Turkistan’s Largest Running Race to Take Place on 25 October

On 25 October 2026, Turkistan will host the 5^th Turkistan Marathon, an international running race organised by “Courage to be the First” Corporate Fund. 3,000 participants from more than 20 countries will run through the streets of the ancient city. The start and finish will be located at Karavan Saray. From there, the course will follow Bekzat Sattarkhanov Avenue toward the airport and back.

Traditionally, the competition programme features five race distances: marathon (42.2 km), half marathon (21.1 km), 10-km distance race, 10-km Nordic Walking, and 3-km children’s race for participants aged 10 to 14.

Every year, the Turkistan Marathon brings together runners from across Kazakhstan and around the world. In 2025, nearly 80% of participants came from outside Turkistan: 1,968 runners traveled from other regions of Kazakhstan, while another 368 came from abroad. A total of 3,000 runners toed the starting line.

Runners often bring their family members and friends to Turkistan. According to the Turkistan Marathon’s economic impact study, each participant brings an average of 1.6 accompanying visitors. In 2025, their total number was estimated at around 4,000. Taking into account spending by participants, accompanying visitors, and the organisers and given the event’s impact on related industries, the marathon’s overall economic impact was estimated at nearly KZT 1.6 billion.

For many participants, traveling to the ,arathon is an opportunity to combine a sporting event with a trip and discover Turkistan’s history and culture. One of the city’s main attractions is the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Turkistan Marathon is included in the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) calendar and its courses are certified in compliance with the World Athletics standards. The run is also part of theTAN (Turkic Alliance of Long Runs), an international series of marathons across Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Azerbaijan.

“The Turkistan Marathon brings sport and tourism together, and we are already seeing tangible results for the city’s economy. Every participant generates spending on accommodation, meals, transportation, and other services. It is important to us that the marathon continues to grow, attracts more visitors to Turkistan, and creates additional opportunities for local businesses,” notes Galimzhan Yessenov, Chairman of the Board of Trustees at “Courage to be the First” Corporate Fund.

Registration continues onalmaty-marathon.kz website.

The marathon is arranged with the support of Turkistan Regional Akimat.

Title Sponsor: Kaspi.kz.

Organizers: “Courage to be the First” Corporate Fund, Krida Fitness Club, Sh.Yessenov Science and Education Foundation.