Eilat Desert Marathon: Heats

Full marathon 42.2km - Course description

The start point is located near the beach. Entry into the start area will be through 3 corrals according to predicted finish time, to allow a more comfortable flow of runners and to prevent a bottleneck at the narrower points of the route.

The “Eagle” corral is for elite runners, “Ram” corral is for fast to moderate runners, and the “Ostrich” corral is for runners who have come to enjoy longer desert time at a slower pace.

After the start, the course is relatively flat until the first water station at around 3.5 km. Runners continue onward and cross beneath the Arava Highway and then enter Roded Creek – here the trails are wider, with more space, but the terrain is more challenging as it contains a lot of gravel. The creek opens up at around 6 km and you enter a scene taken from a Dali painting with surreal tree-lined landscapes and one short but tough incline. At the top is the first of many “selfie” points – discreet signs along the route will direct you to “selfie-worthy” spots with breathtaking scenery – for runners who don’t intend to run a PR…

The trail continues along a dry riverbed on a comfortable dirt road to the main refreshment station (around 8 km). This is known as the X-junction, where the half-marathon runners split right to the “oil road” and the marathon runners continue left into the Netafim River, south to Ein Netafim. The terrain is mainly small pebbles, sometimes crushed rocks and sand which adds a challenge.

The next refreshment station is at 10.5 km. The route continues into a narrow gully, but the views become more spectacular, till you reach the U-turn at about 12km mark. Turn back towards the X-intersection and then run west where the landscape changes again, as you run on rolling hills towards the mountains, the highest point on the route and another “selfie” point at the 20k mark, where the next refreshment station is located.

Now you run downhill towards Schoret canyon and Amram pillars. Further down the track once becomes comfortable for running, till you reach the 25k mark,  where there’s a measuring mat at the furthest point on the track. The track continues downhill towards the “oil road” and a refreshment station at 26.5 km.

From here you continue on the “oil road” – a straight and rolling road until the next refreshment station shortly after 29 km where you leave the road towards Schoret hills, (the half-marathon runners will be running towards you on the “oil road” and from here you’ll run together till the end). The route itself is quite comfortable (of course there might be changes due to weather and winter floods). Head east in a continuous descent, past the next refreshment station at 35 km which is just after the crossing under the Arava Highway. The route takes you west then south in a straight line to the boardwalk between the hotels around the marina to a particularly surprising and exciting finish line.

You did it!

Half Marathon 21.1km - Course description

The start point is located near the beach. Entry into the start area will be through 3 corrals according to predicted finish time, to allow a more comfortable flow of runners and to prevent a bottleneck at the narrower points of the route.

The “Eagle” corral is for elite runners, “Ram” corral is for fast to moderate runners, and the “Ostrich” corral is for runners who have come to enjoy longer desert time at a more leisurely pace.

After the start, the course is relatively flat until the first water station at around 3.5 km. Runners continue onward and cross beneath the Arava Highway and then enter Roded Creek – here the trails are wider, with more space, but the terrain is more challenging as it contains a lot of gravel. The creek opens up at around 6 km and you enter a scene taken from a Dali painting with surreal tree-lined landscapes and one short but tough incline. At the top is the first of many “selfie” points – discreet signs along the route will direct you to “selfie-worthy” spots with breathtaking scenery – for runners who don’t intend to run a PR…

The trail continues along a dry riverbed on a comfortable dirt road to the main refreshment station (around 8 km). This is known as the X-junction, where the half-marathon runners split right to the “oil road” and the marathon runners continue left into the Netafim River.

From here you continue on the “oil road” – a straight and rolling road until the next refreshment station shortly after 10 km where you leave the road towards Schoret hills, (the marathon runners will be running towards you on the “oil road” and from here you’ll run together till the end). The route itself is quite comfortable (of course there might be changes due to weather and winter floods). Head east in a continuous descent, past the next refreshment station at 14 km which is just after the crossing under the Arava Highway. The route takes you west then south in a straight line to the boardwalk between the hotels around the marina to a particularly surprising and exciting finish line.

You did it!

10km Run - Course description

The starting point is near the beach, right at the entrance to the Eilat Promenade.

The route begins on the asphalt road for about 1.5 km and then the course changes and runners are surrounded by the tranquil desert. After 3.6km runners reach a refreshment station where they make a u-turn and begin their run back. The route passes near the salt ponds and the bird watching park, where it follows a relatively flat gravel road. The next refresh point is at 5.8km, from where the route runs straight to the shoreline, then turns west to the promenade, with a refreshment station waiting at 8.2 km.

The final 2 kilometers are a flat run along the Eilat Promenade, filled with cheering people, all the way to the finish line.

5km Run - Course description