The 2nd Seongnam YMCA Marathon will be held on Saturday, October 31, 2026, along the Tancheon riverside in Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do, combined with the local Ori Station Romance Festival. Registration opens September 14 and runs through October 6, 2026, first come, first served.
🏙️ A Community Race With No Clock Pressure
Seongnam sits just south of Seoul, and the Tancheon river path that runs through it is one of the city’s favorite places to walk, cycle, and run on any given weekend. The Seongnam YMCA Marathon turns that everyday path into a race for a morning, pairing a 5K “Fun Run” with a 10K “Race” along the same riverside course, and folding in a local festival at Ori Station for anyone who wants to make a day of it.
This is a race built for participation rather than competition. There is no official race clock cutoff, there is no ranking-based awards ceremony, and children as young as five can join for free. If you want a low-pressure introduction to running in Korea — one where finishing matters more than your time — this is a reasonable one to start with.
📅 Event Overview
- Event name: 2nd Seongnam YMCA Marathon
- Date: Saturday, October 31, 2026
- Assembly: 8:00 AM at Mulbit Garden
- Start times: 10K at 9:00 AM, 5K at 9:10 AM
- Venue: Mulbit Garden (물빛정원), Ori Park, along the Tancheon riverside, Seongnam
- Distances: 5K (Fun Run) and 10K (Race)
- Registration period: September 14, 2026, 10:00 AM – October 6, 2026, 6:00 PM (first come, first served; may close early if full)
- Organizer: Seongnam YMCA
- Supervising bodies: Seongnam YMCA Sports Business Committee and the Korea Trail Running Association
Although the race is branded around Seongnam, the organizer explicitly states that runners from anywhere are welcome, not only local residents.
🗺️ Course Details
Both distances start and finish at Mulbit Garden, and both are timed with a smart chip. Unlike many of the races we cover, the organizer publishes a genuine turn-by-turn description rather than just a map image, so here is what to actually expect.
🏃 5K Fun Run
From Mulbit Garden, the course crosses the Dongmak pedestrian bridge and heads north along the Tancheon toward Jeongja-dong. The turnaround is at the Dolma pedestrian bridge, near Cheongsol Middle School, around the 2.9 km mark, where there’s an aid station. From there the route heads back south toward Gumi-dong, crosses the Mujigae (Rainbow) pedestrian bridge around the 5.4 km mark, and finishes back at Mulbit Garden. The course map lists the finish point at roughly 6.11 km, so runners should expect a course a little longer than a strict 5K.
🏃 10K Race
The 10K heads south from Mulbit Garden along the bike path toward Jeongja-dong, passing straight through Jeongja Bridge. The first turnaround is at the Jeongja-Ojak pedestrian bridge (toward Jeongja Station and Sunae-dong). From there the course continues toward Gumi-dong and Jukjeon, with a second turnaround at the pedestrian bridge south of Gumi-dong, near the Hyundai Hometown 3rd Complex in Jukjeon, before returning to Mulbit Garden. An aid station sits about 100 meters from the first turnaround, and an ambulance is stationed at the same point as the second aid station.
Both courses run on the Tancheon’s paved bike path, are flat, and follow a single lap in a clockwise, keep-left pattern. Cone-marked single-file lanes are used at the turnaround sections. Bike path traffic is closed to cyclists for the duration of the race, with detours posted at each entry point.
💰 Entry Fees and Payment
| Distance | Entry fee |
|---|---|
| 5K (Fun Run) | 30,000 KRW |
| 10K (Race) | 40,000 KRW |
This race is registered and paid for through RunPASS, a Korean race-registration platform, where the primary payment method is online card payment at the time of registration — your spot is confirmed as soon as payment goes through. RunPASS also lists a bank transfer option for anyone who registers without paying by card, with payment due within 120 hours (by October 6, 6:00 PM); see the official page for the current account details if you go that route.
If your card isn’t accepted on RunPASS or you’d prefer help with the process, Sports Event Korea can register you and let you pay in US dollars through PayPal. Send a request through our registration support form and we’ll reply by email within 3 business days at the latest with your fee and payment instructions. See our About page for the full pricing breakdown.
📝 Registration Notes
- Registration is first come, first served and may close early if the race fills up before October 6.
- Runners under 14 may take part, but registration requires a parent or legal guardian’s consent, and guardians must accompany elementary-school and teenage participants on course.
- Children 5 and under can join for free without a bib, or for a fee if they want one; strollers are welcome, and the organizer asks stroller participants to start from the very back for safety.
- Cancellations and refunds: a full refund is available if you cancel by October 6. After October 7, no refunds are given (card refunds may take 3–5 business days to appear once processed).
- No entry name or transfer swaps: registering under a false name or transferring your entry to someone else is not allowed, and violations can lead to disqualification and being barred from future races.
🏆 Awards and Race Kit
There is no ranked awards ceremony at this race — times are recorded individually by timing chip, but places are not ranked or awarded. Instead:
- Every finisher receives a distance-specific finisher medal (separate designs for 5K and 10K)
- A “Family Happiness Award” recognizes participants who ran together as a family
- An on-site prize raffle is held after the race
Race-day kit pickup (all on-site, none mailed in advance) includes:
- Commemorative T-shirt, in sizes from 85 (XS) to 110 (2XL), selected at registration
- Finisher medal (given at the finish line)
- Bib and timing chip
- Personal snacks
🚻 On-Site Facilities
- Baggage storage and changing: available at the venue
- Restrooms: at Mulbit Garden park
- Parking: within the park and at nearby public lots
- Weather policy: the race proceeds rain or shine
✈️ How to Get There
Mulbit Garden and Ori Park sit along the Tancheon in Seongnam, near two stations on the Suin-Bundang Line: Ori Station and Migeum Station. Both appear on the organizer’s own course map as reference points near the route, so either is a reasonable target if you’re navigating by train, followed by a short walk or taxi to the riverside.
If you’re coming from central Seoul, the Suin-Bundang Line connects through Sunae and onward toward Suwon; check a current transit app for the fastest route to Ori or Migeum Station from wherever you’re starting, since the best transfer point depends on your origin.
🎽 Preparation Tips
👟 Shoes
Both courses are flat, paved riverside paths, well suited to road shoes you’ve already trained in.
💧 Hydration
Aid stations are positioned at the turnaround points rather than at frequent intervals, so carry water or plan to hydrate well before the start, especially for the 10K.
🧘 No Time Pressure
Because there is no official time limit, this is a reasonable race to bring a slower runner, a walking participant, or a family group without worrying about being swept off the course.
🩺 Know Before You Run
The organizer asks participants to confirm they’re healthy enough for their chosen distance and recommends a pre-race checkup if you’re unsure. Two ambulances are stationed on course, and safety staff and volunteers are placed roughly every 500 meters.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Is this race suitable for beginners?
Yes. There’s no time cutoff, the 5K option is manageable for a first race, and the atmosphere is built around a family-friendly community festival rather than competitive racing.
Do I need to be a Seongnam resident to join?
No. Despite the local branding, the organizer states that runners from anywhere are welcome.
Can I register as part of a group?
Yes, individuals and groups of two or more (including a representative) can register together through RunPASS.
Is there a cutoff time?
No. The official race rules state there is no time limit for either distance.
What if I need to cancel?
Cancel by October 6 for a full refund. No refunds are given from October 7 onward.
Is this the race’s first year?
No — this is the 2nd edition. The 1st Seongnam YMCA Marathon was held in 2025.
What happens if it rains?
The organizer’s policy is that the race proceeds regardless of rain.
🏁 More Races Around Seoul and Gyeonggi
Planning a running trip to the area? These guides may also help:
👉 Visit the official 2nd Seongnam YMCA Marathon registration page
