One Finish, Thousands of New Starts: Main Fall Competition – Almaty Marathon to Take Place on 28 September

The Almaty Marathon, the largest running competition in Central Asia, will take place in Almaty on 28 September. The marathon organised by “Courage to be the First” CF will start at the Republic Square for the fourteenth time and will gather 16,000 athletes from more than 60 countries all around the world. Registration is now open on almaty-marathon.kz website. 

The track goes from the Republic Square through Al-Farabi Avenue, unveiling the thrilling views of the Zailiyskiy Alatau mountains. The First President Park, the Botanic Garden and other foremost sights of the city with a huge history are located along the route. Runners may choose their own distance: 42.2 Marathon, 21.1 Half Marathon, 10-km Companion Run or 10-km Nordic Walking. Corporate teams will be offered the Ekiden Relay Race, where the marathon distance is distributed among six team members.   

Every year, the Almaty Marathon grows in its scale and expands the number of the ongoing charity projects. From its very foundation, a part of funds raised due to the entry fees is spent on social projects for children. This year, “Courage to be the First” Corporate Fund together with AYALA Charity Foundation has transferred special-purpose diagnostic equipment worth KZT 106,241,284 to two perinatal centres in Shymkent and Turkistan Region. The Fund has implemented projects totalling more than KZT 370 mln for 13 years of its operation. These projects aim to reduce the number of disabled infants, make sports more affordable and contribute to a healthier nation.

“Running competitions organised by “Courage to be the First” CF arethe only ones in Kazakhstan that are included in the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races. The Almaty Marathon is the largest of them. The history of the Fund and the idea of making sport affordable and popular started with this marathon. The event unites people, develops tourism, supports business and forms the country’s positive image on the international arena,” stressed Galimzhan Yessenov, Chairman of the Supervisory Board at “Courage to be the First” CF.  

The Almaty Marathon is part of the TAN series of Turkic races, and its course is certified in accordance with World Athletics standards. The marathon pays special attention to environmental standards as well: it doesn’t use printed materials, decreased a number of disposable structures and collaborates with local companies to recycle wastes.  

The Executive Director of the Fund, Saltanat Kazybayeva comments: 

“For years the Almaty Marathon has not lost its leading position among marathons as to the level of inclusion, quality of organisation and its scale. We are holding not only sporting events, but introducing people to doing sports deliberately. Free workout sessions from A’SU Team by the Almaty Marathon take place all year round, and winter is the season for an open group of marathoners, who registered for 42.2 km distance. This year we have also started holding weekly meetings of the Community Almaty Run, where we run, learn from lecturers and discuss various topics from ecology to sport. The marathon is open for both professionals in Elite cluster, and for amateurs, and it unites to make positive changes inside the society.”   

Participation costs: KZT 18,000 for 42.2-km distance, KZT 16,000 for 21.1 and 10-km distances, KZT 14,000 for 10-km Nordic Walking, and KZT 240,000 for Ekiden Relay Race. Ekiden team shall have at least one woman. 

Registration stops on 15 September 2025 or upon reaching 16,000 participants, including 90 Ekiden teams.