N Kolay Istanbul Marathon
Istanbul, Turkey · November · World Athletics Label
Why people love it
- Cross the Bosphorus Bridge from Asia into Europe within the first 2 km (1.2 mi).
- Finish on the Hippodrome between the Blue Mosque and the Obelisk.
- 6 h 20 min cutoff and open entry at EUR 60 to 120 (about $65 to $130).
- Roads are traffic-free, closed about 3 hours before the start.
- Gold Label race with a Boston-qualifying tag.
Watch out for
- A steep climb of nearly 1.5 km (1 mi) to the finish, after 40 km (25 mi).
- Aid about every 5 km (3 mi), no sports drink, and slower runners reported water running out.
- Roads close 3 hours before the start; tram and ferry delays reported.
- The last 16 km (10 mi) are unsheltered, with wind and about 20 °C (68 °F) sun in 2025.
- Expo and bib pickup information has been conflicting and hard to reach by transit.
Race
How racers feel about it, how well it is run, and how it treats a first timer. Counts for 28% of the overall score.
Toughness: Tough
- Racer satisfactionLoved3.8
RaceRaves averages 3.6 of 5 and a forum runner calls it well worth doing. The Bosphorus crossing is a highlight; organisation complaints are common. · Medium confidence
- OrganizationAdequate2.9
Reports of unsanitary toilets, water running short for slower runners, no sports drink and a poor medical area. A few call it well organised. · Medium confidence
- First timer friendlyDoable3.0
Fair 6 h 20 min cutoff and a mostly flat middle, but early hills, a steep finish and confusing logistics. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialAverage2.7
Hills in the first 5 km (3 mi), near 18 to 19 km (11.8 mi) and a steep finish climb, plus sun and wind. Men's record 2:09:44. · Medium confidence
Course
Scenery, road surface, closures, and room to run. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Course scenerySpectacular4.8
Runners cross the Bosphorus Bridge from Asia to Europe, follow the Golden Horn and Marmara coast, and finish by the Blue Mosque. · High confidence
- Room to runSome pinch points3.0
Long runs along the coast and back. The 15 km (9.3 mi) start was crowded with stop-and-go on the bridge, and bag drop was crowded. · Low confidence
- Road surfaceMixed3.2
Mostly asphalt, but one runner hit an uneven old-stone section, and bottles at aid stations are a trip hazard. · Low confidence
- Road closuresMostly closed4.2
Described as traffic-free, with roads closed from about 3 hours before the start. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Course flatnessRolling3.0
Gain of 249 m (817 ft) in the rolling band, plus a steep finish climb. · Medium confidence
- Net downhillEven3.0
Gain 249 m (817 ft) against loss 261 m (856 ft), a net drop of only 12 m (39 ft). · Medium confidence
Support
Crowds, aid stations, the start, and pacers. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Start logisticsSome waiting2.6
Roads close about 3 hours before the start. One year trams were cancelled and ferries delayed, and a runner reached the gate at 8:50. · Medium confidence
- Pacers and timingSome pace groups3.4
Gold Label timing is accurate. Pace-group details were not found. · Low confidence
- Crowd supportDecent3.2
Mixed reports: very good in places, but one runner saw little support during the race. A big crowd gathers near the finish. · Low confidence
- Aid stationsStandard2.6
Water, bananas and oranges about every 5 km (3 mi), no sports drink except cola at 25 and 35 km (15.5 and 22 mi). · Medium confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 14% of the overall score.
- WindSome wind3.0
A forum runner calls it pretty windy, and the Marmara coast is unsheltered. · Low confidence
- Air temperaturePleasant3.7
Starts of 12 to 15 °C (54 to 59 °F), highs of 16 to 23 °C (61 to 73 °F). Little shade late. · Medium confidence
- Weather reliabilityVariable3.3
Mild late autumn, from cool and crisp in 2014 to sunny 22 °C (72 °F) in 2016. Rain risk not documented. · Low confidence
- Spectator friendlySome viewpoints3.0
Spread-out route in a huge city. Spectators can gather at the Sultanahmet finish, but little evidence on other spots. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeSea level4.9
Near sea level, with the bridge deck under 100 m (330 ft). Exact figure not found. · Medium confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 10% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityPlentiful4.5
Istanbul has a huge hotel stock. · Medium confidence
- Hotel valueGood4.0
Good value for a world city, but no race-weekend prices were found. · Low confidence
- WalkabilitySome driving3.0
Sultanahmet hotels are a walk from the finish, but the start is on the Asian side and needs a tram, ferry or road transport. · Medium confidence
- Travel easeEasy4.2
Two airports and many direct flights, though Istanbul airport is about 40 km (25 mi) from the centre. · Low confidence
- LogisticsSome complexity2.6
Expo information was conflicting, bib pickup was hard to reach by transit, and the start needs early closure-aware travel. · Medium confidence
- Town and foodGreat4.9
Among the great food and sightseeing cities, with Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque beside the finish. · High confidence
Entry
How hard it is to get a place, and what you get for the fee. Counts for 8% of the overall score.
- Getting inEasy4.4
Open entry with fields of 4,500 to 6,000 in a city of millions. Registration runs until mid-October. · Medium confidence
- Value for moneyFair3.3
EUR 60 to 120 (about $65 to $130). The medal is praised, but shirts drew sizing complaints and RaceRaves rates swag 2.4 of 5. · Low confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Istanbul, Marmara, Turkey
- Typical month
- November
- Latest or next date
- 1 November 2026
- Organiser
- World Athletics Label
- Field size
- About 4,500 athletes
- First held
- 1979
- Distances
- 42.2 km (26.2 mi)
- Course type
- point-to-point
- Climbing
- 249 m (815 ft)
- Descent
- 261 m (855 ft)
- Start time
- 09:00
- Cutoff
- 6.33 hours
- Boston qualifier
- Yes
- Surface
- Asphalt, with an uneven old-stone section reported at one point
- How to get in
- open
- Entry fee
- About $130
- Air temperature
- 12–22 °C (54–72 °F)
- Humidity
- Moderate to humid
- Nearest airport
- Istanbul Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gokcen (SAW), 40 km (25 mi) away
- Where to stay
- Sultanahmet (finish), Beyoglu / Taksim, Kadikoy (Asian side, near start)
- Booking
- Sultanahmet hotels are near the finish. The start is on the Asian side and needs transit. Roads close about 3 hours before the start.
What racers and reviewers say
- RaceRavesRaced 2025 · aggregator · Mixed
3.6 of 5. Scenery 3.4, production 3.0, swag 2.4. Bridge start praised. Complaints: transit delays, no sports drink, some water shortages, unsanitary toilets, hills at the first 5 km (3.1 mi) and a steep uphill finish.
- Runner's World UK forum (via search summary)forum · Mixed
A multi-year runner says the course is mostly flat along the coast but with hills in the first 4 mi (6.4 km), a lump near 11 to 12 mi (18 to 19 km) and a climb to the finish. Organisation has a few serious flaws, the medical area was poor, but crossing the bridge is fantastic and it can be windy. The page redirected and was read via a search summary only.
- runABC: Turkish DelightRaced 2016 · article · Positive
Repeat runner says mostly flat and traffic-free with a hill at miles 11 to 12 (18 to 19 km) and a small one near the finish. The last 10 mi (16 km) are in unsheltered sun; he recalled 22 °C (72 °F) in November 2016.
- YabangeeRaced 2014 · blog · Positive
Ran the 15 km (9.3 mi), not the marathon. Crowded start on the Bosphorus Bridge with stop-and-go, street vendors selling simit and tea, cool and crisp weather, and her regret was that the marathon finishes up a hill in Sultanahmet.
“At least it wasn't too hot.”
- AIMS: Connecting ContinentsRaced 2012 · article · neutral
Explains the route: Asian side start before the Bosphorus Bridge, the bridge crossing about 700 m (2,300 ft) in, a second bridge over the Golden Horn, and a finish moved to Sultanahmet to keep the net drop record-eligible. Route has changed three times.
Show 4 more
- Runner's World GermanyRaced 2025 · article · neutral
2025 race report: warm at about 20 °C (68 °F) with sun slowing the last third, and a steep climb of nearly 1 mi (1.5 km) to the finish that decided both races.
- AIMS: Thrilling Races in Istanbul / WA results coverageRaced 2025 · article · neutral
About 6,000 marathon entries and about 42,000 runners across all distances on 2 Nov 2025. Coverage only from the search summary since the page was rate limited.
- Finishers.com race pageRaced 2026 · aggregator · neutral
Facts only: elevation 249 m (817 ft) gain and 261 m (856 ft) loss, 6 h 20 min cutoff, fees EUR 60 to 120, start near the 15 July Martyrs' Bridge and finish on the Hippodrome. Not counted as a review.
- WikipediaRaced 2025 · article · neutral
First held 1979. Gold Label since 2012. Three bridges (one over the Bosphorus, two over the Golden Horn). Records 2:09:44 and 2:18:35.
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Sources
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