Pingtung Marathon starts, 3,000 domestic and foreign runners gather

The 2026 Pingtung Marathon debuted lively on the turf of the Pingtung County Gymnasium today (8th), attracting about 3,000 runners who gathered and set off in the morning light. Each route connected urban streets, rainbow bicycle lanes and landscapes along the distance according to distance. Urban life and natural scenery were fully integrated into the running experience, and the southern city style and natural scenery were panoramic.

The Pingtung Marathon plans a full marathon of 42 kilometers, a half marathon of 21 kilometers, a challenge group of 11 kilometers, and a leisure group of 5 kilometers, allowing people of different ages and athletic abilities to participate. Along the way, runners can not only feel the rhythm of the event, but also appreciate Pingtung from different angles, allowing the familiar streets to become the scenery on the track, adding local characteristics to the competition journey.

This year's event added the "Adapted Sports" category for the first time, which not only upgraded the scale of the event, but also symbolized Pingtung's efforts to create a more friendly and inclusive sports city. The event welcomed 71 visually impaired and wheelchair athletes to participate. The wheelchair runners rely on their arms to push the wheel frame and race in the wind; the visually impaired runners, accompanied by professional runners, move forward firmly through the tightly connected running ropes. Their challenge to their own limits has also become the most inspiring scenery in the hearts of all runners.

In addition to the competition, this year, "pre-race training classes" are also thoughtfully planned for runners to help people prepare step by step and accumulate sports foundation under scientific and professional guidance, and turn competition goals into motivation for daily practice. Through a complete experience from training to competition, the public is encouraged to continue to get close to sports, so that running is not just a one-day activity, but a part of life, and gradually develops regular exercise habits.

The event is also paired with the "Run & Fun" 2-day and 1-night running itinerary, which connects Linali Tribe, Liudui Hakka Cultural Park and Shengli Xing Village, leading runners and their relatives and friends to visit tribes, Hakka villages and historical districts, and experience Pingtung's diverse culture and local food.

The Pingtung County Government stated that this year’s Pingtung Marathon has runners from the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan, the United States, South Africa, Hong Kong, Canada, Thailand, Vietnam and the United Kingdom. They compete with runners from all over Taiwan, cheer for each other, and get to know Pingtung through the street scenes and natural scenery along the way.