The Race
| Next Race Date | Sunday 14 February 2027 |
|---|---|
| Course type | Loop (start and finish in the same place, two out-and-back coastal legs) |
| Registration | Open entry online, no race-day entry |
| Ballot opens | Not applicable |
| Start | Viale Cristoforo Colombo, Marina di Carrara, 09:00 |
| Finish | Viale Cristoforo Colombo, Marina di Carrara |
| Total finishers | To be Confirmed |
| Avg race-day temp | To be Confirmed |
| Cutoff time | 6 hours, with gates at 3 hours (21.097 km) and 4 hours 30 minutes (30 km) |
| Free race-day transport | No |
| Course certification | FIDAL certified 42.195 km |
History
The White Marble Marathon is a coastal race weekend run in the middle of February at Marina di Carrara, on the Tuscan coast, by ASD World Running Academy. It offers a marathon, a 32 km called the Marble Hero, a half marathon and a 10 km, plus an urban trail on the Saturday, and the weekend drew more than 2,000 athletes from over 20 countries in 2026.
The marathon follows the seafront between Marina di Carrara, Marina di Massa and Cinquale di Montignoso, with the Apuan Alps rising inland, and the organiser says more than 30 km run along the beaches. Finishers receive a medal made of local white marble, according to an event listing. The 2026 race was held on 15 February on a bright, clear day, and Gabriele Benedetti won the men's marathon, with Margherita De Giuli winning the women's race.
The organiser offers no cash prizes, with awards for the top three men and women and the category winners, plus a bonus of €500 for a course record.
The course
The marathon starts and finishes at Marina di Carrara, on the Tuscan coast, and follows the seafront for more than 30 km. The organiser describes a fully paved course, closed to traffic and certified by FIDAL, and calls it very fast.
On the 2026 route the marathon is two out-and-back legs along the coast, both starting from the Marina di Carrara area. The first runs south-east along Viale delle Pinete to a turn on Viale Vespucci at about kilometre 13, in Marina di Massa, and returns to the Carrara area around halfway. The second leg covers the same road and carries on further, along the Via Lungomare di Levante, to a turn at about kilometre 31, close to Cinquale di Montignoso, before the run back to the finish. A short opening loop of about 2 km near the start takes the distance up to a full marathon.
The course is at sea level, so the profile is flat. Wind, rain and the repeat of the same seafront are the main variables.
Kilometre by kilometre
Kilometre positions are approximate to about a kilometre. Replace them with the 2027 map, which the organiser provides as a PDF on its course page.
Km 0 to 6: the opening loop. The gun goes at 09:00 on Viale Cristoforo Colombo, and the corrals open from 08:00 to 08:45. The first 2 km or so are a small loop by Viale Vespucci that returns close to the start before the race heads east along the coast, through Piazza Menconi at 4 km and Viale Venti Settembre at 5 km. The field is dense and the roads are flat, so the opening pace tends to be fast. Refreshments are at kilometre 5, and then every 5 km.
Km 6 to 13: south-east along the seafront. The course turns south on Viale Zaccagna at 7 km and on to the seafront road, Viale delle Pinete, towards Marina di Massa at 8 to 11 km. The road is flat, closed to traffic and beside the beaches, and the Apuan Alps are visible inland on a clear day. The sea breeze can be a headwind or a tailwind, depending on the direction. The first turn is on Viale Vespucci at about kilometre 13.
Km 13 to 21: back to Marina di Carrara. The return runs the same coast road back towards the start area, through Viale delle Pinete and Viale Verrazzano. The half marathon time gate is at 3 hours, and the half marathon point falls close to Marina di Carrara, which is where the shorter-distance crowds are.
Km 21 to 31: out again, further. The second leg repeats the first road and then carries on beyond the first turn, along the Via Lungomare di Levante into the Cinquale di Montignoso end of the coast, to a turn at about kilometre 31. The gate at 30 km is at 4 hours 30 minutes. After the half marathon runners have finished, the field thins out noticeably.
Km 31 to 42.195: the return to the finish. The run back covers the whole seafront again, through Viale Vespucci, Viale delle Pinete and Viale Verrazzano, finishing where the race started on Viale Cristoforo Colombo. A 2026 runner described the last 10 km as quiet and nearly solitary, so expect few companions and little crowd support, and plan to run it by effort.
A short loop near the start, then east along the coast. Flat and fast, so hold the planned pace.
The first coastal leg runs south-east beside the beaches and returns to Marina di Carrara around halfway. The gate at 21 km is at 3 hours.
The second leg repeats the road and carries on to a turn near Cinquale di Montignoso. The gate at 30 km is at 4 hours 30 minutes.
The run back to Marina di Carrara is quiet. Pace by effort and keep fuelling.
Course Map
The map shows the 2026 edition route. Tap a marker for the start, finish, the turns and the station.
No elevation chart is drawn for this course. It runs along the sea at a few metres above sea level, and satellite elevation along the beaches reads the water and returns near-zero values. The organiser publishes no profile.
Pacers
The 2027 rules list five pacer groups. Confirm at the expo. Paces per kilometre are computed from 42.195 km.
| Target time | Pace per km |
|---|---|
| 3:15 | 4:37 |
| 3:30 | 4:59 |
| 3:45 | 5:20 |
| 4:00 | 5:41 |
| 4:15 | 6:03 |
The marathon runs the same seafront twice in opposite directions. The first leg turns at about 13 km and returns to Marina di Carrara at halfway. The second covers the same road and carries on to a turn at about 31 km before the run back to the finish.
The rules print a closing time of 15:30, which does not match a 09:00 start plus a six-hour limit, which would be 15:00. Ask the organiser how it should be read before you plan for a slow finish.
Plan for a cool, bright Tuscan February by the sea. The start is at 09:00, with a cold morning that warms through the day, and the whole course is open to the coast, so wind matters more than temperature. Shorts or tights, a long-sleeved top or a singlet with arm warmers, a hat and thin gloves cover most days.
Carry a throwaway layer to the start. Bag deposit is available at Carrara Fiere from 07:45 to 08:30, about 100 m from the start, and free supervised parking is open from 07:30. Rain is possible, and a thin waterproof for the start area keeps you dry while you wait. Sunglasses help on a clear day with the low winter sun on the sea.
Entry
Entry is open online, with no race-day entry, and no registrations are accepted on the Sunday. The marathon fee rises in steps, as in the table below. At about €1 to £0.858, those are about £34, £43, £51 and £60, before any platform fee.
The minimum age is 20, counted by year of birth. A competitive entry needs FIDAL membership or a RunCard, or membership of a club affiliated with a World Athletics-recognised federation, together with a valid medical certificate that confirms fitness for competitive athletics. For unregistered foreign nationals the rules allow a non-competitive tourist-sport race over the same distance, with separate bibs and separate finishing lists, so confirm the application channel and the paperwork before you pay.
Fees are not refundable. A runner who cannot start can transfer the place to another person for €10 until 2 February, or transfer the entry to the 2028 race for a fee of 50 percent of the then-current rate, once only.
| Registration window | Marathon fee |
|---|---|
| First 250 places, September and October 2026 | €40 (about £34) |
| November to 15 December | €50 (about £43) |
| 16 December to 31 January | €60 (about £51) |
| 1 to 13 February | €70 (about £60) |
Fast runner standards
There is no guaranteed-entry or qualifying standard.
White Marble Marathon: official site →Race Weekend
Expo and bib collection
The expo and bib collection are at Carrara Fiere, the exhibition hall beside the start. It is open on Saturday 13 February from 10:00 to 20:00 and on Sunday 14 February from 07:00 to 08:00.
Bring photo ID and your registration and eligibility documents. One delegate can collect a bib with written authorisation and ID. Showers and changing rooms are in the exhibition hall, and the bag deposit is there too, from 07:45 to 08:30. Collecting the bib on Saturday is the safer plan, since the Sunday window is only an hour and falls before the corrals open.
Getting to the start
The marathon starts at 09:00 on Viale Cristoforo Colombo in Marina di Carrara. The corrals open at 08:00 and close at 08:45, and runners who arrive late start from the back.
Free supervised parking is about 200 m from the start and is open from 07:30 to 16:00. The bag deposit is at Carrara Fiere, about 100 m away, from 07:45 to 08:30, and showers are in the hall afterwards. A runner staying in Marina di Carrara walks to the start.
There is no start shuttle. Autolinee Toscane's line L52 links Carrara with Carrara-Avenza station via Marina di Carrara, but the Sunday first bus, the detours and the road closures for race day are not published, so do not rely on a weekday timetable. Stay near the start or arrange a taxi. The rules print a closing time of 15:30, which does not match a 09:00 start plus a six-hour limit, which would be 15:00. Ask the organiser how it should be read before you plan for a slow finish.
Nutrition on course
The rules say refreshment stations are provided every 5 km. The 2027 station list, the products and the cup type are not published.
The course runs the same coast road twice, and the final 10 km are quiet, so plan your own fuel. Carry gels you have trained with, take water at every station, and think about a second gel before the second turn at about kilometre 31. Check the athlete guide at the expo for the product list.
Spectating
The start and finish area at Marina di Carrara is the simplest position, since the race starts and finishes there and passes the area again around halfway. Because the course is two out-and-back legs along one road, a spectator can see the same runner several times without moving far.
The seafront in Marina di Massa is a second option. The road is closed to traffic, so walking is the way to move, and a spectator with a car should not try to follow the runners along the coast.
- Be at Viale Cristoforo Colombo for the 09:00 start
- Walk along the seafront to watch the first leg
- Return to Marina di Carrara for halfway and the finish
Post-race food
The race provides finish refreshments. Two 2026 runner accounts disagreed about their quality and quantity, so plan a proper meal afterwards. In February the seafront is quiet and many beach restaurants are shut, so book a table in advance and check the opening days.
The area is known for lardo di Colonnata, a cured pork fat from the marble village in the hills above Carrara, which you can order sliced on bread. Ask for focaccia, a local speciality, and a glass of Vermentino, the white wine of the coast.
Where to Stay
Stay near the start. The marathon starts and finishes at Marina di Carrara, there is no start shuttle, and the parking and bag deposit are close, so a base in Marina di Carrara is the simplest.
Marina di Carrara
The seaside district beside the start and the exhibition hall. Hotels are within walking distance, and the organiser lists two partner hotels here, Hotel Bagno Luciano and Hotel Tenda Rossa.
Marina di Massa
The next seafront district along the coast, on the course. The organiser lists three partner hotels here, Hotel Luna, Hotel La Perla and Hotel Villa Tiziana. A runner staying here needs a checked Sunday transfer to the start.
Carrara-Avenza
The nearest mainline railway station, about 3 km from the start. Line L52 or a taxi links it to the marina, so it suits a runner arriving by train.
Carrara centre
The old town is inland and has the marble history, but it is less convenient on race morning.
Viareggio and Pisa
These offer wider rail and hotel choice but add an early transfer. Pisa is the plausible airport, reached by train to Carrara-Avenza, though the door-to-door time is not confirmed.
A car helps for an outlying base, but a base in the marina does not need one.
Recommended hotels
A partner hotel on the start street, with breakfast from 06:30. Ask about the discount quoted by the organiser.
A partner hotel with breakfast from 06:30. Confirm the Sunday transfer to the start.
A partner hotel on the course. Breakfast from 06:30, and a transfer to the start needs checking.
Booking timeline
The cheapest tier is limited to the first 250 places and can close before its nominal end in October, so enter early. The fee then rises on 1 November, 16 December and 1 February.
Book a refundable room near Carrara Fiere once the date is firm, which is Sunday 14 February. The organiser's partner hotels offer a late checkout until 14:00 and a free luggage service on the Sunday, and some quote a 10 percent discount if you book through them. Check the Saturday arrival and the Sunday bus and road restrictions when the organiser publishes them.
See & Do
Distances are straight-line from the start and finish. Check winter opening hours.
Marina di Carrara seafront
The promenade is flat and is the gentlest recovery walk, with the Apuan Alps behind. In February the beach is quiet and the weather is cool.
Carrara marble quarries and Colonnata
The white marble quarries above Carrara have supplied sculptors for centuries, and Colonnata is the hill village that cures lard in marble basins. Guided visits and jeep tours need booking and transport, and the surface is slippery in winter.
After the Race
Race day is Sunday 14 February, so Monday 15 February is the first free day. The marble quarries, Pietrasanta and Lucca are all within reach.
The white marble quarries above the coast and the hill village that cures lard in marble basins, reached by taxi or local bus.
A small walled town of sculpture workshops and a marble-paved square, a short train ride south along the coast.
A Renaissance walled city with a flat, tree-lined rampart you can walk or cycle, and a ring of old streets inside it.
Five cliffside villages linked by train and footpath, visited in the quiet winter season.