The Palestine Marathon is returning for the first time after 2023, with this year’s event also including a virtual race to allow participants to take part from around the world.
Launched in 2013 in Bethlehem, the marathon was conceived as a peaceful act of resistance to the Israeli occupation of the West Bank. Its route, which takes runners through checkpoints and alongside sections of the separation barrier, was designed to highlight the restrictions on movement faced by Palestinians.
Over the years, the race has grown into an internationally recognised event, attracting participants from dozens of countries.
The race was cancelled in 2024 and 2025 amid the Israel-Gaza war, making this year’s race the first since the conflict began in October 2023.
Solidarity from afar
The virtual format means the race is open to a global audience, and runners can take part from anywhere, completing their chosen distance at a time and location that suits them during the race window.
The run will take place from April 17 to 21, with distances of 5km, 10km, 21km and the full 42km marathon available. Registration for standard virtual entry remains open until April 20.
To register, participants must download the Racemate app and create a profile. They can then click on which virtual race they want to take part in and purchase the corresponding ticket.
Participants can also track their performance through the app, with organisers positioning the event as a way to show solidarity from afar.
Participants must complete their chosen distance outdoors within the set time frame. The distance must be recorded in one continuous run, with the app active throughout. Each race can only be completed once, and any results that do not meet validation criteria may be disqualified.
Participants who sign up will receive a digital certificate upon completion, while earlier registrants had the option to receive a medal and T-shirt, depending on the selected package and delivery availability.
In the loop
The race itself has long carried symbolic meaning. Rather than following a single, uninterrupted 42km route, the course is typically run in repeated loops, reflecting the limited movement within the area.
According to the event’s website, the marathon was designed to raise awareness about “one of the basic human rights that is under threat in the state of Palestine: the freedom of movement”.
It adds: “Runners anywhere may 'hit a wall' under the physical and emotional strain of completing the 42km race course. In the state of Palestine, runners literally hit the wall” – a reference to the security barrier that Israel says is intended to prevent attacks within its territory.
The marathon supports a number of humanitarian organisations working across Palestine, with funds helping to provide medical care, education and emergency aid.
These include Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF), which provides free medical treatment to injured and ill children, and Caritas Baby Hospital in Bethlehem, the only dedicated paediatric hospital in the Palestinian territories.
Support also goes to SOS Children’s Villages Palestine, which focuses on care and education for vulnerable children, as well as the Mariam Foundation, which assists cancer patients and their families.
International charities such as Amos Trust and Penny Appeal are also involved, helping to deliver humanitarian relief including food, clean water and essential supplies to communities in need.
Registration is open until April 20
