Ulaanbaatar Marathon

Ulaanbaatar Marathon
The 2026 Ulaanbaatar Marathon logo
Date	Third Saturday of May
Location	Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Event type	Road
Distance	Marathon 42.195 kilometres (26.219 mi)
Established	2014 (2014)
Organizer	Governor of the Capital City
Official site	ulaanbaatar.marathon.mn

The Ulaanbaatar Marathon (Mongolian: Улаанбаатар марафон) is an annual international marathon held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. This event was first established in 2014 by the Governor of the Capital City and usually happens on the third Saturday of May, coinciding with the city's car-free day. It is the largest mass-participation sporting event in Mongolia, attracting thousands of local and international runners of all skill levels.

History

The Ulaanbaatar Marathon was first held 12 years ago on 7 June 2014 by the Governor of the Capital City together with the Mongolian Athletics Federation. The event was created to promote long-distance running, encourage active lifestyles among residents, and establish Ulaanbaatar as an international sports tourism destination. The initial event in 2014 drew over 16,000 participants. After its beginning, the marathon experienced consistent year-over-year growth.

Attendance increased to approximately 18,000 runners in 2015, 27,000 in 2016, and it surpassed 30,000 by 2017. To accommodate the growing number of amateur athletes, organizers aligned the race with Ulaanbaatar's official car-free day that froze motor vehicle traffic across the central city grid in order to ensure pedestrian safety.