Pisa Marathon 2026: live tracking, out to the sea and back along the Arno to the Leaning Tower

The Maratona di Pisa is on Sunday 20 December 2026, starting at 9:00 by Largo Cocco Griffi and Piazza Manin, a few steps from the Piazza del Duomo (marathon rules). The course leaves the city along the Lungarni, crosses the San Rossore park area to the sea at Tirrenia and Marina di Pisa, and comes back along the Arno to finish under the Leaning Tower. The half marathon, La Pisanina, starts with it and turns back at km 13. If someone you care about is running either race, this guide shows how to see where they are right now, where to stand, and how to get your voice to them on the long way back along the river.

Independence notice: Cheerlify is an independent service. It is not affiliated with the organisers or sponsors of the Maratona di Pisa, and it is not the event's official application.

The race at a glance

Sources: the marathon rules, the useful information page and the races page. The bag drop is on Piazza del Duomo, open 7:00–8:30.

1. Official tracking: Evodata chip timing

Timing is by Evodata, with a MyLaps chip in the bib (marathon rules). Unofficial results appear on endu.net right after the finish. The organisers haven't announced a live tracking app or listed the intermediate mats, so check the site in race week.

The chip time is the official one. Between two readings, though, you only see the last one, and it can't tell you when your runner will reach the corner where you're standing. 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. In Pisa that tells you when to walk from the Lungarni to the Piazza del Duomo for the finish.

Tip: if you have runners in both races, open both on the map. The half marathoners come back from km 13 while the marathoners are still heading for the sea.

The course, stage by stage

The organisers describe the course on the races page; it's certified by FIDAL. The kilometres below are measured on the course in the Cheerlify race catalog, which comes from the organisers' course file. They are approximate:

The course is flat and fast. The difficult part is mental: from Marina di Pisa your runner has about 14 km of straight road along the river, with the city still out of sight for most of it.

Where to watch

• The Lungarni (about km 2–5 at the start, and the city streets near km 40). Close to the start and the finish, so you can see your runner early and still be at the line.
• Marina di Pisa (about km 25–28), on the coast at the mouth of the Arno. You'll need a car or a bus from the city, and parking is easier away from the course.
• Piazza del Duomo, the finish. The race ends under the tower, and the Expo Village is a few steps away.

Parking in the centre is limited and the historic centre is a restricted traffic zone (ZTL), so the organisers recommend parking further out (useful information). There's no published meeting point at the finish, so agree on one beforehand.

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

Weather

Late December mornings in Pisa are usually cold, and the coast can be windy. Wear layers, and bring something warm for your runner after the finish.

Be in their ears on the way back along the Arno

After Marina di Pisa, around km 28, the course turns inland and follows the river back to the city. It's flat and straight, and long enough to feel longer than it is.

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 29, leaving Marina di Pisa: "You've touched the sea. Now follow the river home."
• km 35, halfway along the Arno: "Seven to go. The tower is at the end of this road."
• km 41, back in the city: the name, the joke or the promise you know will carry them to the Piazza del Duomo.

For the half marathon, the same idea works at km 14–18, the river section after the turn.

The rules don't mention headphones. 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 Maratona di Pisa or Mezza Maratona di Pisa from the race catalog. The 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 and wave. Bibs are only handed out on Friday and Saturday at the Expo Village.
2. Get your runner's GPS tracking link and test it together during the week.
3. Their phone should start fully charged, with battery saver off and location set to "Always". Cold drains batteries faster, so a warm pocket helps.
4. Record or plan your cheers: at least one for the Arno (km 28–38) and one for the finish. You can also send them live as they run.
5. If you're in Pisa: the Lungarni early, then the Piazza del Duomo for the finish.
6. Agree on a meeting point away from the finish line, which is in the middle of a very busy square.

Frequently asked questions