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The course

A preliminary survey of Punakha has provided us with a beautiful course to run a marathon on. Punkha, with its lower altitude and warmer climate, is a beautiful valley to keep runners enthralled with its beauty. The Punakha Spring Marathon will be run along Puna tsang chhu (river) from Punakha Dzong down to the Wandiphodrang dzong and back on the other side of the river. The gradient of this marathon is far easier on the knees than the Thimphu marathon and we’ve thrown in a couple of interesting features to ensure this will be a marathon you’ll remember.

Marathon maps.pdf

Full Marathon Course

Starting 2.7km above the dzong in a clearing by the Mo chhu river runners make their way south to the new Punakha township of Khuruthang at the 7.3km mark. Here the half and full marathon courses diverge and you will have your first aid station. After a short climb the course levels out to reach Toeperangchu bridge where you will have your second aid station at 11.6km. From here the course zig zags up to Lobesa for a distance of 3.3km. The course is then a gradual descent to the Wandiphodrang bridge (21.5km) where you have the fourth aid station. After crossing the bridge runners head back north and there is a short climb of 1.1km before descending to the new Wangdi township of Bajothang. From here on the course follows the river back north. At the 26.1km mark the paved road ends and runners are on a softer dirt track. Runners will reach the Khuruthang bridge at the 31.5km mark. Continuing up the dirt tack into the Pho chhu valley, runners come to the longest suspension bridge in Bhutan at 37km mark. Crossing this bridge gives you spectacular views of the dzong and the Pho chhu valley. You will then run by the dzong to cross another bridge (vehicle) at the 35.3km mark to the start/finish point.

Aid stations: 7

Full marathon map.pdf

Half Marathon Course

Half marathoners will follow the full marathon course to Khuruthang township. Here the course bifurcates at the 7.3km mark. While full marathoners continue south, half marathoners will cross the Khuruthang bridge and turn north to run up the Pho chhu valley. After the bridge the course is along a dirt track and extends up the Pho chhu till the turnabout point at 15.25km mark. Runners will then retrace their steps to the Pho chhu suspension bridge (17.5km) where they will follow the full marathon course to the start/finish point.

Aid stations:  4

Half marathon map.pdf