The Race
| Next Race Date | To be Confirmed |
|---|---|
| Course Type | Two out-and-back legs from a shared start and finish |
| Registration | Online through Windfit; direct paid entry, no ballot |
| Ballot Opens | No ballot |
| Total Finishers | 214 (2026) |
| Avg Race Day Temp | Not published |
| Cutoff Time | 6 hours 30 minutes |
| Free Race Day Transport | No |
| Course Certification | CBAt national permit (Ouro); course remeasured May 2026 |
History
The Santa Maria Marathon began on 24 September 2023. The city's sports department promoted it with Sesc Santa Maria as organiser, and the first festival drew roughly 1,500 runners across the marathon, half marathon, 10 km and 5 km, from 83 cities and five Brazilian states. The start and finish were already on Rua Pinto Bandeira, beside the Brigada Militar conditioning track in the Dores neighbourhood. Gabriel Alves Pozzo won the men's marathon in 2:34:59 and Caren Lemos the women's in 3:42:42.
The festival grew each year. The festival drew about 4,500 registrations in 2026 against about 3,500 the year before, after the organisers opened 4,000 places and then added another 500. These are festival numbers across every distance. The full marathon is a much smaller field: 291 marathon registrations were reported before the 2026 race, and 214 runners completed it.
The third edition ran on 19 October 2025. For the fourth edition the course changed between km 25 and km 37. The city dropped the BR-158 and Avenida dos Quartéis section, added a leg along Maestro Roberto Barbosa Ribas and the BR-287 approach towards Tancredo Neves, and put the turnaround at km 32. The stated aims were safer road operation and less climbing. A fresh measurement was made on the night of 22 to 23 May 2026.
The fourth edition took place on Sunday 27 September 2026. Heavy rain and wind delayed the marathon and half marathon from 06:05 to 07:05, with Civil Defence monitoring, and the marathon prizes were presented in an auditorium of the Brigada Militar after concerns about a metal stage. Nidgie da Silva won the men's race in 2:26:44 and Eulália dos Santos the women's in 2:54:39. No 2027 date had been announced afterwards.
The course
The Santa Maria Marathon starts and finishes on Rua Pinto Bandeira, beside the Brigada Militar arena in the Nossa Senhora das Dores district, 146 m above sea level. The 2026 course is two out-and-back legs from that point. The first runs east along Avenida Nossa Senhora das Dores, Avenida João Luiz Pozzobon and Avenida Prefeito Evandro Behr to a turn near km 11.7 on the Camobi side, 8.7 km from the start in a straight line, and returns past the arena at km 21. The second runs west through Medianeira and along Avenida Governador Walter Jobim to the Rodovia da Integração, turns at km 32, 8.3 km west of the start, and retraces the corridor to the finish.
The profile spans 76 m, from 77 m to 153 m, and the arena sits near the top of it. The road falls 58 m over 9.9 km (0.6%) from km 1.8 to the eastern turn, climbs 58 m over 8.1 km (0.7%) back to the arena at km 21, and then falls 75 m over 6.1 km (1.2%) down Medianeira and Walter Jobim to the low point of 77 m at km 25.7. A climb of 27 m over 3.2 km (0.8%) follows to the western turn, and the return drops 26 m before the last climb: 74 m over 4.2 km (1.8%) from km 37.2 to the high point of 153 m at km 41.4, with km 38 to 40 at about 2.5% per kilometre. The finish is level with the start. No official climb figure has been published. The 2026 realignment removed the old BR-158 leg and put the western turn on the BR-287 side of the city.
Kilometre by kilometre
Km 0 to 11.7: east to Camobi. The marathon and half marathon were scheduled together at 06:05 in 2026, after a 06:00 start for wheelchair and handbike entrants in the shorter races. The route runs along Avenida Nossa Senhora das Dores, then drops 24 m between km 2 and km 3 on Avenida João Luiz Pozzobon and settles on Avenida Prefeito Evandro Behr at about 100 to 112 m from km 4. The turn is a small loop around Avenida Roraima at km 9 to 11.7, and the course returns on Evandro Behr. Water is at km 2.5 and 5, with toilets at km 5. Water and isotonic are at km 8 and 10.5, and the km 10.5 stop has toilets and special drinks for elite runners.
Km 11.7 to 21: back to the arena. The road climbs gently for 8 km, 58 m in all, and the km 19 to 20 stretch on Avenida João Luiz Pozzobon rises 24 m. The route passes the arena on Avenida Nossa Senhora das Dores at km 21, where a half-marathon runner finishes and a marathon runner is exactly halfway. Water and isotonic are at km 19, water at km 20.5 with toilets, and again at km 22.2 and 25.
Km 21 to 32: west to the BR-287 side. The course drops through Medianeira at km 22 to 23, follows Avenida Ângelo Bolsson and Avenida Governador Walter Jobim to the low point of 77 m at km 25.7, and continues on Avenida Maestro Roberto Barbosa Ribas. From km 28 it climbs 27 m on the Rodovia Luiz Alves Rolim Sobrinho to the turnaround on the Rodovia da Integração at km 32. This is the part of the course that changed in 2026. Toilets, water and isotonic are at km 31, and water and isotonic again at 33.7.
Km 32 to 42.2: the climb home. The return runs back along the Rodovia Luiz Alves Rolim Sobrinho and drops to 80 m at km 37 on Walter Jobim, then turns uphill. Avenida Ângelo Bolsson and Avenida Nossa Senhora Medianeira carry the climb at about 2.5% from km 38 to 40, and the finish is on Rua Pinto Bandeira after Rua Dezenove de Novembro. Water stops follow at km 36, 37.9, 40 and 41.5, with toilets at 36 and 37.9.
The marathon and half marathon started together at 06:05 in 2026. The road falls 58 m over 10 km to a small loop on Avenida Roraima and the turn at km 11.7.
A climb of 58 m over 8 km returns the course to the arena on Avenida Nossa Senhora das Dores at km 21, where the half marathon finishes.
The course drops 75 m to the 77 m low point at km 25.7, climbs 27 m on the Rodovia Luiz Alves Rolim Sobrinho and turns at km 32 on the Rodovia da Integração.
The last 4.2 km rise 74 m to the high point of 153 m at km 41.4, with about 2.5% per kilometre at km 38 to 40. Water at km 36, 37.9, 40 and 41.5.
Course Map
The 2026 course, from the arena on Rua Pinto Bandeira east to a turn near Camobi at km 11.7, back past the arena at km 21, then west to the turn at km 32 and home. 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
Official pacer teams have not been announced; check the final briefing.
| Target finish | Pacer pace | Pacers available |
|---|---|---|
| Not announced | Not announced | Not announced |
The 2026 organisers delayed the marathon by an hour because of heavy rain and wind. Keep a dry change in your bag, stay reachable for instructions on the morning, and plan your journey home with a margin.
Weather was the defining feature of the 2026 race. Heavy rain and wind delayed the start by an hour and moved the prize presentation indoors. No start-hour temperature average was verified for Santa Maria, so there is no figure to quote. Check the forecast in race week and pack for both rain and a cool, wet wait before the start.
Wear a light singlet and shorts with a cap or visor, and carry a thin waterproof for the wait. The rules ban headphones, pets, baby pushchairs and course cutting. The event shirt is supplied but not compulsory. Bags are stored by bib number, so leave a full dry change in the bag and collect it promptly, because the service closes 30 minutes after the race ends. There is no clothing-donation scheme, so assume a discarded layer is lost.
Entry
No 2027 entry offer has been announced. This is what happened in 2026, shown as a guide to how the race sells and not as a current offer. Entry was direct and paid through the Windfit platform by card or Pix, with no ballot. The marathon and half marathon had three price lots of R$115 (11 June to 7 July), R$130 (8 July to 7 August) and R$140 (8 August to 11 September). Extra places were later offered at R$145. Runners must be 20 or older to enter the marathon.
The organisers released 4,000 festival places and then 500 more. Only 250 places remained in August, and the festival later sold out. The race fills, and the timing varies. There is no separate published marathon cap.
Half-price entry was available to people aged 60 or over, approved PCD athletes and certain local school groups, with documents and a deadline of 28 August. Elite entry was by application with a race-day minimum age of 20, with benchmarks of 2:43:00 for men and 3:40:00 for women in the preceding 12 months, applications by 11 September 2026. Cancellation was possible within seven days of payment with platform fees retained. A name transfer cost R$90 and had to be completed by 4 September.
General registration closed at 23:59 on 10 September, although the price table ran to 11 September. If the same conflict appears again, assume the earlier date.
| Event | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Marathon | 2:43:00 or faster | 3:40:00 or faster |
Fast runner standards
The elite standard above applies to a separate application route. It is not a guaranteed-entry standard for the general field.
Race Weekend
Expo and bib collection
In 2026 kits were collected on the first floor of Royal Plaza Shopping, Avenida Dores 305, in the Dores neighbourhood. Collection ran from 12:00 to 20:00 on Wednesday 23, Thursday 24 and Friday 25 September, and from 10:00 to 17:00 on Saturday 26 September. Sunday collection is not listed. The shopping centre is a different place from the outdoor arena where the race starts, although both are in Dores.
Bring photo identification and your registration confirmation. A proxy needs the organiser's authorisation form, which is supplied through Windfit. The full and half marathon kit has the bib, a timing chip, a shirt, an ecobag and personalised socks. Check your chip and bib before leaving the desk.
Getting to the start
In 2026 the full and half marathon were scheduled for 06:05 and actually started at 07:05 after the rain delay. Neither time is a promise for a future edition. The start gantry closes five minutes after the gun, so arriving late costs you time on a 6 h 30 limit.
The start is on Rua Pinto Bandeira, at arena address 360. Part of the street was closed from Saturday morning, and course controls ran from 05:45. Several city bus lines were diverted through Avenida Dores, and the municipality advised using the stop near Royal Plaza Shopping, because the stops on Pinto Bandeira and Padre Caetano were isolated on race day. No first-bus time was published and there is no free runner shuttle. Royal Plaza Shopping offered free parking from 04:00 to 11:00, which is not a transport entitlement, and a nearby club sold overnight parking.
Bags are stored by bib number and the service closes 30 minutes after the race ends. Agree a meeting point outside the closed street, and keep a dry layer in the bag, because the 2026 delay shows how quickly conditions change.
Nutrition on course
The 2026 aid grid lists water at 17 points between km 2.5 and km 41.5, with isotonic drink at eight of them. Toilets are at only some stops. Elite runners could leave special drinks at their own points, with bottles handed in by 05:00. This is not a service for ordinary runners.
Across the whole festival, 31,000 water cups and 1.5 tonnes of fruit were counted in 2026, but no gel brand, gel point, ice or sponge schedule was published for the marathon. Carry the gels you train with.
| Km | Water | Sports drink | Food / other |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 | Yes | No | No toilets |
| 5 | Yes | No | Toilets |
| 8 | Yes | Yes | No toilets |
| 10.5 | Yes | Yes | Toilets, elite special drinks |
| 13 | Yes | No | None listed |
| 16.5 | Yes | No | None listed |
| 19 | Yes | Yes | None listed |
| 20.5 | Yes | No | Toilets |
| 22.2 | Yes | Yes | Elite special drinks |
| 25 | Yes | Yes | Toilets |
| 28.05 | Yes | No | None listed |
| 31 | Yes | Yes | Toilets, elite special drinks |
| 33.7 | Yes | Yes | None listed |
| 36 | Yes | No | Toilets |
| 37.9 | Yes | No | Toilets, elite special drinks |
| 40 | Yes | No | None listed |
| 41.5 | Yes | No | None listed |
Spectating
The best-documented plan is to stay at the arena. The start and finish are both on Rua Pinto Bandeira, and the tracks pass the same area near the halfway point, so a supporter can see a runner three times without moving. At a steady 5:30 per km a runner reaches the half-way mark about 1 hour 56 minutes after their start and finishes around 3 hours 52 minutes. That is arithmetic and not a prediction, and in 2026 the clock started an hour late.
Access to the finishing chute and any spectator zone is unknown, and live tracking is not confirmed. Follow marshals and keep to the public side of the barriers.
- Stay near the arena and see the start, the halfway pass and the finish.
- Use the bus stop near Royal Plaza Shopping if travelling by diverted city bus.
- The first service reaching a 06:05 start has not been published.
- Choose a permitted pavement on Avenida Dores and watch the east leg both ways.
- Exact pass kilometres and crossing points have not been verified.
- Return to the arena by an open pedestrian approach.
- The west turnaround at km 32 is documented, but no safe standing area or return transport to the finish is confirmed.
- Do not plan a chase to the BR-287 section.
- Stay at the arena unless the organiser names a safe point.
Post-race food
The finish area had a food court in 2026, and fruit was supplied across the festival, but no menu or Sunday closing time was published. Keep a snack with you.
Grill Camobi, on BR-287 at number 7085, lists a churrasco lunch from Tuesday to Sunday, 11:00 to 14:30, through its ordering page. It is in the Camobi district, so plan a car and book if you can. Bovinu's, at Rua Venâncio Aires 1596, is listed in the state tourism directory, although its own page is not available, so check Sunday hours before relying on it.
Marmi, the restaurant at Dom Rafael Premium, serves executive plates, pizzas and snacks from Monday to Saturday, 16:00 to 22:30, so it suits Saturday evening and not a Sunday lunch.
Where to Stay
The start and finish are in the same place, so a hotel that works for one works for the other. The race is in the Dores neighbourhood, and kit collection is at Royal Plaza Shopping on Avenida Dores.
Dores
Dom Rafael Business is on Avenida Nossa Senhora das Dores 903, on the same avenue as the shopping centre. Walk the route to the arena gate in daylight on the Saturday, because no measured walking distance exists.
Centro
Dom Rafael Express is on Avenida Rio Branco 192 and advertises free late checkout until 15:00 on Sundays and holidays. Hotel Appel on Rua Appel 509 and P1 Hotel on Rua Olavo Bilac 365 are other central options. All need a dawn transfer.
Ernesto Becker
Dom Rafael Premium has a mini-kitchen, a microwave, parking and a restaurant, but the restaurant is closed on Sundays.
Camobi
The university side suits a trip built around the campus museums and botanical garden, and is the wrong place to stay for a 06:05 start.
Recommended hotels
On the same avenue as kit collection. The operator advertises free Sunday and holiday checkout until 15:00; reconfirm for your rate.
Mini-kitchen, microwave and parking. The hotel restaurant, Marmi, is closed on Sundays.
Economy option with advertised Sunday late checkout. Breakfast may involve an upgrade at the adjoining property.
Hotel and apart-hotel rooms. Confirm kitchen equipment and early breakfast.
24-hour reception and parking. Triple rooms do not have a television or fridge.
Booking timeline
Wait for the 2027 date before booking anything that cannot be cancelled. The 2026 race opened entries in June, sold 4,000 places, added 500 and then sold out, which says register soon after any announcement but not by when.
For hotels, compare a refundable room in Dores with a central room and a booked dawn transfer. No race rate, hotel block or citywide price rise has been announced. Santa Maria's airport (RIA) has a marketed link to Porto Alegre, but a current route is not a timetable for next year.
Collect your kit on the Friday or Saturday, and leave a long margin on Sunday. The 2026 rain delay is the reason to avoid a tight departure.
See & Do
Distances are from the finish, kilometres first, then miles.
Museu Gama D'Eça e Victor Bersani
A university museum with zoology, archaeology and palaeontology collections. The current UFSM directory lists weekdays 08:00 to 17:00 and Saturday 09:00 to 17:00, with mediated visits booked in advance. Sunday opening is not listed.
Jardim Botânico UFSM
Open to ordinary visitors on weekdays. Its rules say 08:00 to 17:00, while the museum directory shows a break from 12:00 to 13:00. There is no café, so bring water. Weekends are for special events only.
Acervo Artístico UFSM
Prints, paintings, drawings and sculpture, open on weekdays 09:00 to 18:00 with advance booking for mediated visits. Contact the venue about step-free access.
Vila Belga
Railway-worker housing from 1905 with heritage recognition. The streets are public and the houses are lived in, so walk quietly and do not expect open interiors. The former railway club was undergoing building work in September 2026.
After the Race
The Santa Maria Marathon is run on a Sunday, and the city is the base for a surprisingly varied set of trips. They range from a fossil museum in the Quarta Colônia hills to a long road to Porto Alegre and the Serra Gaúcha. Book bus tickets and appointments separately, and check each date before you travel.
A weekday visit to the university's palaeontology research centre in the Quarta Colônia hills, with a long lunch and an early return.
A night in the hills above the city with a booked astronomy visit. Cloud, as ever, has the final say.
A long coach ride to the state capital, a day among the Centro Histórico's museums and a quiet river evening.
Two nights in Porto Alegre and two in the mountain town of Gramado, which suits a runner flying home from Porto Alegre.