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 16.9–24.1°C, about 54% 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 Exact 2026 routing remains unpublished, so the La Sabana point, one-loop structure, 450-meter gain, and 1,200-meter high point are planning placeholders rather than verified course facts.
Difficulty and PR scores
Difficulty is the course and the conditions. The PR score is a separate read on a fast clock. Missing inputs are dropped and the other weights are rescaled. The method, with the weights.
- Difficulty
- 57 / 100
- PR / BQ friendliness
- Not scored
Weight used: 60%. Need 40% before we print a number.
Weight used: 30%. Need 45% before we print a number.
Weather median for 2011–2025, race date ±7 days, 225 days, at Approximate start / La Sabana Park. Grid elevation 1131 m.
No cited BQ rate for this race.
| Input | 0–100 | What went in |
|---|---|---|
| G Gain | — | No trusted gain per km. Uncertain stored gain is not used. |
| A Altitude | 48.9 | 1131 m. 0 below 300 m, 100 at 2000 m. Source: open-meteo-grid. |
| H Heat | 95 | High 24.1°C, dew point 16.5°C. The hotter of the two bands is used. |
| W Wind | 15 | 2.43 m/s median. Bands: under 3 → 15, under 5 → 40, under 8 → 70, else 100. |
| S Surface | 15 | road. Road 15, mixed 45, gravel 70, trail 90. |
| T Cool temps | 5 | 100 minus heat (95). |
| B BQ evidence | — | No cited BQ rate. |
Stays around the race
These are area searches near the published start, finish, and course pins. TripRace may earn a commission if you book, at no extra cost to you. We are not naming a hotel.
- Along the course · La Sabana Park — La Sabana Park
- Along the course · Central San José — Central San José
