San José gives us a December city marathon at roughly 1,170 meters, so the thin-air tax matters even when temperatures stay near 17 to 26 degrees. The exact 2026 course, start, climbing, and $60 entry are still placeholders, and a separate June race with a similar name makes verification unusually messy. We would choose it for a budget gateway weekend, then use extra days for coffee country or a volcano rather than beach time.
Better info coming — we're still verifying 6 fields on this race.
Why we'd pick it
- The 450 m climbing estimate is useful for planning, not a verified pacing number.
- Open · Direct entry — no lottery to lose.
- Race day usually sits 17–26°C, about 20% chance of rain.
The course
This is the December Marathon Internacional Costa Rica event, not the separate June AIMS race with a similar name. Its urban course runs through the Central Valley around 1,170 meters above sea level. Exact 2026 routing remains unpublished, so the La Sabana point, one-loop structure, 450-meter gain, and 1,200-meter high point are planning placeholders rather than verified course facts.
