Elche–Alicante Marathon 2026: live tracking, the 18 km between two cities and the finish at the port

The second Maratón Internacional Elche-Alicante is on Sunday 13 December 2026, starting at 9:00 on the Calle Diagonal del Palau in Elche, next to the Palacio de Altamira (official site). The organisers moved it from 29 November after the general election was called for that day. It's a one-way race: about 20 km through Elche, past the Palmeral, then about 18 km along the road to Alicante, and the last kilometres across the Explanada de España to the finish on Muelle 12 in the port. If someone you care about is running it, this guide shows how to see where they are right now, where you can actually stand on a point-to-point course, and how to get your voice to them on the long, quiet stretch between the two cities.

Independence notice: Cheerlify is an independent service. It is not affiliated with the organisers or sponsors of the Maratón Internacional Elche-Alicante, and it is not the event's official application.

The race at a glance

Sources: the official site and the course map. The time limit isn't on the main page; check the race rules in race week. Bags travel by truck from the Candalix car park in Elche to the Paseo del Puerto Viejo, next to the Casino Mediterráneo in Alicante.

1. Official tracking: chip timing and the results

The organisers haven't published the timing provider or whether there will be live splits, so check the official site in race week and ask your runner to forward any tracking link they receive. Chip times are the official record, but they only update at the mats: between two readings you see the last one. We explain the difference here: chip timing vs GPS tracking.

2. Live GPS on the map, between the readings

For a dot that keeps moving you need GPS tracking on the runner's own phone: Strava Beacon, Garmin LiveTrack, plain location sharing or Cheerlify (marathon tracking apps compared). Cheerlify snaps the dot to the course, so you see which kilometre they're on and get an arrival estimate for any point. On a point-to-point race that matters more than usual: it tells you when to leave Elche and whether you'll make it to Alicante before your runner does.

Tip: if you watch in Elche and then go to the finish, decide your train or car in advance and let the arrival estimate set the time you leave.

The course, stage by stage

The organisers publish the course as a map and a Google map with every kilometre. The kilometres below are measured on that course as loaded in the Cheerlify race catalog. They are approximate:

The organisers changed the 2026 course to make it faster: the climbs in Alicante's old town are gone, and the race now reaches the port on the flat (Alicante city council).

Where to watch

A point-to-point course means you choose: Elche, Alicante, or both with a trip in between.

• Elche, the first 20 km. The start at the Palacio de Altamira, then the city centre and the Palmeral area around km 15–18. For a four-hour runner, km 18 comes at about 10:45.
• The road between the cities (km 20–34). It's the N-340, with few places for spectators. This is where cheers from a distance matter most.
• Alicante, the Explanada and the port (km 40–42). Regional trains (Cercanías line C-1) link Elche and Alicante; check the Sunday timetable on Renfe. A four-hour runner needs about two hours from km 18 to the port, which leaves time for the train if you leave Elche when they pass you.

There's no published meeting point at the finish, so agree on one beforehand, for example the end of the Explanada nearest the port.

Supporters at home get the same map and can send the same cheers.

Weather

Mid-December mornings on the Costa Blanca are usually mild, and the road between the two cities is open to the wind. Check the forecast on Saturday.

Be in their ears on the road between the cities

From about km 20 to km 34 your runner leaves Elche behind and runs on a long, straight road with almost no one at the side of it. The crowd of the first half is gone, and Alicante isn't in sight yet.

With Cheerlify you can send a voice or video cheer while your runner is on the course, and it plays in their earbuds right away. Or record one in advance, pick the kilometre, and it plays right there. Their music dips, your voice comes in, and then the music is back. Places for one:

• km 22, just out of Elche: "Elche is done. Next stop, the sea."
• km 30, in the middle of the long road: "Twelve to go. You're running downhill to Alicante, it's on your side."
• km 40, on the Explanada: the name, the joke or the promise you know will carry them to the port.

The main page doesn't mention headphones; check the race rules. One earbud or open-ear headphones keep your runner aware of the course and still let them hear a cheer clearly.

For the runner: in the Cheerlify app, pick Maratón Internacional Elche-Alicante from the race catalog. The 2026 course is already loaded, so there's no GPX file to find. Share the link and the code with your supporters.

Supporters open the link and enter the code in a browser; no app, no account. A group can split the course between them, one cheer each for a different kilometre. For ideas, here are 30+ cheering lines for every stage of a race.

Race-week checklist for supporters

1. Save your runner's bib number. Bibs are handed out on Friday and Saturday at the Paseo de la Estación in Elche.
2. If your runner is staying in Alicante, check they've booked the 6:15–7:30 runner bus to the start.
3. Get your runner's GPS tracking link and test it together during the week.
4. Their phone should start fully charged, with battery saver off and location set to "Always".
5. Record or plan your cheers: at least one for the road between the cities (km 20–34) and one for the finish. You can also send them live as they run.
6. Agree on a meeting point near the port of Alicante.

Frequently asked questions