Race guide for Sunday 8 November 2026, Hanoi
Standard Chartered Hanoi Marathon Heritage Race 2026
An independent guide for international runners: race week, kit pickup, the start, the course, the finish and where to stay.
Race in 10 days
Updated 29 Oct 2026. The organiser has confirmed Thong Nhat Park as the start and finish. Kit pickup times and start times by distance are published to registered runners; we will update this guide as they are confirmed.
- Race day
- Sun 8 Nov 2026
- Distances
- 42 kmplus 21, 10 and 5 km
- Marathon cut-off
- 6 hr
- Start and finish
- Thong Nhat Park, Hanoi
Hanoi’s heritage marathon is part of the global Standard Chartered Marathon series, now in its third season in Vietnam, and runs through the old city in the cool, dry Hanoi autumn. The thing to plan around: the 2026 start and finish has moved to Thong Nhat Park, and kit pickup happens before race day, never on race morning.
On this page
Race week at a glance
Race weekend runs 6–8 November. Collect your kit before Sunday.
Fri 6 – Sat 7 Nov
See your email
Race kit pickup and Expo. Times and place are emailed to registered runners.
Expected at Thong Nhat Park
Sun 8 Nov
Early morning
All four distances. Arrive 30–45 minutes before your start for bag drop and warm-up.
Thong Nhat Park (Tran Nhan Tong / Le Duan)
Earlier listings placed the race at Quan Ngua Sports Complex. The organiser’s 28 October announcement confirms Thong Nhat Park for 2026.
For your driver: Công viên Thống Nhất, đường Trần Nhân Tông / Lê Duẩn, Hà Nội
Distances, start times and cut-offs
Cut-offs from the organiser’s 2026 race regulations.
| Race | Distance | Cut-off |
|---|---|---|
| Marathon | 42.195 km | 6 hr |
| Half marathon | 21.1 km | 3 hr 30 |
| 10K | 10 km | 2 hr |
| 5K | 5 km | 1 hr 30 |
Chip time, gun time for prizes
Your official time is chip time. Prize rankings use gun time.
Segment cut-offs too
Each section of the course closes after its own cut-off, and services stop behind it.
An AIMS race
The course is listed with AIMS, the international road-race association.
Collect your race kit
Kit pickup time and place are emailed to registered runners. Your QR code arrives after you sign the online waiver, sent about a month before race day.
Bring two things:
Your passport
The original, or the citizen ID in the VNeID app for Vietnamese residents.
Your QR code
Keep it private. Anyone holding it can collect your kit.
Someone else can collect for you if you authorise them online. They bring your QR code, their own original ID and a photo or copy of your passport. Check your kit before you leave the counter: the organiser does not accept exchanges afterwards.
Past runners mention a support desk for international runners at kit pickup. Look for it if the queue is long.
Getting to the start
Thong Nhat Park is in central Hanoi, south of Hoan Kiem Lake.
From Noi Bai Airport
About 45–60 minutes by taxi or Grab to the city centre.
Walk if you can
From the Old Quarter or the French Quarter the park is a 15–30 minute walk. Roads around the course close early on race morning.
Bag drop
Arrive at least 30–45 minutes before your start. Valuables and electronics are not accepted at bag drop.
Collect your bag by 09:00
After that, unclaimed bags go to the organiser’s office at 505 Minh Khai.
The course
Flat city roads through heritage Hanoi.
The course passes Hanoi’s lakes, boulevards and heritage sites on flat, closed roads. The official course map for each distance is on the organiser’s race info page.
Weather
~20 °Ctypical early-morning temperature in early November
November is Hanoi’s best running month: dry, with cool mornings in the high teens to low 20s °C. It can still feel humid if you have come from a cold winter. Air quality in Hanoi can be poor in late autumn, so check the forecast in race week.
Where to stay
Stay central and walk to the start.
The French Quarter, the area around Hoan Kiem Lake and Hai Ba Trung district are all within walking distance of Thong Nhat Park. The Old Quarter has the most choice but is busier at night.
Same month, more races. Halong Bay Heritage Marathon is two weeks later, on 22 November, and VnExpress Marathon Hanoi Midnight runs on 29 November.
Rules worth knowing before you travel
Standard rules for a large city marathon.
Only you can run on your BIB
Wear it on the front, visible for the whole race.
Runners under 16 need extra documents
A guardian-signed waiver, a birth certificate copy and the guardian’s ID.
No exchanges after pickup
Check your shirt size, BIB and chip before you leave the collection area.
Bag drop is not a safe
Valuables, electronics, fragile and bulky items can be refused.
Still to confirm
Show the three open questions
These details matter to a visiting runner and had not been published in a form we could quote. The organiser’s race email is the authority.
| Open question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Start time for each distance (shown only in an image) | Decides your race-morning transport |
| Kit pickup dates, hours and exact venue | Decides your arrival day |
| Marathon age limit | Matters for younger runners |
Sources
Show sources
Race facts come from the organiser, DHA Vietnam. Travel, weather and planning notes are our own.
- Organiser’s race-day announcement — Thong Nhat Park start and finish
- Organiser’s 2026 race regulations — cut-offs and timing
- Organiser’s race info page — kit collection documents and bag drop
- VOV — race weekend dates
Keep reading
- Vietnam race calendar, Oct 2026 – Jun 2027
- Techcombank Hanoi International Marathon 2026 guide
- Racing in Vietnam 101: heat, transport and travel insurance
- All race guides
Racing in Vietnam? Ask the community
Our Facebook group is where international runners swap race-week tips, find people to travel with and share their finish photos. English only, no BIB trading.
Vietnam Sports Events is an independent guide for international runners. This page is not produced or endorsed by the organiser or the title sponsor. Details change; the race website is always the authority. Read our disclosure.