The Ponce Marathon (Spanish: Maratón La Guadalupe de Ponce) is a long-distance running event held every year in Ponce, Puerto Rico. Established in 1970,Some historians, such as Carmelo Rosario Natal, state that official records mention this marathon at least as early as 1965. See Carmelo Rosario Natal, Ponce En Su Historia Moderna: 1945–2002, Published by Secretaría de Cultura y Turismo of the Government of the Autonomous Municipality of Ponce. (Ponce, Puerto Rico) 2003. p. 89. it is the only Olympic marathon held in Puerto Rico. El Sur a la Vista. 9 December 2009.
The race has a length of and takes place on a Sunday during the month of December. It starts at 5AM, and runs from the intersection of PR-12 and PR-14 to Parque de Bombas.Baja el Telón an el Maratón La Guadalupe 2011. 10 December 2011. Retrieved 2 April 2014. El Sur a la Vista. 11 December 2011. It is managed by Secretaría de Recreación y Deportes (Secretariat of Recreation and Sports) of the municipality of Ponce. El Sur a la Vista. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 5 May 2010. It is certified by Logistik Event Management, "the same organization that certifies the Boston Marathon."Calles de Ponce se preparan para La Guadalupe. Ana Delma Ramirez. EsNoticia. 29 November - 12 December 2024. p. 18. Accessed 29 November 2024. Archived.
The 40th edition of the marathon in 2010 was attended by over 10,000 people. Some 150 athletes participated in the event in 2013;Culmina la 43ra Edición del Maratón La Guadalupe 2013. Karla Figueroa. Metro Sport. 9 December 2013. Archived. by 2024 the number of participants was above 250.Calles de Ponce se preparan para La Guadalupe. Ana Delma Ramirez. EsNoticia. 29 November - 12 December 2024. p. 18. Accessed 29 November 2024. Archived. In 2010, the event received an award from the Federación de Atletismo de Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico Athletic Federation) as the best athletic running event in Puerto Rico; it had attained a perfect 100-point score in all evaluation areas. The 53rd edition in 2024, had room for up to 500 runners, of which over 250 had already registered some three weeks in advance.Calles de Ponce se preparan para La Guadalupe. Ana Delma Ramirez. EsNoticia. 29 November - 12 December 2024. p. 18. Accessed 29 November 2024. Archived.
Up to, and including, the 2006 edition, the event was a males-only run. Starting with the 2007 edition, it was officially open to both athletes from sexes.La ponceña Karla Sanyet y Alexander Torres ganan el maratón La Guadalupe: Sanyet es la líder histórica de victorias en la rama femenina con seis en el evento ponceño. Primera Hora. 14 December 2025. Accessed 20 February 2026. Archived.
Overview In addition to being the only one of the international marathons run over the distance of 42.195 kilometers and the national marathon of Puerto Rico, the marathon is the qualifying race for the Central American and Caribbean Games.Miguel Solivan se impuso en Ponce. Primera Hora. 9 December 2013.
In addition to medals, Marathon organizers award cash prizes to winners, in both men and women categories, exceeding USD$30K.Todo listo para La Guadalupe: Se correrá el domingo 11 desde las 5 a.m. en Ponce. Servicios Combinados. El Nuevo Dia. 2 December 2011. Accessed 30 January 2020. Archived. First place winners receive a $2,000 cash prize. The next five follow-up winners receive $1,000, $500, $400, $200 and $80 respectively. The Marathon also awards prizes to winners, both men and women, in these nine age categories: 20–24, 25–29, 30–34, 35–39, 40–44, 45–49, 50–54, 55–59 and 60+. First, second and third-place winners in each of these categories receive $80, $50 and $25 prizes, respectively. Voces del Sur. 6 December 2018. Accessed 23 January 2019. Unlike other marathons, registration for La Guadalupe is free; registration generally takes place the day before the event (Saturday) at Parque de Bombas. The $2,000 cash prize is the highest cash prize paid out for any running event in Puerto Rico.Exitosa 48va Edición del Maratón La Guadalupe. Periodico El Sol de Puerto Rico. Accessed 20 January 2020. Archived.
Route The race starts at 5:00 am at PR-12 (Avenida Santiago de los Caballeros) at the intersection with PR-14 (Avenida Tito Castro/Avenida Betances) and heads south towards La Guancha. It makes 3 round trips on Avenida Santiago de los Caballeros and, on the fourth round, it then detours onto Avenida Las Americas (PR-163) heading west towards PR-123 (Avenida Hostos). At Avenida Hostos it turns right onto Calle Marina and heads north towards Plaza Las Delicias. The finish line will be at Calle Marina intersection with Calle Cristina, that is, right in front of Parque de Bombas in downtown Ponce.Favoritos del Maratón La Guadalupe. Junior Lugo Marrero. La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. Year 29. Issue. 7 December 2011. Accessed 17 December 2021. Archived. The race coincides with the Fiestas patronales de Ponce celebration.Mercado encabeza maratón La Guadalupe: El evento deportivo se celebrará el domingo, desde las 5:00 am. WAPA-TV. Accessed 27 January 2020. Archived. The 50th edition (2021) introduced a new route.Berverly Ramos abre paso a la mujer en el fondismo. EsNoticia. Ponce, Puerto Rico. Year 6. No. 159. 17 to 30 December 2021. p. 14. Accessed 17 December 2021. Archived.
Results
1972 (3rd edition) Category Position Winner Origin Timing Ref Men's Division 1 Mario Irizarry Unknown Unknown Ponce se prepara para celebrar el Maratón La Guadalupe. Es Noticia. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 28 November 2025. accessed 22 February 2026. Archived.
1982 (13th edition) Category Position Winner Origin Timing Ref Men's Division 1 Jorge Luis "Peco" González Utuado 2:15:35
1983 (14th edition) The event took place on 11 December. Category Position Winner Origin Timing Ref Men's Division 1 César Mercado Unknown 2:17:32
1985 (16th edition) Category Position Winner Origin Timing Ref Men's Division 1 Eduardo Maldonado Unknown 2:17:42
1986 (17th edition) Category Position Winner Origin Timing Ref Men's Division 1 Eduardo Maldonado Unknown 2:15:48
1988 (19th edition) Category Position Winner Origin Timing Ref Men's Division 1 Luis E. Torres Unknown 2:17:22 2 Eduardo Maldonado Unknown 2:17:46
1991 (22nd edition) Category Position Winner Origin Timing Ref Men's Division 1 César Mercado Unknown Unknown
1992 (23rd edition) Category Position Winner Origin Timing Ref Men's Division 1 César Mercado Unknown Unknown
1993 (Canceled) The event was cancelled due to scheduling conflict with the concurrent event of the Puerto Rico 1993 Central American and Caribbean Games celebrated this year in Ponce.Todo listo para el Maratón de La Guadalupe: La tradicional carrera se celebrará este domingo, 9 de diciembre, en Ponce. El Vocero de Puerto Rico. 7 December 2018. Accessed 27 January 2020. Archived. Maratón de La Guadalupe, el único 42k que subsiste en Puerto Rico. Nairi. Pisada Libre. 7 December 2018. Accessed 14 January 2020. Archive.
1994 (24th edition) Category Position Winner Origin Timing Ref Men's Division 1 César Mercado Unknown Unknown Todo listo para La Guadalupe. El Nuevo Dia. 2 December 2011.
2002 (32nd edition) Category Position Winner Origin Timing Ref Men's Division 1 César Mercado Unknown Unknown
2003 (33rd edition) Category Position Winner Origin Timing Ref Men's Division 1 César Mercado Unknown Unknown
2004 (34th edition) Category Position Winner Origin Timing Ref Men's Division 1 César Mercado Unknown Unknown
2006 (36th edition) The event took place on 10 December.42 K DE GUADALUPE – 10 DE DICIEMBRE 2006. Torrimar Joggers Club. Club de "Joggers" y Corredores. Parque Central, Sna Juan, Puerto Rico.
Category Position Winner Origin Timing Ref Men's Division 1 Luis Rivera Aibonito 2:24:08 2 Máximo Oliveras Toa Alta 2:36:49 3 José Rodríguez Canóvanas 2:37:42 Women's Division 1 Yolanda Mercado Bayamón 2:52:51 2 Maribel Burgos Carolina 3:04:01 3 Mónica Larson Arecibo 3:21:51
2007 (37th edition) Prior to this year the marathon was essentially a men's-only event. Women could run it but they were not awarded prizes. Starting with the 2007 marathon, women runners were officially registered as competing runners and awarded prizes the same as men.Maratón de La Guadalupe, el único 42k que subsiste en Puerto Rico: El Maratón de la Guadalupe, un evento que carga la nostalgia de otra época. Nairi Ginés. Pisada Libre. 7 December 2018. Accessed 14 December 2020. Archived.
Category Position Winner Origin Timing Ref Men's Division 1 Máximo Oliveras Corozal Unknown Mercado encabeza maratón La Guadalupe El evento deportivo se celebrará el domingo, desde las 5:00 am. WAPA-TV. Accessed 27 January 2020. Archived. Women's Division 1 Luz E. Torres Guayanilla Unknown
2008 (38th edition) The event took place on 14 December.Rivera y Falcón dominan el maratón La Guadalupe. 14 December 2008. Category Position Winner Origin Timing Ref Men's Division 1 Luis Rivera Aibonito 2:28.19 2 Miguel Solivan Aibonito 2:31.21 3 César Mercado Maricao 2:38.06 Women's Division 1 Irmalyn Falcón Toa Baja 2:58:03 2 Yolanda Mercado Bayamón 3:02.30 3 Sara Mary González Unknown 3:09.55
2009 (39th edition) The event, which ordinarily takes place on a Sunday, this year took place on a Saturday (12 December). The goal was to have it coincide with Las Mañanitas to maximize the attendance to the Marathon.Adelantan maratón La Guadalupe: Para que haya más apoyo. The Associated Press. WAPA.TV. Accessed 20 January 2020. Archived. This year there was also a change to the route of the event.Exitoso Regreso del Maraton La Guadalupe al Centro de Ponce. Noticias Sur P.R.9 December 2009. Accessed 20 January 2020. Archived. Category Position Winner Origin Timing Ref Men's Division 1 Miguel Solivan – 2:24:25 Miguel Solivan se impuso en Ponce. Primerahora.com 9 December 2013. Accessed 14 January 2020.
2010 (40th edition) The event took place on 12 December.Virgen De La Guadalupe Ponce 2010, Un Exito!! La Nueva Era. Foros Univision. 12 December 2010. Category Position Winner Origin Timing Ref Men's Division 1 Luis Rivera Aibonito 2:22:47 2 Nelson Rodríguez Utuado 2:23.32 3 Eliezer Robles Lares 2:25.45 Women's Division 1A Yolanda Mercado Bayamón 2:56:26 1B Yolanda Mercado Bayamón 2:54:47 2 Erica Méndez San Germán 3:17:27 3 María Beltrán Bayamón 3:17.48
2011 (41st edition) The event took place on Sunday 11 December.Revalida Yolanda Mercado en el Maratón La Guadalupe de Ponce, Puerto Rico. Atletismo en Mexico. 13 December 2011. Eliezer Robles y Yolanda Mercado se alzan con el triunfo en la 41era edición. Noticias Sur P.R. Category Position Winner Origin Timing Ref Men's Division 1 Eliezer Robles Lares 2:31:09 2 Jesús Morales Villalba 2:34:20 3 Nelson Rodríguez Utuado 2:36:22 Women's Division 1 Yolanda Mercado Bayamón 2:57:23 2 María E. Beltrán Bayamón 3:20:03 3 Liria García San Juan 2:20:42
2012 (42nd edition) The event took place on 9 December. Category Position Winner Origin Timing Ref Men's Division 1 Eliezer Robles Lares 2:22.38 Éxitoso El Maratón La Guadalupe 2012 En Ponce. 9 December 2012. Women's Division 1 Angélica Torres Unknown Unknown
2013 (43rd edition) The event took place on Sunday 8 December. Category Position Winner Origin Timing Ref Men's Division 1 Miguel Solivan Aibonito 2:26:38:09 Women's Division 1 Patricia Lázaro Guaynabo 3:09:47:58
2015 (45th edition) The event took place on Sunday 8 December. Category Position Winner Origin Timing Ref Men's Division 1 Eliezer Robles Lares 2:36:55 Sigue el dominio de Eliezer Robles en La Guadalupe: El fondista ganó por tercera ocasión la afamada carrera, que tuvo como ganadora también a Paola Rivera. Víctor Pillot Ortiz. El Nuevo Dia. Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. 6 December 2015. Accessed 3 December 2022. Archived. Women's Division 1 Paola Rivera Puerto Rico 3:01:13
2016 (46th edition) The event took place on Sunday 18 December 2016. AI-generated