The Race
This page covers the August international marathon, run by the city. A separate "Maratona de João Pessoa" advertises an April date and has its own organiser. Check the website name and the month before you enter.
| Next Race Date | To be confirmed (August expected; the latest edition ran on Sunday 2 August) |
|---|---|
| Course type | Out-and-back road, starting and finishing at the Centro de Convenções |
| Registration | Paid online entry through Ticket Sports; no ballot found |
| Ballot opens | No ballot |
| Total finishers | About 332 (latest edition, press count) |
| Average race day temperature | August averages: 22 to 28°C |
| Cutoff time | 6 hours, with km 31 to be reached within 4 hours 30 minutes |
| Free race-day transport | None confirmed |
| Course certification | CBAt national permit 28/2026 (Ouro); no World Athletics label |
History
The city's full marathon is young. The first Maratona Internacional Cidade de João Pessoa was run on 31 October 2021, and the municipality described the full distance as new to the programme alongside a long-established half marathon. The start and finish were at the convention centre, and the course went out through Tambaú, Manaíra and Bessa to a turn at Intermares, in neighbouring Cabedelo. The start was at 05:00.
The race then moved to August. Editions followed on 7 August 2022, 6 August 2023, 4 August 2024, 3 August 2025 and 2 August 2026, the last of which was the sixth. The men's best listed is 2:19:27 by Justino Pedro da Silva in 2022 and the women's best as 2:51:47 by Vivian Jeftanui Kiplagati in 2021. Those are listed figures, not organiser-confirmed course records.
The sixth edition split the weekend. The half marathon and 10 km ran on the Saturday afternoon and the marathon and 5 km on the Sunday morning, with combined entries across both days. It was also the race's first year with a national Ouro permit from the Brazilian athletics federation, and it was grouped with the Brasil Gigante circuit.
The scale is modest. A count of 332 marathon finishers sits within about 3,700 finishers across all distances. Winners were reported as Fábio Rodrigues in 2:23:07 and Mirian Franco in 3:11:24, although another report gives times a few seconds slower and a roundup names a different women's winner. A final timing export would settle it.
The course
The marathon starts and finishes at the Centro de Convenções Poeta Ronaldo Cunha Lima on the PB-008, in the Polo Turístico Cabo Branco. It is a single out-and-back: the course runs north along the João Pessoa waterfront through the beach districts and turns near Avenida Mar Vermelho at Intermares, in Cabedelo, before returning the same way.
Cabo Branco sits on a coastal bluff, so the start is well above the beach. The recorded line starts at 28 m and runs north on the Rodovia Ministro Abelardo Jurema Araújo and Avenida Panorâmica, rising 12 m to 30 m at km 5, then falls to 8 m on Avenida Cabo Branco by km 8. It stays between 4 and 10 m through Tambaú, Manaíra, Jardim Oceania and Bessa to the turn on Avenida Oceano Atlântico at km 21.5, which is 16.6 km from the start in a straight line.
The return follows the same corridor. A climb of 24 m (0.7%) from km 34.1 back up the bluff on Avenida Cabo Branco and Avenida Panorâmica reaches the high point of 31 m at km 37.6. The last 4 km roll between 19 and 29 m to the finish.
The latest rules put a hydration point every 2.5 km and toilets at the start and finish and on the full and half courses. The organiser's map marks ten hydration points. Street order, kilometre markers and lane arrangements for the next edition depend on the map the organiser publishes.
Kilometre by kilometre
Km 0 to 9: off the bluff. The convention centre stands on the Cabo Branco bluff at about 28 m, and the opening kilometres run down to the waterfront in a series of drops, with a short rise near km 4 to 5 on both recorded traces. The start is at 04:30 and still dark, so the first few kilometres are about keeping a rhythm on streets you cannot see well. Expect to be at sea level by around km 8 or 9.
Km 9 to 21: the coastal plain. The line settles onto flat ground between 5 and 10 m and heads north towards Cabedelo along Avenida Cabo Branco, Avenida João Maurício and Avenida Governador Argemiro de Figueiredo. The far end is on Avenida Oceano Atlântico at km 21.5, just past the half-marathon point, though the position of the official timing mat has not been published. The sun rises while you are on this stretch.
Km 21 to 31: the way back. You return along the same corridor, so you see runners behind you for kilometres, which helps if you want to judge the gap to the cutoff. The latest rules set a checkpoint at km 31, to be reached within 4 hours 30 minutes of the start. That is about 8:43 per km. A runner who reaches it exactly on the deadline still has 90 minutes for the last 11.2 km, about 8:02 per km, so the intermediate allowance is not a comfortable pace to run the whole race at.
Km 31 to 42.2: the climb home. The profile stays flat until km 34, then climbs 24 m up the bluff to the high point of 31 m at km 37.6. It is a short, steady rise, and the last few kilometres roll between 19 and 29 m. By this point it is mid-morning for anyone finishing in four hours or more, and the sun is up.
Pacing. The overall six-hour limit works out at about 8:32 per km, which is the pace to check against. Carry the fuel you have trained with, because the published rules give a hydration interval but not a food or gel list. Check the organiser's 2027 participant guide for any change to direction, turnaround or the finish gate before you plan a pacing strategy.
The race leaves the convention centre in the dark and drops 20 m to the waterfront in stages. Hold back on the descents.
A level run north along the coast to the turn on Avenida Oceano Atlântico at km 21.5. The sun comes up on this section.
The same corridor in reverse, with the km 31 checkpoint at 4 hours 30 minutes. That deadline works out at about 8:43 per km.
Flat until km 34, then a steady 24 m climb up the bluff to the high point at km 37.6. Save something for it.
Course Map
The course as recorded, an out-and-back from the Cabo Branco bluff north along the coast through Tambaú, Manaíra and Bessa to the turn at Intermares, then home along the same road. 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 had been announced when this page was written. Check the organiser's channels nearer the race.
The marathon started at 04:30 in the latest edition, with gates open from 03:30. Ask your hotel about an early meal, and book a car for the drive to the convention centre.
The weekend offered combined entries that paired a Saturday race with the Sunday marathon. They add a second collection and recovery day. Pick the solo marathon unless you want both.
In the latest edition numbers were handed out at a separate venue, and nothing was given out at the start or after the event. Bring photo identification and 2 kg of non-perishable food.
August is the wet end of the year in João Pessoa. Long-term city normals give a mean daily minimum of 21.7°C and a maximum of 27.8°C, with about 200 mm of rain across roughly 19 rain days in the month. Those are monthly figures from an old reference period, not a forecast for race morning.
The marathon started at 04:30 in the latest edition, with gates opening at 03:30. You run the first hour or so in the dark and the rest of the race in daylight, so slower runners are exposed to heat and sunshine on the way back. A cap, sunscreen applied before you leave the hotel, and a thin vest are sensible. If rain is forecast, a very light shell that fits in a waist belt is easier than a poncho.
No official throwaway-clothing scheme was found, so do not plan to leave clothes at the start. Bags can be left at the start and finish in the latest rules, so use the bag service for anything you want to keep.
Entry
Entry is open and paid, through the organiser's ticketing partner, Ticket Sports. There is no ballot. The next edition's date and entry opening have not been announced, so book nothing non-refundable until they are. Make sure you enter the August international marathon and not the separate "Maratona de João Pessoa", which is a different event.
The latest rules set a minimum age of 18 by 31 December of the race year for the marathon and half. Check how that is applied if you turn 18 close to race day. A passport number and a non-Brazilian contact and payment route need to be confirmed with the organiser before you pay.
Elite admission is separate. In the latest edition the standards were 2h50 for men and 3h25 for women, with registration through the federation and supporting race credentials. These are elite criteria, not good-for-age places.
The rules contradict themselves on transfers. One paragraph calls entries personal and non-transferable, another describes a cancellation and voucher route with dates and fees, and a third closes transfers after 10 July. Municipal publicity then allowed pre-authorised changes at kit collection. Get any change confirmed in writing from the organiser. Refund clauses included a seven-day purchase cancellation window and partial refunds after that. A hotel's cancellation policy has no link to the race's, so book a refundable room.
No fee, lot structure or capacity was found for the next edition.
See Ticket Sports →Race Weekend
Bib collection
Number and kit collection in the latest edition was at the Usina Cultural Energisa, in the Tambiá district, about 10 km from the start, and not at the start. General collection ran on Friday 31 July from 10:00 to 19:00. On Saturday 1 August, marathon and 5 km entrants could collect until 18:00, while half and 10 km collection closed earlier. Dates and hours will change for the next edition.
Bring official photo identification, your entry confirmation and 2 kg of non-perishable food, which was a condition of collection. Save the confirmation on your phone, since passport acceptance by the organiser has not been confirmed. The latest notice did not allow collection at the race site or after the event, so a late flight puts your place at risk. Proxy collection is addressed in the rules for ordinary entries, and concession categories have stricter personal-collection rules, so arrange any exception with the organiser and not on a friend's say-so.
There were two kit types, Básico and Premium. Both had a shirt and an RFID bib, and Premium added accessories. The contents and prices for the next edition are unknown.
No stalls, talks or queue times were reported, so treat this as kit collection and not a large expo.
Getting to the start
In the latest edition the marathon started at 04:30 from the convention centre, with gates opening at 03:30. That is an overnight departure, not a normal breakfast plan, so ask your hotel before booking whether it can serve a meal before 03:00. A room that includes breakfast does not mean it is served that early.
The hotels in this guide are on the beach avenues, not at the convention centre on the PB-008, and no walking route has been measured. Plan on a pre-booked car or taxi, and ask the driver for the permitted drop-off and a fallback meeting point. No race shuttle, public bus before the start or free-transport entitlement was found. Drivers cannot cross the course once it is closed.
The start and finish are in the same place. That means your bag drop and the finish are at one site. Baggage closed 30 minutes after the event ended in the latest rules. Size limits, search procedure and where to collect were not published. Keep your passport and phone in a separate secure plan.
The 5 km started on the same morning at 06:00 in the rules, or 05:45 in the collection notice. The marathon time is not in doubt, but the two sources disagree about when the 5 km field shares the approach roads.
Do your preparation the night before: bib, documents, familiar food and clothing, and an offline copy of your entry confirmation. No rule requires clear bags, a headtorch or a particular arrival buffer.
After finishing, allow time for the chute, your bag and your driver. Do not plan a lunch booking or an airport transfer at a fixed minute. Showers, changing rooms, a finish pack and post-race food were not described.
Nutrition on course
The rules for the latest edition set hydration points every 2.5 km. They do not say what is served, and the organiser's map marks ten hydration points along the out-and-back line, which suggests some points serve both directions. Neither source mentions sports drink, gels or food. Toilets are provided on the full and half courses.
Carry your own gels and familiar drink mix, and find out whether a personal bottle can be left at a point before you rely on it. The rules mention medical removal and ambulances but not where the medical points are. Support is withdrawn once the field falls outside the projected schedule, so a slower pace is risky near the cutoff. Run the first half with a plan for hydration in rain and heat, because August can bring both.
Spectating
The best-supported plan is a single meeting at the convention-centre finish, because it avoids a chase between waterfront locations that no published map yet supports. Confirm which areas are public and where a runner can leave the finish area to meet you. No ticket requirement for spectators was found either way.
The organiser advertised live tracking through its official portal for the latest edition. Do not rely on it to show a continuous location, and agree a meeting point that works without mobile coverage.
From a 04:30 start, a four-hour runner finishes around 08:30 and a five-hour runner around 09:30, before allowing for start delay. Because the course is an out-and-back, one waterfront spot could give two sightings, but the carriageways and crossing arrangements are not yet known. Crowd density and music points are not documented. Do not plan a three-stop chase.
- Travel from your hotel to a permitted approach to the convention centre after checking road restrictions.
- Stay on the public side of barriers and arrange the reunion outside the finish lane.
Post-race food
Do not count on food at the finish; a vendor list was not published. Collect your bag, go back towards the hotel area and eat there, allowing for a late finish and transport delays.
Mangai, on Avenida General Edson Ramalho 696 in Manaíra, is listed by the city's tourism office, and its social account carries reservation and waiting-list links. Confirm the branch and address when you book. NAU Frutos do Mar, on Rua Lupércio Branco 130 in Manaíra, has a booking and menu page focused on seafood. An older menu link spells the street differently, so use the restaurant's current map for a taxi.
Both are a short taxi ride from the beach hotels, not a walk from the finish. Sunday lunch hours and race-weekend capacity are not published. Ring ahead and give a window and not a fixed time, since your finish may slip.
Where to Stay
The start and finish are at the same convention centre, so the usual advice to stay near the finish applies to both ends. A beach-avenue hotel in Cabo Branco is not beside the arena, though, and no walking route has been measured. Treat every area below as a pre-dawn car or taxi ride and pick on that basis.
Cabo Branco
The first area to compare, because it holds the one hotel that published an offer for runners and several other hotels along Avenida Cabo Branco. Hplus Beach is at number 1984 and Cabo Branco Atlântico at 4550, about 4.8 km from the convention centre in a straight line, so the avenue stretches a long way, and those are different parts of it. Ask each about early meals and late checkout.
Tambaú
The city's tourism directory lists hotels here, including Atlântico Praia and Laguna Praia. It suits someone comparing several established hotels on one stretch of beach. You still need a pre-dawn transfer.
Manaíra
Verdegreen, Hardman Praia and HM Hotel Manaíra are listed, and both restaurants recommended in this guide are here. A good base if the stay will be longer than the race. The route to the start is unmeasured.
Bessa and Jardim Oceania
The hotel association lists Bessa Beach and Oceana Atlântico. Choose this area for a longer coastal stay or if a companion wants the northern end of the course, about 12 km from the start. It does not shorten the morning transfer to the start.
No price ladder, noise pattern or distance comparison could be established. A central-city base was not verified and is not recommended. Book a refundable room once the date is announced, and keep late checkout in mind for the afternoon after the race.
Recommended hotels
Avenida Cabo Branco 1984. It published an official-accommodation offer for the latest edition, so it is the hotel most likely to understand a pre-dawn start. The offer has expired. Ask about an early meal and a vehicle to the convention centre.
Avenida Cabo Branco 4550, further along the avenue from Hplus Beach. A second Cabo Branco option. Check breakfast hours, checkout and how a driver reaches the start.
Avenida Almirante Tamandaré 440. Listed by the city's tourism office. No partner allocation or race-morning service was found, so arrange a transfer yourself.
Avenida João Maurício 255. A base for a longer stay, close to the restaurants in this guide. No shuttle or finish convenience was found.
Avenida Argemiro de Figueiredo 2100. A current member of the hotel association, in the northern beach area. It is not a start hotel, so check how road closures affect your pickup.
Booking timeline
Wait for the date. The organiser's homepage still showed the previous edition when this was written, and a social profile gave only the month of August. Watch the organiser's channels for a day and an entry launch, and take care not to book the April event by mistake.
Once the date is out, compare refundable hotel rates and keep the cancellation terms. The latest edition had an official-accommodation offer from Hplus Beach: 15% off with a promo code for check-ins up to 2 August. It has expired and does not promise a repeat. No sell-out window or race-weekend price premium was found.
Before you buy flights, allow for kit collection. In the latest edition it was at a separate venue on Friday and Saturday, with no collection on race morning and a requirement for photo identification and food donation. Do not plan a late-evening arrival the night before.
When the participant guide appears, confirm the drop-off arrangements, the pre-dawn meal, bag drop and return pickup. Reconfirm attraction hours and tide-dependent tours a few days out.
See & Do
Distances are from the convention centre at the start and finish, in a straight line, kilometres first, where they could be measured.
Centro Cultural São Francisco
A historic convent complex in the old centre, on Ladeira São Francisco. The operator's information, last revised in September 2026, gave Tuesday 09:30 to 17:00, Wednesday to Saturday 09:00 to 17:00 with a lunch break from 12:30 to 13:30, Sunday 09:00 to 15:00, and closed Mondays. Full admission was R$24. Some areas were under restoration. Go on a day after the race, not the Sunday.
Farol do Cabo Branco and Estação Cabo Branco
The lighthouse and the station complex are on the city's tourism gallery. Tours treat the station as a panoramic stop and not an included interior visit. Opening hours are not published, so go by car and treat any walk as optional.
Historic centre and Hotel Globo
An organised city tour combines the centre's exterior architecture with transport and avoids a long walk on tired legs. Interior opening hours and street gradients need checking, and a tour stop does not guarantee entry.
Piscinas Naturais do Extremo Oriental
Tide pools reached by catamaran. An operator advertised hotel pickup, around six hours in total and up to three hours at the pools depending on the tide. Boarding and wet footing may suit the day after the race badly. Check the tide table for your date.
After the Race
The marathon is on a Sunday, and the Monday after it is a day when the Centro Cultural São Francisco is shut. Operator tours run on set weekdays, and the tide pools depend on the tide, so check your dates before booking. Keep sand walking short for the first day or two.
A fort at Cabedelo, the northern beaches and the sunset on Praia do Jacaré on the river. Departures run on set weekdays, so a Monday after the race may not fit. The operator's price is a guide only.
Keep your room for a night, rest on Monday, and visit the old centre and São Francisco on Tuesday, when the convent is open.
Coqueirinho, Tambaba and Tabatinga on the south coast, with a recovery day first and sand walking kept short.
A rest day, a tide-dependent trip to the natural pools and one fixed day in hand in case rain or tides cancel plans.