The Race
Belo Horizonte also holds the Maratona Oficial de Belo Horizonte (MOBH) in May, on a different course around the city centre. This page covers the June marathon at Pampulha. Check the organiser's name, the date and the start location before booking.
| Next Race Date | To be confirmed (June in 2026; the inaugural full ran on 28 June) |
|---|---|
| Course type | Road loop round Pampulha lake with a western spur and the zoo |
| Registration | Paid online entry through the organiser's site; no ballot |
| Ballot opens | No ballot |
| Total finishers | About 2,440 (2026) |
| Average race day temperature | 15 to 25°C (June monthly normals) |
| Cutoff time | 6 hours 30 minutes, with controls at km 21 (3 h 10) and km 35 (5 h 10) |
| Free race-day transport | Municipal buses are free on Sundays (a city policy, not a race benefit) |
| Course certification | CBAt permit 17/2026; measurement certificate not confirmed |
History
The Belo Horizonte Marathon is a new full-distance race on an old half marathon. The June 2026 festival staged the first 42.195 km event while keeping its billing as the 17th half marathon. The half has run around Pampulha for years, and the full did not inherit a decades-old marathon course or record progression.
The organiser, ACE Esportes e Eventos, traces the series to an idea developed by TBH Esportes in 2009 and a first event in 2010, with city support and partnerships with ACE and Diários Associados. Its first field topped 2,500, a figure that belongs to the early festival and not an early marathon. The edition numbers do not form a clean run: an 11th edition is cited for 2022 and a 12th for 2023, while the city called 2025 the 16th half and the race called 2026 the 17th. No explanation has been published, so no foundation year is calculated here.
Pampulha gives the race its identity. The course passes through the Zoobotânica, and conservation runs through the event's mascots and medals. The 2025 tourism listing named the ararajuba as that year's mascot.
The inaugural marathon was won by Ronald Jefferson de Arruda Lopes in 2:26:40 and by Eulália dos Santos in 2:55:41 gun time, 2:55:40 net. The final ranks give 1,897 men and 540 women, about 2,440 classified finishers. These are the first times on the course and not records audited over years. The festival also sat on the national athletics calendar alongside a regional road-running championship, which does not make the marathon a national title race.
The course
The marathon starts and finishes in the Praça Nova area beside Pampulha lake, at the corner of Avenida Otacílio Negrão de Lima and Rua Expedicionário Celso Racioppi. The course is a single 42 km loop of 810 m altitude roads that never strays more than 6.7 km from the start in a straight line. The half marathon uses part of the same roads.
The first 6 km run east and back past the start, then north and west round the lake on Avenida Otacílio Negrão de Lima. At about km 7 the line turns south on Avenida Heráclito Mourão de Miranda to a turn near Mart Minas at km 10 and comes back up the same road. It then heads west on Avenida Professor Clóvis Salgado and Avenida Severino Ballesteros Rodrigues to a turn at about km 19.7 in the Ressaca regional, 6.7 km from the start, and returns by the same roads.
At km 27 the course leaves the lake road for the zoo. It climbs 47 m over 1.9 km (2.5%) to 854 m at km 28.4, the high point of the day, and drops 27 m on Avenida João Batista Drumond. The final 12 km are back on Avenida Otacílio Negrão de Lima, flat at 804 to 814 m, with an out-and-back to the north-east at km 30 to 35 and a last lap of the lake's eastern end before the finish.
Everywhere else the profile stays between 798 and 830 m. The organiser claims 79 m of ascent for the full, with no method behind the figure. The numbered circles on its activation map mark support points and not kilometres.
Kilometre by kilometre
Km 0 to 6: the start and the lake. The marathon starts at 05:30 for the elite group and 05:40 for the general field, in the dark, on the south side of the lake. The half marathon follows at 07:00. The line runs east for a kilometre, returns past the start, and then loops north and west round the lake on Avenida Otacílio Negrão de Lima. Arrive at the correct part of the lake: the shoreline is long, and a taxi to the lake does not mean a short walk to the start.
Km 6 to 15: south to Mart Minas. At km 7 the course turns onto Avenida Heráclito Mourão de Miranda and runs south, rising 17 m to 826 m at km 10, where it turns near Mart Minas. The way back is the same road, down to 808 m at km 14. The organiser advertises a carbohydrate gel near this turn and coffee and pão de queijo in the western section.
Km 15 to 26: the western spur. From km 15 the course follows Avenida Professor Clóvis Salgado and Avenida Severino Ballesteros Rodrigues west, rising from 810 to 829 m at km 19, and turns at about km 19.7. You return the same way, down to 807 m by km 25. Cola is advertised on this branch. The 6.5 km spur is the part the half marathon avoids, and the first control, km 21 at 3 hours 10 minutes, falls on the way back.
Km 26 to 30: through the zoo. At km 27 the road climbs 47 m over 1.9 km to 854 m at km 28.4, then drops 45 m to 809 m by km 30 on the zoo's internal roads. This is the only real climb on the course, and the field may bunch on these narrower roads. The animals are not guaranteed to be visible.
Km 30 to 42.2: back to Praça Nova. The last 12 km are flat on Avenida Otacílio Negrão de Lima, with the lake's north-east corner at km 33 to 35 and the final control at km 35, closing at 5 hours 10 minutes. The remaining 7 km return to the start and finish, passing Casa do Baile on the way.
Pacing. The overall limit of 6 hours 30 minutes works out at about 9:15 per km. Follow the bib colour and the signs, not the runner beside you: the half marathon shares part of the course.
The marathon starts in the dark on the south side of the lake. Follow the signs and bib distance, because the half marathon uses part of the same route.
A turn near Mart Minas at km 10 and a western spur to km 19.7, both on roads the half marathon avoids. Gel, coffee, pão de queijo and cola are advertised there.
The only climb: 47 m over 1.9 km to 854 m at km 28.4, on the Zoobotânica's internal roads. The field may bunch.
Flat on Avenida Otacílio Negrão de Lima to the km 35 control, which closes at 5 hours 10 minutes, and 7 km to the finish.
Course Map
The course from Praça Nova beside Pampulha lake: a circuit of the lake, a spur south to Mart Minas, a western spur to Ressaca and a climb through the zoo. Tap a marker for details, and scrub the slider or press play to move the orange marker along the course with the elevation profile beneath it.
Pacers
No official pace teams were announced for the 2026 marathon. Check the organiser's channels nearer the race.
The course enters the Zoobotânica on its internal roads, and the city describes conservation as part of the race identity, with endangered-species mascots and medals. The 2025 tourism listing named the ararajuba as that year's mascot. The route is a race route and not a visit: the zoo's public gates, animal visibility and spectator access are separate questions.
June is the dry season in Belo Horizonte. INMET's 1991 to 2020 normals give a mean temperature of 19.6°C, a mean daily minimum of 15.4°C, a mean daily maximum of 24.9°C and 11.4 mm of rain. The marathon starts at 05:30 to 05:40, so the wait is cool and the finish can be warm. The organiser's own promotional line mentions a start of roughly 10°C, which is not a station normal, so check the forecast the week before.
Bring a light layer to shed at the start. No clothing-donation point was announced, so give it to a companion or use the baggage service. A cap and sunscreen help in the late morning, when slower runners are still on the western roads. Rain is possible even in a dry month.
Entry
No entry has been announced for the next edition. The 2026 listing is closed and the homepage still shows the completed June race. All prices below are 2026 planning evidence.
The marathon needs no qualifying time. The minimum age is 20 by 31 December of the race year. The 2026 fee rose in stages from R$210 to R$270: R$210 until 30 January, R$225 until 19 March, R$240 until 17 April, R$255 until 22 May and R$270 until 27 June, subject to availability. The regulations mention an earlier R$195 promotion that ended 16 December 2025, and give 12 March, not 19 March, as the second deadline. The two sources disagree.
Elite and B starting pens require qualifying evidence from recognised results since 2023, sent by email after payment. Elite is a marathon under 2:40 for men and 3:00 for women, or a half marathon under 1:20 and 1:30. B is a marathon under 3:00 for men and 3:20 for women, or a half marathon under 1:30 and 1:40. This is a placement rule, not a guaranteed entry. Admission is at the organiser's discretion.
Senior (60 and over) and disabled-athlete entries are 50% off, through a separate proof process, and the concession kit has a bib, chip and medal.
Refunds are available within seven days of registration. One clause calls entry personal and non-transferable, while another allows an official transfer until five working days before kit collection. Get the operative process in writing before buying a place from another runner. The optional windbreaker and shorts are extra purchases, and shirt sizes are subject to stock.
See the organiser's site →Race Weekend
Bib collection
In 2026 bib collection was at Decathlon BH Sul, Avenida Nossa Senhora do Carmo 1700, São Pedro. It ran from 10:00 to 17:00 on Wednesday 24 June and from 10:00 to 20:00 on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. These hours belong to the event and not ordinary store hours. No Sunday collection was announced. The venue is 11 km from the Pampulha start in a straight line, so build collection into the arrival day.
Bring photographic identification and the original payment evidence. The rules name the Brazilian RG or CNH, so overseas runners should ask how passports and CPF numbers are handled. Proxy collection is allowed with authorisation and identification, up to five kits at a time, but the wording on original and certified copies is awkward. Senior and disabled-athlete entries must collect in person.
Check the bib, distance and wave before you leave. Shirt exchanges are not promised. The chip is described as a loan, so ask whether it must be returned. No exhibitor list, talks or expo shuttle were announced.
Getting to the start
The 2026 marathon started in four groups: elite at 05:30, disabled athletes at 05:32, the B group at 05:35 and the general field at 05:40. The half marathon followed at 07:00, 07:02, 07:05 and 07:10, the 5 km at 07:45 and the 10 km at 08:45. Your wave is set by your bib. A general runner cannot join an earlier pen.
The start is at the corner of Avenida Otacílio Negrão de Lima and Rua Expedicionário Celso Racioppi, in the Praça Nova area, also described as Praça Geralda Damatta Pimentel. Save both names. A driver needs a legal drop-off outside the road closures, and no hotel-to-pen time was verified.
Belo Horizonte's municipal buses are free on Sundays, from midnight to 23:59, under the Catraca Livre programme. A BHBUS card is swiped without charge, and a passenger without one can ask staff for a manual release. This is a city fare policy and not a bib benefit, and it does not cover the metro. It also does not guarantee a bus before 05:00, so check the line and the first service.
From central hotels, a pre-booked car is a reasonable choice. From Pampulha hotels, check the actual walking route, because the lake frontage is long.
The rules state that toilets and baggage are provided at the start and finish, but not the opening times, bag size or last collection. Nobile Inn's Sunday breakfast starts at 06:30, after every marathon wave, so ask about a packed breakfast.
After the finish, leave by the authorised exit, collect your bag and meet companions outside the athlete zone.
Nutrition on course
The organiser's map shows about one support point every 2.6 km on average, with water and toilet symbols, but the numbered points are not kilometre positions. Quantities, cup types and personal-bottle service were not published. Medical provision is governed by the regulations.
Advertised extras differ by area. A carbohydrate gel is promised near the Heráclito Mourão turn, coffee and pão de queijo in the western section, cola on the western branch and by the airport side, rapadura between the zoo and the AABB club, and Powerade on the lake near the start. These are promised activations, not a guarantee of every product at every table. Carry your own gels.
Spectating
The simplest plan is one accessible spot near the start and finish, outside the controlled corridor. The map shows the western spur and the zoo, but not spectator gates, pedestrian crossings or a closure timetable. A route line on a map is not permission to cross a closed road.
The half marathon, 5 km and 10 km start later, so the venue is busy until mid-morning. Agree a meeting point reachable without entering the finishing chute. No live-tracking provider was announced. Casa do Baile, on Avenida Otacílio Negrão de Lima 1.3 km from the start, appears on the course map, but its place in the race order is unconfirmed, so use it only if the organiser confirms public access and safe crossings. The zoo and the western spur have no confirmed spectator access, and municipal buses are free on Sundays but supply no race timetable.
- Choose a public spot at the Praça Nova start and finish area.
- Watch the start at 05:30 to 05:40, then wait for the finish.
- Meet outside the barriers after your runner collects their bag.
Post-race food
The finish area was not described for food, and the coffee, pão de queijo and cola on the course are not a recovery meal. Collect your bag, arrange transport and then choose a lunch.
Xapuri, at Rua Mandacaru 260 in Trevo, serves Minas Gerais cooking à la carte with a dessert buffet, open Sunday from 11:00 to 18:00 and closed on Mondays. It is about 3.2 km from the start in a straight line. Reserve if you can and arrange a pickup outside the race closures.
Paladino, at Avenida Gildo Macedo Lacerda 300 in Braúnas, lists Friday to Sunday from 11:30 to 17:00, with a garden setting and Brazilian and Minas cooking. It is a destination lunch and not a kiosk beside the finish, about 3 km from the start, and it closes on Mondays.
A runner who finishes early may need a snack before either opens. A slower finisher should avoid a booking too close to the 6 h 30 limit. A simple meal at the hotel is a sensible alternative.
Where to Stay
Pampulha is the first area to compare, because both start and finish are there. That does not make every Pampulha hotel a walk from the start: the lake circuit is long, and the start is on its southern side.
São Luiz and São Luís
This side of Pampulha has several options. Quality Hotel Pampulha is at Avenida Presidente Antônio Carlos 7456, 2.2 km from the start in a straight line, and lists luggage storage, laundry and a restaurant. Nobile Inn Pampulha is at Avenida Professor Magalhães Penido 378 with air-conditioning and accessible rooms, but its Sunday breakfast starts at 06:30. Pousada Sossego da Pampulha is at Avenida Coronel José Dias Bicalho 1258, a smaller property.
Ouro Preto district
Pampulha Lieu Apart Hotel is at Rua Desembargador Paulo Mota 187, about 1.4 km from the start, in the Belo Horizonte neighbourhood of Ouro Preto, not the historic town of that name. Check the room equipment for the category you book.
Jardim Atlântico
Pampulha Design Hotel is at Avenida Otacílio Negrão de Lima 16410, on the lake road but on a different side from the start. Cost the race transfer separately.
Centro and Savassi
Useful for the CCBB and for the Decathlon collection, but they need an early car to Pampulha.
Airport convenience needs care: Confins (CNF) and the smaller Pampulha airport (PLU) are different places. No price comparison or noise pattern could be established.
Recommended hotels
Avenida Presidente Antônio Carlos 7456. Lists luggage storage, laundry and the Dal Grano restaurant. It is not a race hotel, and its lake claim is not a distance to the start.
Avenida Professor Magalhães Penido 378. Air-conditioned rooms and accessible categories are advertised. Sunday breakfast starts at 06:30, after every marathon wave, so ask for a packed breakfast.
Rua Desembargador Paulo Mota 187. A longer-stay product, but check the equipment in the room type you book. This is the Belo Horizonte neighbourhood, not the historic town.
Avenida Coronel José Dias Bicalho 1258. A smaller pousada. Confirm early breakfast, quiet hours and checkout.
Avenida Otacílio Negrão de Lima 16410, on the lake road but not at the start side. Plan a car or taxi and not a walk.
Booking timeline
Wait for the organiser's own announcement before treating a date as fixed. The May date of the Maratona Oficial de Belo Horizonte is a different race. A refundable room can be held in the meantime, but nothing shows that Pampulha hotels sell out a set number of months ahead.
When entry opens, check the edition, distance, age rule, concession process and transfer wording. The 2026 fee rose in five stages, which does not forecast the next ladder. Keep your receipt and submit any pen proof within the new edition's instructions.
Work flights back from kit collection at the separate Decathlon venue. The 2026 schedule ran Wednesday to Saturday.
In the last fortnight, revisit the timetable, bag rules, closures and the municipal Sunday bus policy. Book a legal early pickup if public transport cannot be confirmed. Museums at Pampulha close on Mondays and Tuesdays, the CCBB closes on Tuesdays, and Inhotim normally opens Wednesday to Sunday.
See & Do
Distances are from the start and finish at Praça Nova, in a straight line, kilometres first, where they could be measured.
Casa do Baile
A Niemeyer-designed architecture centre on the lake, at Avenida Otacílio Negrão de Lima 751. Open Wednesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00 and closed on Monday and Tuesday. It appears on the race map.
Casa Kubitschek
A Niemeyer-designed former weekend house with a garden, at Avenida Otacílio Negrão de Lima 4188 in Bandeirantes. Open Wednesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00, so it is not a Monday option.
Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil (CCBB)
At Praça da Liberdade 450 in Funcionários. Open Wednesday to Monday from 10:00 to 22:00 and closed on Tuesday. A sound Monday alternative, with a step-free entrance on Rua Cláudio Manoel and lifts. Check the dated programme and ticket booking.
After the Race
The marathon is on a Sunday in June, the dry season, and most Pampulha museums close on Mondays and Tuesdays, so the first rest day suits the CCBB or a slow lunch. The historic towns of Minas Gerais are the longer trips: Sabará by road, Inhotim for a night, Ouro Preto for two and Tiradentes with São João del-Rei for three. Check opening days before committing.
A historic town with baroque churches, Rua Pedro II and the Casa da Ópera. The São Francisco church closes on Mondays, so choose another day or plan a street-and-lunch visit.
A large open-air contemporary art museum that opens Wednesday to Sunday. A night nearby avoids tying the visit to a same-day coach.
A hillside colonial town with cobbled slopes. Two nights allow short visits and an unhurried return.
Two neighbouring historic towns joined by a heritage railway. Operation of the railway changed hands on 1 October 2026, so check current ticketing.