Le Semi d'Istres 2026: follow the first edition live

Le Semi d'Istres runs for the first time on Sunday 22 November 2026, starting at 9:00 beside the Étang de l'Olivier in Istres and finishing in the same place. It's a half marathon "around the étangs", as the organisers put it. Here's how to follow your runner and where to put your voice.

The race at a glance

Follow live

The organisers don't announce live tracking. According to the runners' briefing and the race website, results go online on the race homepage from Sunday afternoon. So during the race itself you won't see much from home.

That's where GPS from your runner's phone helps. With Cheerlify you see a dot on the course map, their pace and an arrival estimate, in any browser with a link and a code, no app and no account. You can also record a voice or video cheer and pin it to a kilometre; it plays in their earbuds when they get there. The difference explained: chip timing vs GPS.

The course

According to the event page, the route makes a first pass through the town centre and along L'Usine, then heads out to the Lavalduc and Citis étangs, passes the Deven riding centre and runs along the shore of the Étang de Berre. It ends with a final lap of the Étang de l'Olivier to the finish. The organiser-linked route trace shows about 158 m of climbing. The 10 km, a loop of the Olivier, starts at 9:15.

Where to cheer, when to send a cheer

Start and finish are in the same place, so you can see your runner off and stay by the Olivier for the finish. The étangs stretch is well away from the town, so pin a cheer around km 10. A second one around km 18 helps on the way back to the finish.

Checklist

1. Bib collected on Friday or Saturday at the Esplanade Bernardin Laugier. There's no bib pickup on Sunday.
2. Start pen chosen online before the race.
3. Your runner's tracking link and code tested the evening before, phone fully charged.
4. Cheers recorded and pinned at km 10 and km 18.
5. Travel sorted: the organisers suggest car-sharing for parking, and the TER train stops at Istres station.

FAQ

Is this the first Semi d'Istres? Yes, 2026 is the first edition.

What's the time limit? 3 hours, so that roads can reopen safely.

When are the results online? On the race homepage from Sunday afternoon. For a live position during the race, use GPS tracking from your runner's phone.

More races these weekends: Europe race weekends, November 2026.

Race names belong to their organisers. Cheerlify is not affiliated with Le Semi d'Istres or its organisers.