A close-up of the medal for the 2026 Geely Auto Hangzhou Marathon. [Photo provided by 2026 Geely Auto Hangzhou Marathon to Tide News]

The 2026 Geely Auto Hangzhou Marathon will kick off on Nov 1, with the full marathon finishing at Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center Stadium and the half marathon ending at Shimin Square.

The redesigned course will connect West Lake and the Grand Canal, two UNESCO World Heritage sites, combining traditional culture with modern urban scenery.

Organizers have also upgraded medical support, adding personnel at high-risk sections and introducing drone-assisted emergency response with automated external defibrillators. NFC-enabled finisher medals and two intelligent traffic-control robots will provide additional digital services.

Founded in 1987, the Hangzhou Marathon has become one of Zhejiang's leading sporting events. This year's race attracted more than 300,000 registrations, up 51.6 percent from last year, setting a new record.