Ravenna Marathon 8 November: registration, course and pace

The Ravenna City of Art Marathon runs on Sunday 8 November and, according to the official site, online registration closes today, Monday 2 November, at 23:00. It is a flat marathon (81 metres of climbing according to Marathons.com and Finishers), starts at 9:15 and passes the city's eight UNESCO monuments. If you are still undecided, here is what to know in six days: registration, course, the pace for five finish-time goals and what to check before saying yes.

Can you still register for the Ravenna Marathon?

On the official site (maratonadiravenna.com) online registration closes at 23:00 on Monday 2 November. Another race listing we checked says 11 November instead, with registration at the Expo on 13 and 14: between the two we trust the organiser, but check the page yourself before paying. According to the Finishers listing the marathon fee is 75 euros until 2 November and 90 on the last day (the half 42 and 45). We did not read this on the official site, so it needs confirming. One listing adds that there is no registration on race day.

Another thing to check before paying: in Italy a marathon usually requires federation membership and a sports medical certificate. We have not read Ravenna's regulations, so we cannot tell you the exact requirements: check the organiser's page.

What is the Ravenna Marathon course like?

The marathon and half start at 9:15 from the Pala De André, Viale Europa 1; the 10K starts at 10:15. The marathon, the organiser says, touches all eight World Heritage monuments, and Marathons.com describes it from the banks of the Candiano canal to the Byzantine basilicas. Elevation gain is 81 metres on the marathon and 60 on the half (Marathons.com and Finishers agree). The calculation is ours: 81 divided by 42.195 is about 1.9 metres of climbing per kilometre, practically nothing. On a course like this weather matters more than altitude: check the forecast on Saturday night. The medal, according to Marathons.com, is a handmade mosaic.

What pace to run: five finish-time goals

Divide your time by 42.195 and you get the average pace. For 3:00 you need about 4:16 per kilometre, with the half in 1:30:00. For 3:30, 4:59 and 1:45:00. For 4:00, 5:41 and 2:00:00. For 4:30, 6:24 and 2:15:00. For 5:00, 7:07 and 2:30:00. The numbers are ours and do not account for aid stations, corners or a crowded start: use them as a reference, not a rule. The time limit is 6 hours 30 minutes, so for those starting at 9:15 the finish closes at 15:45 (two listings say so, not the official site we read).

How many people run Ravenna?

We did not find this year's numbers. Il Resto del Carlino, on 4 November 2025, wrote of almost 15,000 registered a few days before the start of the 26th edition: 1,500 in the marathon, 3,300 in the half (a record) and about 7,000 in the 10K, with 55 nations. It is last year's figure, but it says something useful: the marathon is the smallest race of a big festival. For us that is an impression, not data, but it suggests the field thins out early. On Sunday the FIDAL Italian masters marathon title is also awarded, as both the official site and AIMS write.

What to do in the last week

Nothing new: shoes, gels and breakfast already tried on long runs. Cut the kilometres without stopping completely: our guide to tapering before a marathon explains how. This is not medical advice: for health doubts, talk to your sports doctor.

If you do not register, or feel you are not ready, you have not missed the train. According to Marathons.com, Verona and Palermo run on 15 November, and Florence is on Sunday 29: our Florence Marathon guide has course and tips. In the 2027 Calendar Ravenna is listed for 14 November 2027, date still to be confirmed, and in the group runs you can find someone to do your long runs with.

A line to take away: with 81 metres of climbing Ravenna gives you no excuses, the time you run is the one you prepared. Now tell us: are you running on Sunday, and what time do you expect? Or are you waiting for Florence? Write it in the comments.

Sources: maratonadiravenna.com (date, times, registration deadline, masters title), Marathons.com and Finishers (elevation, fees, time limit), AIMS, Il Resto del Carlino (2025 edition). Photo: Stefano Casano, Wikimedia Commons. We did not verify fees and regulations on the official site.