A demanding road marathon over major bridges and through tunnels before an island finish at Victoria Park. The exposure, crossings and late tunnel exit matter more than a simple average pace.
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.
Nathan Road and Kowloon openingNathan Road, Mong Kok, Argyle Street.
City-road opening and transition to highway.
How to approach it Settle before the route opens up. A busy urban start can encourage weaving and a fast group can pull you beyond your plan. Keep the effort easy enough that you still feel organised about breathing and your first fuel.
Stonecutters and Nam WanStonecutters Bridge, Nam Wan Tunnel, Tsing Yi.
Bridge/highway and tunnel transitions.
How to approach it Let pace vary with the terrain and leave your stride relaxed. Do not force an identical split up and down a bridge or chase a jumpy instantaneous GPS reading inside a tunnel. The useful goal is controlled effort, not a perfectly smooth watch graph.
Ting Kau and highway returnTing Kau Bridge, Tsing Long Highway, Cheung Tsing Tunnel.
Exposed bridge/highway roads and turns.
How to approach it Expect the atmosphere to feel different from Nathan Road and stay with a simple routine. Drink or fuel as rehearsed, relax the hands and keep the next section manageable. A windy or slower kilometre is not a reason to spend your late-race reserve immediately.
Return towards the harbour crossingWestern Kowloon roads, Western Harbour Crossing.
Highway-to-tunnel transition late in the marathon.
How to approach it Check effort before the crossing rather than waiting until tiredness makes a decision for you. Keep your pacing cue simple through the tunnel and use the official markers afterwards to reassess. Avoid treating the island side as if the race is already finished.
Central and Wan Chaifinal workCentral, Lung Wo Road, Wan Chai.
Urban roads with turns and changing surroundings.
How to approach it Use the city’s return as encouragement without suddenly lifting pace beyond what you can hold. Keep attention on route signs, footing and other runners. A series of short, controlled tasks is more useful here than constantly calculating how much time a fast final kilometre might save.
Victoria Park finishVictoria Park, Causeway Bay.
Controlled park finish and pedestrian exit.
How to approach it Run towards the actual line, then keep moving through the exit. Pick a reunion point outside the controlled area in advance. After a long cross-city route, a clear route back to your accommodation matters more than an ambitious post-race sightseeing plan.
Official maps & course details
- Start
- Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui.
- Finish
- Victoria Park, Causeway Bay.
- Official 2027 map
- The organiser has published a distance-specific 2027 course map.
- Course sequence
- The map crosses Stonecutters Bridge, Tsing Ma Bridge, Ting Kau Bridge and Western Harbour Crossing before the island finish.
Use the official map for the full route. The route overview helps you prepare; use the official map or GPX for full navigation details.
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
Start calmly from Nathan Road.
Run the bridge and tunnel sections by effort and keep your fuel routine.
Reset after the harbour crossing for the remaining island streets to Victoria Park.
A PB or time goal
Choose a target that allows slower uphill splits.
Use official distance markers rather than trying to correct GPS changes in tunnels.
Keep a reserve for the later island section instead of spending it on the early bridges.
If the weather or your pace changes
January should not be treated as a guarantee of your ideal racing conditions. Check the forecast and prepare for the exposure of bridges and highways as well as the different feel inside tunnels. If the actual effort is higher than expected, soften the target early rather than forcing the clock. Wind can change as you turn or cross a bridge; maintain control instead of trying to recover each lost second. Use familiar clothing and follow the organiser’s final weather and safety instructions throughout the route.
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
Packet collection
13–16 January 2027 by reserved slot; hours and venue are still to be announced. No race-day collection.
Collection documents
Bring the collection email with QR code and a copy of HKID/passport.
Before your wave
Baggage
Free baggage service uses the organiser’s bag and tag; collection is near the finish.
The start
Start waves
Challenge 06:00; Run 1 06:25; Run 2 06:50. All times HKT.
Finish window
Time limit
Six hours.
Kit rules & accessibility
- Prior race requirement
- Applicants need a completed 10K-or-longer race between 1 January 2025 and 31 August 2026, with the finishing time supplied.
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
Choose approved public viewing on the city streets or a Victoria Park finish base. The bridges and tunnels are course infrastructure, not spectator viewing routes; use the official spectator map for access.
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.
Use designated public viewing areas
The bridges, highways and harbour tunnel on these courses are not ordinary spectator pavements. Do not plan to stand on controlled road sections.
Victoria Park reunion plan
Use the organiser’s final finish and pedestrian-access instructions. Agree a meeting point outside the runner-only exit.
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.
06 Before you book
Entry, fees & time limits.
The public ballot closed 20 September 2026. Disability entry runs to 30 October; charity and room-package routes have separate eligibility and availability.
Check official entry options- Entry fees
- HKD600 local / USD90 non-local.
Transfers, refunds & deferrals
- Transfers
- Bibs and timing chips are non-transferable; start only in your assigned race and wave.
- Medical withdrawal
- Medical refund requests are accepted through 16 January 2027 at 23:00; HKD100 administration fee is deducted.
Can you finish inside the time limit?
- Time limit
- Six hours.
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 hills and sustained road running with your carried fuel. Check the event's equipment and on-course support rules before packing.
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 guideArrive ready, not worn out
Understand what changes in the final weeks before a marathon.
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.