Vodafone Malta Marathon, Half Marathon & Walkathon 2014

Although not traffic free, the numerous police and wardens manning every key junction enables participants to run or walk their event with no or very little traffic around them.

Over the years changes to the route have been made to avoid areas notable for traffic congestion. There are still minor adjustments that can be implemented to the way traffic is managed during the event, with the usual cooperation given by the Police, these adjustments could ease the traffic congestion that motorists face at particular junctions.

The Full Marathon which starts at 0800 from outside the bastions of Malta’s old capital Mdina, heads through the main road of Rabat, down through Nigret and onto the Mtarfa by-pass to get to 6km mark in Ta’Qali.

The route will take the athletes round Ta’ Qali, down to Attard, through Mosta, back to Attard, round Ta’ Qali again and back to where the 6km was, at this point it will be 27km.

From the 27th km, the Marathon Route passes through Mdina Glass, out of Ta’ Qali and down again towards Attard. The route passes through the old part of Attard, right in front of the Attard parish church and then along the Mriehel and Hamrun/Marsa bypasses, the December 13th Road and Blata L-Bajda.

The last 5km of the route passes along the Sa’ Maison, Pieta, Msida, Ta’ Xbiex and Gzira waterfronts up to the finish in Sliema.

The Half Marathon and 'Endo' Walkathon which also start from outside Mdina but at 0920, will follow the Full Marathon route for the 1st 5.6km. At this point the Half Marathon and Walkathon will turn into Mdina Glass to join the Full Marathon and will continue on the Full Marathon Route right to the finish in Sliema.

A 2.5metre lane along most of the roads from the 31st Km to the 40th Km of the Full Marathon (10th Km to the 19th Km of the Half Marathon), will be cordoned off with cones for runners.

Both the Marathon and Half Marathon routes are predominantly downhill, with the start being at 200metres and the finish at sea level. Whereas the Half Marathon heads directly to the finish after the 1st km from the start, the Marathon deviates from this direction with a small loop within Ta’ Qali (6th to 10th Km), followed by a larger loop from the 12th Km to the 27th km, that takes the athletes from Attard, through Mosta, Attard again and back to Ta’ Qali.