Semi-Marathon de Rome
Rome - Ostia… The crowd goes wild before the start! The excitement in the Italian capital 🇮🇹 is palpable! Football ⚽️? No, today we're not talking about the beautiful game but about running, specifically the Rome-Ostia Half Marathon! 🏃♂️
Rome - Ostia… It's not just another Roman derby ⚔️, but a half marathon! 🏃♂️ Starting from the EUR district in Rome and finishing by the seaside in Ostia resort, this 21km race is held every March, for over 50 years now! What a way to kick off your road racing season with optimal conditions! Expect dry and mild weather 🌤️. In the Latium region, it's almost always sunny! ☀️ Che bel sole as they say in Italiano, with that melodious accent of your favourite pizza chef ("what beautiful sunshine", in case you skipped Italian in school 😉). Plus, the course is quite flat, perfect for potentially setting a new personal record! 🕦 In fact, the Roma-Ostia is the fastest Italian half marathon in history 🚀, with no fewer than 6 runners finishing in under an hour 🤯. And in 2022, the second best global time of the year was recorded between Rome and Ostia. Talk about a half marathon to remember 😮.
Uno, due, tre… Let's go! Your race will start in the EUR district, south of Rome 📍. Less known to tourists, this area created by Mussolini is rich in history 🏛️. Mussolini intended this place to showcase fascist ideology, including modern and futuristic buildings and green spaces🌳, all connected to downtown by the Via Cristoforo Colombo. And it's this very avenue you'll take for 17 km, not heading into Rome's center, but running to Ostia, the nearest beach resort to the Eternal City. Crossing the finish line, you'll be greeted by the sea 💦! Considering a quick dip? Unless you're up for some cryotherapy 🥶, we don't recommend it, the water's at 14°C… Remember, it's March! 😬
Sights, sea views… It almost sounds like a sightseeing tour! But make no mistake, the Rome Half Marathon is also a real sporting challenge 💪! For evidence, some of the world's greatest athletes have run this half marathon! 🏆 British athlete, Stephen Henry Jones, known for running the Chicago Marathon in just 2 h 8 min 05 s (world record in 1984), has participated in the Rome Half Marathon! So, ready to set records following the footsteps of champions? 😜
So, what's next after all that? 🤔 If you're already familiar with Rome, then Ostia is where you should head next 🧳! Just 30 km away from Rome's center, Ostia is Rome's go-to seaside resort! 💧 Sunbathing might be challenging in March 🏖️, but Ostia is lively! 🥳 You could visit the Ostia Theater 🎭. Built during the reign of Augustus, at the end of the 1st century BC, this theater could host up to 2,500 spectators for a variety of shows! To fully enjoy the dolce vita, consider renting a Vespa 🛵 and exploring the village of Torvaianica with its fine sand beaches and dunes! And (saving the best for last 😋) you can also savor the specialties of Latium in Ostia's many restaurants 🤤. Pasta alla Zozzona, Gnocchi alla Romana 🍽️ or the classic pizzas 🍕, all accompanied by a refreshing Spritz on a terrace... 🍹 What more could anyone ask for?
So don't forget your running shoes 👟 and your best Italian accent (pro tip: Listen to Umberti Tozzi's "Ti Amo" again and again)… And get ready for an amazing race! 😎
21.0975 km… That's the distance that awaits you if you embark on the adventure that is the Rome Half-Marathon!️ 21 km of pure joy, exploring the EUR district on a flat course. Perfect to see if your interval training sessions have paid off! 🏃♂️
The race starts at the PalaLottomatica, an arena hosting a variety of events. From there, you'll set off to discover the EUR district. In the first few kilometers, you'll run through the EUR Central Park with its artificial lake, fountains, and Japanese cherry trees. Then, you'll head onto Via Cristoforo Colombo, which you'll follow for 17 km all the way to Ostia. And finally, in your last kilometers, you'll catch glimpses of the Mediterranean Sea, cheered on by the supporters and volunteers who've come out in large numbers for the event!
Participants must be at least 18 years old on the day of the race to participate.
International runners residing outside of Italy must fill out and sign a liability waiver form. This must be sent, along with a copy of an ID, to the following address: info@romaostia.it.
In Italy, you can run in either 'competitive' or 'non-competitive' categories. The liability waiver will allow you to register for the 'non-competitive' category, where you will not appear in the official race standings. If you wish to be included in the official rankings, you will need to obtain a "RunCard", which is akin to a one-day Italian athletics license.
A bag check will be available for your personal belongings before the race. You must drop off your bag at the designated area before 8:30 AM. All the details can be found in the race regulations.
10km: must be reached within 1 hour and 40 minutes.
15km: must be reached within 2 hours and 30 minutes.
The maximum time to finish the race is 3 hours and 30 minutes.
Bib numbers can be picked up at Casa RomaOstia, Piazzale Nervi:
on Friday, March 1st, 2025 from 10 AM to 8 PM
on Saturday, March 2nd, 2025 from 10 AM to 8 PM
If you've booked a room in one of the race partner hotels, you can take advantage of a shuttle service to get to the start of the race and back to your hotel afterwards. This service costs €15.
You can access the race regulations by following this link.
If you're the organizer of this race and want to enhance your page's content, claim it here.
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