The general field starts on the 25 de Abril Bridge and heads towards the Belém finish district. The bridge experience is a highlight, but getting to the correct start access is part of the race.
01 Know what you are taking on
What is the race like?
The course, section by section
Open a section for the terrain and a practical pacing cue.
Bridge assembly25 de Abril Bridge, general field.
Road bridge; exposed waiting and opening.
How to approach it Use the final transport and wave instructions to reach the correct entrance with time to spare. Keep any photographs to a safe moment before moving. A bridge view is a memorable start, but it is not a reason to stop in the running line.
Opening across the bridgeTagus crossing towards Lisbon.
Bridge roadway; exact gradients require the final profile.
How to approach it Keep your natural cadence and leave space around your feet. If crowding slows you briefly, let it resolve instead of weaving. Trying to recover every early second can cost more energy than the delay itself.
Finding a riverside rhythmLisbon riverside; current map for exact turns.
Road-running section beside the river.
How to approach it Once there is room, find the effort you prepared for. Check average pace across a complete official kilometre and compare it with your breathing. A single fast bridge split is not evidence that you should change the whole target.
Approach to BelémBelém finish district.
Urban approach; follow the current half-marathon signs.
How to approach it Do not follow a 10K runner at any distance split simply because you are running at the same speed. Keep fuel, breathing and route awareness organised while deciding whether you have enough reserve to increase effort.
Finish and reunionPraça do Império, Centro Cultural de Belém.
Controlled road finish and pedestrian exit.
How to approach it Run through the timing line, then follow the exit before stopping. Choose a precise meeting landmark outside the finish controls and tell supporters which side of the street you expect to reach; the bridge is not a spectator reunion point.
Official maps & course details
- General-field start
- 25 de Abril Bridge in Almada; elite/high-performance runners start separately at Cruz Quebrada.
- Route description
- The bridge route follows the riverside to Cruz Quebrada, then returns towards Belém.
- Finish
- Praça do Império, in front of Centro Cultural de Belém.
The organiser has published course information, but the final route for your race edition is still to follow. Check the map label before using it.
02 Choose your approach
Find your race strategy.
Choose your goal. These are our pacing suggestions, based on the published course, rather than organiser instructions.
My first finish
Reach the start using the organiser's access plan rather than a roadside drop-off.
Let the early field settle and keep a manageable effort.
Use the riverside landmarks to work towards the Praça do Império finish.
A PB or time goal
Start with a controlled effort instead of trying to bank time from the bridge.
Use reliable distance markers through the riverside section.
Save your decisive increase for the final approach to Belém.
If the weather or your pace changes
The bridge and river setting make it sensible to prepare for exposure rather than assume a sheltered city race. Check the actual forecast before choosing layers, and decide what you can retain or dispose of only under the organiser’s rules. Wind can make the same pace feel very different, so use breathing and effort alongside the watch. If the day is warmer than your training, adjust the target early and use your practised drinking approach; do not wait for the pace to collapse.
03 Know what is on the course
Drinks, fuel & toilets.
Station positions and products are not yet confirmed in the available information for this edition. Use the organiser’s final runner guide before deciding what you can collect on the course.
Toilet locations: a confirmed location list is not available here. Check the official course or runner map before race day; a drinks table does not automatically mean there is a toilet beside it.
Turn the station list into your plan
Mark the stops you expect to use and the fuel you will carry. If you use a gel that needs water, pair it with a published water point. Practise the products and cup or bottle format before race day; you do not have to try every item offered.
04 Before the start
Your race morning.
Times are local to the event. Work back from your own wave, allowing for the walk, toilets and bag drop.
Race number
Collection
Centro de Congressos de Lisboa, 4–6 March, 10:00–20:00; no race-day collection.
Collection document
Bring your registration receipt/PDF and photo ID.
Before your wave
Baggage
No event bag-drop service.
Finish window
Time limit
Three hours is the published completion limit.
Your allocated start-wave time is not listed here. Use your entry email and final runner instructions for the time and assembly deadline.
Start & finish access
- Spectators
- Spectators cannot enter the bridge start.
Race number & collection
- Proxy collection
- Another person may collect with your registration PDF.
Pacers & course cut-offs
- Aid products
- Water, 226ERS gels and Powerade are listed; a supply map follows nearer race day.
- Pacers
- The rules list pacers at 4:00, 4:30, 5:00 and 5:30 min/km.
Kit rules & accessibility
- Changing distance
- A race change requires advance approval; switching to the 10K route mid-race can cause disqualification.
- Visual-impairment guides
- A guide is permitted with the specified disability certification.
Your allocated wave, event emails and final runner instructions take priority. Read the guide for your distance before travelling.
05 Make the day work together
Supporters & getting around.
Plan your support
Belém is a simpler supporter base than the restricted bridge start. Use the event's spectator and transport guidance, then agree a precise reunion point beyond the finish flow.
The places below are viewing ideas from the linked route or spectator guide. Use your edition’s access map for barriers, permitted crossings and any crew restrictions.
Belém course streets
A city-side option rather than the participant-only bridge start. Check the final pedestrian access plan.
Belém finish surroundings
Use the current map to choose a reunion point beyond the runner exit and keep tram/transport access clear.
2027
Official spectator or route informationMake the cheer easy to find
Agree a named point, the side of the road and your likely arrival window. Share your bib number for official tracking. Pick a separate reunion beyond the finish exit and a backup if the phone signal is poor.
Getting there and getting home
- Start access
- Use Fertagus trains to Pragal; only bib-identified participants enter the bridge start.
- Public transport
- Participant bibs cover Fertagus access and Lisbon public transport through 16:00 on race day.
06 Before you book
Entry, fees & time limits.
The organiser’s registration portal states that the EDP Lisbon Half Marathon is sold out.
Check official entry optionsWhat you need to enter
- Medical certificate
- No medical certificate is required.
- Wheelchair eligibility
- The half marathon requires independent participation without a wheelchair; the rules direct wheelchair participants to the 10K.
- Minimum age
- 18 years.
- Ballot application period
- Free applications ran 23 April–19 May 2026; selected applicants had three days to pay.
Transfers, refunds & deferrals
- Entry changes
- No transfer to another person; exceptional documented illness, injury or pregnancy may permit next-edition deferral.
Can you finish inside the time limit?
- Time limit
- Three hours is the published completion limit.
Stay in the loop
Email me event updates.
Spend more time training and less time checking. Get the key updates for your race, straight to your inbox.
07 Make your training relevant
Practise for this course.
One thing to rehearse
Practise the food, kit and waiting-time routine you will use before a start with restricted access. Check the final supply map before relying on a specific gel point.
08 Put your plan together
Useful before race day.
Plan your pre-run fuel
Explore meals and snacks around the time you have before running.
Explore the fuel plannerMake race fuel feel familiar
Understand how to practise taking carbohydrate during longer runs.
Read the guideUnderstand your everyday fuel
Learn how carbohydrate supports your running and recovery.
Read the guideA plan that fits your life.
Running, strength or both, with feedback and adjustments as your training develops.
Official race information
Use the organiser’s information for current entry terms, the published route and your final runner instructions. Course resources show their edition where it is known. Pacing and training suggestions are The Runner’s Journal’s guidance and should fit your experience, health and conditions.