The Race
The EcoMaratona Pratese is four laps of a flat 10.5 km unpaved circuit in a park. FIDAL lists it as a trail event and the course is not homologated, so times do not compare with road marathons and the race sits outside certified-marathon filters, qualifying claims and course-record language.
| Next Race Date | Sunday 11 October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Course type | Loop (four laps of 10.5 km), unpaved |
| Registration | Open entry, 150 marathon bibs |
| Ballot opens | Not applicable |
| Start | Park entrance, Via Traversa del Crocifisso, Prato, 08:30 |
| Finish | Park entrance, Via Traversa del Crocifisso, Prato |
| Total finishers | Not published |
| Avg race-day temp | 10 to 21°C (mid-October) |
| Cutoff time | 7 hours |
| Free race-day transport | Not confirmed |
| Course certification | Not homologated. FIDAL lists the event as trail |
History
The EcoMaratona Pratese is organised by Podistica Pratese, and 2026 is the eighth edition. It sits on the FIDAL calendar and carries CSI involvement, although FIDAL lists it as a trail event and the course is not homologated.
The course has changed. The sixth edition, in 2024, used a hillier route through Poggio a Caiano and Carmignano. The circuit in the Cascine di Tavola park was introduced in 2025, so times from earlier editions cannot be compared with the current flat loop.
The organiser's 2025 report gives about 800 participants across all distances, and marathon times of 2:45:11 and 4:05:34 for the winners. Treat the split between them as unverified.
The course
The marathon is four laps of a 10.5 km circuit inside the Parco delle Cascine di Tavola, on the western edge of Prato. The surface is unpaved. The circuit is flat: the SRTM profile reads between about 33 m and 43 m above sea level for the full distance, and the organiser quotes 16 m of variation per lap.
Start and finish are at the park entrance on Via Traversa del Crocifisso. The shorter races share the same loop: 31.5 km is three laps, the half marathon two laps and the 10.5 km one.
FIDAL lists the event as trail and the course is not homologated. The organiser says 42.195 km but four laps of 10.5 km make 42.0 km, and it does not say how the difference is handled. The circuit measures 42.24 km over four laps.
Kilometre by kilometre
What the loop is. The same 10.5 km circuit four times, on park tracks and embankments. The route shows each lap heading south from the start on the Stradone del Caciaio, along the Stradone Traverso and Via di Bogaia to a turn about 2.8 km in a straight line from the start at roughly 4.6 km into the lap, then back through the flood-storage basin paths, along the Argine Grosso and the Corsa de' Daini to the start area.
The field. The first lap is full of runners from all four races, since everyone starts at 08:30. By the second lap the 10.5 km field has finished and by the third the half marathon is over, so the marathoners end up sharing the park with a much thinner crowd.
Pacing. A flat loop rewards even splits. Divide the race into four laps and check each against the same target time. A fast first lap in a crowd is the usual mistake. The route passes the start area at about 10.5, 21.1 and 31.7 km.
Surface. Unpaved throughout. The organiser gives no surface breakdown between gravel, packed earth and grass, so the effect of rain on grip and pace is a question for the organiser.
Repeated sight of the finish. The start and finish area is passed at the end of every lap, which helps a runner who wants to top up from a bag or a bottle. Whether personal supplies may be left there is not stated.
All four races run together from 08:30. Hold back.
The 10.5 km runners have finished and the loop opens up.
The half marathon is over and the field is thin.
Sightings of the finish come with every pass.
Course Map
The four laps overlay each other, so the line is drawn once. Tap a marker for the start and the railway station, and scrub the slider or press play to move the orange marker along the course with the elevation profile beneath it.
Mid-October at Prato is cool at 08:30 and mild by late morning, roughly 10 to 21°C. Wear a short-sleeved top and carry nothing you cannot leave near the finish. A cheap throwaway layer helps in the wait before the start.
Choose a shoe with modest grip. A flat unpaved loop does not need a trail shoe with aggressive lugs, but a road racer with no grip is a risk if it rains. The surface breakdown is not published, so a shoe with some traction on gravel is the safer choice. The organiser makes rubbish disposal a rule: litter outside marked bins can lead to disqualification, so carry gel wrappers to a bin.
Entry
Entry is open, with a cap of 150 marathon bibs. The 2026 regulation appears to list four price bands: €25 to 30 April, €35 to 30 July, €45 to 7 October and €50 to 10 October, which are about £21, £30, £39 and £43 at €1 to £0.858. The table is misaligned in the PDF, so check the live registration page before relying on any amount. Online registration closes on 9 October, with entry at the Saturday village if bibs remain.
A bib transfer to another runner costs €10 and must be made by 5 October. The marathon fee includes the Saturday pasta party and a race pack. There is no ballot, guaranteed-entry standard or charity allocation described.
Entering from outside Italy. Runners must be 20 or older for the marathon. The regulation requires FIDAL affiliation or a RunCard with a competitive athletics medical certificate. It allows a certificate issued abroad for non-resident RunCard holders where it includes the examinations Italy requires. A separate route for foreign federation members is not stated, and one line of the PDF gives a validity date of 12 October, a day after the race, so ask the organiser to confirm.
Fast runner standards
There is no guaranteed-entry or qualifying standard.
EcoMaratona Pratese: official site →Race Weekend
Bib collection
Bibs are collected at the park village on Via Traversa del Crocifisso on Saturday 10 October from 10:00 to 19:00. Sunday collection by 07:30 applies only to entrants from outside Tuscany who are already in good standing, so do not plan on a general Sunday expo. Bring photo ID and the paperwork required for entry.
Getting to the start
Runners assemble at 07:00 and the race starts at 08:30 at the park entrance on Via Traversa del Crocifisso in Prato. Go to the park entrance, not the historic centre, which is a longer trip.
The regulation mentions parking indicated locally. Sunday bus times, road closures, bag drop, showers and toilets are not published. A taxi from Prato or a car is the practical option, and a lift back after the finish should be arranged in advance.
Nutrition on course
Aid station positions and contents are not published. A four-lap loop makes a bag or bottle left near the finish easy to reach every 10.5 km, if the organiser allows it. Ask before the race. Carry your own fuel and confirm the water arrangements.
Spectating
The start and finish is the best place to watch, since the runners pass it at the end of each lap, four times in all for a marathoner. Keep out of the runners' line. Whether the park permits crossings, and where the best sighting point lies, is not published.
- Watch the 08:30 start
- See the field pass at about 10.5, 21 and 31.5 km
- Stay for the finish
Post-race food
The Saturday pasta party is included in the marathon entry. A finish-area meal is not described, and no verified Sunday restaurant near the park was found.
Where to Stay
The choice is between a base near the park and one in Prato.
Near the Cascine di Tavola
Lodging near the park makes for an easy morning, but supply is limited and no distances have been measured.
Prato
More rooms, restaurants and a rail station, about 5 km from the course at its nearest, but it needs a Sunday transfer to the park. Do not treat the centre as walking distance to the start without measuring a specific hotel.
Florence
Close by rail and with far more choice, but it adds transport uncertainty on race morning.
Booking timeline
The race is 11 days away as of 30 September. Book now and check how many of the 150 bibs are left. Online entry closes on 9 October. Arrange a Sunday taxi or lift, and a way home. A bib transfer costs €10 and must be requested by 5 October.
See & Do
The park is the venue, and Prato and Poggio a Caiano are a short drive away.
Cascine di Tavola
The park is the race venue, in the Prato and Poggio a Caiano area.
Prato old town
A walled textile town with a cathedral and a museum of contemporary art. Check Monday hours.
Poggio a Caiano
A town beside the park with a Medici villa. Check opening hours and prices.
After the Race
October is mild in Tuscany. Recovery days can stay in Prato or take a short train to Florence, Lucca or Pisa.
A walled textile town with a cathedral, a fresco cycle and a museum of contemporary art. A flat, easy Monday.
A Medici villa on a hill above the park, with lawns and a short walk. Quiet and close.
One night in the centre of the Renaissance, on flat streets that suit tired legs.
Two nights split between a walled city with a ring of ramparts and a city of leaning towers.