If you have ever thought about running a marathon in South America, you can stop thinking and start training. 

On the first weekend of July 2012 (June 30th and July 1st) Pacasmayo, a small beach town located on the northern coast of Peru, will be the site of one of the most scenic and challenging off-road marathons in South America.  Known for its world class surfing, Pacasmayo is now becoming known for its world class off-road running.  

The Pacasmayo International Marathon (or La Maratón Internacional de Pacasmayo in Spanish) was designed to take advantage of the natural beauty surrounding Pacasmayo, yet at the same time to select the type of terrain that would challenge runners.  Because the course is in the desert (the area receives less than one inch of rainfall a year) the majority of the course is composed of hard packed dirt and sand which is easy on the knees and feet. 

Altitude and mountains will not be a problem as the entire course is never more than 100 feet above sea level.  A slight breeze from the ocean will help keep your body temperature comfortable throughout the race.  In addition, by hosting the Pacasmayo International Marathon in July, the morning temperatures will average 55 - 65 ºF as we will be in our winter season. 

The beauty of the Pacific Ocean can be seen by the runners for the majority of the course.  For a change of scenery from the ocean view, the course takes tours into the Peruvian countryside where windmills, farm houses and chicken farms will be in full view.  From a historical perspective, approximately 2 Km. of the course runs parallel to the road used by the Pre Incan Moche Civilization in 600 DC 

On Sunday morning, we will begin all four races simultaneously.   However, the activities will begin the day before on Saturday morning with runner kit pickup (shirts, runner number, race information) .  Later in the afternoon, the Pacasmayo International Marathon participants will be the stars in a ceremony that will officially welcome them to the city.   

Every finisher in each of the four races will be awarded a hand-made marble medal differentiated by size.  The beautiful marble trophies for each of the winners in their divisions will also be hand-made by the local artisans of Pacasmayo.  Each year, the proceeds from the event will go to purchase supplies for an institution in Pacasmayo voted on by the Comitee.   

In 2011, part of the proceeds and all donations were utilized to purchase supplies and equipment for Artisan group "Xequetepec" (an association promoting sustainable development for local families in the district Jequetepeque) in Pacasmayo. The other part of proceeds helped to defray the cost for the following Maratón Internacional de Pacasmayo.

The course for the Pacasmayo Internacional Marathon will be challenging and beautiful.  On June 30th and July 1st we look forward to meeting runners from all over the world who are making plans to come to Pacasmayo in order to challenge their resolve and to achieve a personal running goal.  

We hope that you will take the opportunity to experience Pacasmayo, spend the weekend with us, and create a running memory that will last a lifetime.  Pacasmayo awaits you!