City Marathon sends runners through the historic heart of the city on three distances — 5K, 10K, and the full marathon — all starting and finishing at Hatirjheel, with fully closed roads for the entire route length rather than the partial closures some city races settle for.

Race morning starts early by design, to beat both the heat and the city's daytime traffic: bib pickup and bag drop open at 5:00 AM, the full marathon starts at 6:00, the 10K follows at 6:30, and the 5K rounds things out at 7:00. Staggering the starts keeps the early stretch of the route from getting overcrowded and gives full-marathon runners clear road for the opening kilometers when pacing matters most.

The full marathon route loops through Hatirjheel and out through several of the city's older neighborhoods before returning along the water, with marshals and medical support stationed roughly every two kilometers and pacers running set target times throughout the field — useful whether your goal is a personal best or simply finishing comfortably inside the six-hour cutoff. The 10K and 5K routes share the opening and closing stretches with the marathon but cut the loop shorter, so shorter-distance runners still get the same waterfront scenery without the full distance.

Aid stations are spaced through all three routes with water, electrolyte drinks, and basic first aid, and the finish line area at Hatirjheel stays open well past the final expected finishers, with a proper medal ceremony and age-category awards held once results are confirmed. Bib pickup is also available the evening before race day at an announced expo location, which is the better option if you'd rather not deal with a 5:00 AM queue.

Whether you're chasing a marathon PB, tackling your first 10K, or bringing the family for the 5K, City Marathon is built to feel like a genuine city-wide event — closed streets, real crowd support along the route, and a finish line worth the early alarm.