a blood pressure test and at least one of the following heart tests:

A standard electrocardiogram (ECG)
A 24-hour Holter monitor
A treadmill stress test

Runners with high blood pressure or a clearly abnormal ECG must also have a cardiac ultrasound.

The ultrasound cannot replace the ECG requirement.

Starting point and race-day arrangements

The race will start at Riyue Square (日月广场), according to the organisers’ FAQ.

The complete route has not yet been confirmed. The regulations say it is still to be decided, and the FAQ says the final route will be announced after expert measurement.

On race day, roads along the route will close in stages as runners pass. Each section will also have a cut-off time.

Check-in opens at 05:30 and closes at 06:50. Runners cannot join the course more than 15 minutes after their race’s starting gun.

Depending on the weather, organisers may provide extra drinking-water stations and cooling sprays between the usual supply points.

Race-pack collection

Every runner must collect their race pack in person before the event.

The pack includes the race bib and its timing chip.

Runners must show identification and sign a participation declaration when collecting their packs.

Someone else cannot collect a pack on a runner’s behalf, and packs will not be sent by post.

The collection venue and timetable have not yet been announced.

Refunds and changes

Official documents give different refund deadlines. The registration notice specifies 23:59 on 30 November, while the race regulations and the organisers’ later FAQ give 2 December, with the FAQ specifying 18:00. Changing race distance requires cancelling the original entry and registering again while registration remains open and places are available.

Runners who cancel within five days of paying will receive a full refund.

Those who cancel later will pay a RMB 20 service fee.

Changes from the 2025 race

Haikou made the last weekend of December its regular marathon date in 2025. The 2025 race took place on 28 December and also offered 20,000 places. For 2026, organisers have moved 1,000 places from the full marathon to the half-marathon.

Organisers plan to offer local food at supply stations. Scenic attractions and shopping districts will also provide discounts for runners.

What runners need to remember

For runners travelling to Haikou, preparation matters more than luck because places are not allocated by lottery.

Runners need to collect their race packs in person with identification, complete check-in before 06:50 and plan for the two different starting times.

The safest option is to register before 18:00 on 27 November, the earlier of the two official deadlines. Even then, registration could close sooner if all 20,000 places are taken.