Which Malaga half marathon is the best? Generali VS Total Energies Half Marathon

There are two half marathon races taking place in Malaga: the Total Energies Half Marathon in November and the Generali Half Marathon (and marathon) in December. Which Malaga half marathon you should sign up to? Here’s how they compare.

PS: this comparison is from my experience at these events in 2022, but some things might change for the future editions.

Two half marathon races in Malaga

These two races take place at the end of the year. The Total Energies Half Marathon (also called Media de Malaga) takes place mid-November. You can read my full review of the 2022 edition here. It was a brand new and super flat course this year.

Post-edit: from 2024, this race will go back to being held in March, like it was pre-Covid.

Then in December we have the Generali Malaga Marathon where you can also opt for the half marathon distance (also called Media del Maraton de Malaga). I did this race both in 2021 and 2022. You can read my full review here.

Generali Malaga Half Marathon VS Total Energies Malaga Half Marathon

Here’s how they compare.

The course

The Total Energies Half had a brand new course this year and officially became the flattest half marathon in Europe. It’s definitely a fast course: extremely flat with only 6m of total elevation gain and very few turns.

It starts and finishes by the Stadium. Hopefully they’ll keep this course for future editions. If there’s no wind on the way, you can set a new personal best.

As for the Generali Half, it is still fairly flat but there is about 65m of total elevation gain according to Strava. Most of the uphill and downhill sections are during the first 6kms. It starts and finishes around Paseo del Parque, right in the city centre.

That being said, I managed to get a new PB this year and beat the PB I had set at the Total Energies Half, so you can definitely get a fast time there too.

Check out the elevation on Strava for the Total Energies Half
Check out the elevation on Strava for the Generali Half

The price

For both races the price depends on how early you buy your entry.

The early bird price for the Generali Half Marathon is 25€ (+3€ affiliation). I bought my entry in June and paid 33.80€ including the affiliation & booking fee.

As for the Total Energies Half, I signed up quite late (in September) and paid 28€ including the affiliation fee. I’ll update the early bird price once they open entries for next year.

The expo and goodie bags

For both races, you need to collect your race number at the expo on the Friday or Saturday. Collection is not possible on race day.

In 2022 the expo for the Total Energies Half was at the Stadium. It’s fairly easy to access via public transport, with the Palacio de los Deportes metro station nearby.

This year, the expo for the Generali Marathon and Half was in one of the Cruise terminals at the Port of Malaga. It’s a 2km walk from Paseo del Parque, but you could also hop on the touristy bus for free, which dropped you off nearby.

In terms of goody bags, it’s night and day. I was extremely surprised (in a good way) with the Total Energies Half Marathon goody bag, which had snacks, sleeves, muscle balm, free tube tickets and other bits, not to mention the race T-shirt.

The Generali Half Marathon goody bag is… disappointing. You collect your Tshirt and a bag only containing a few flyers and a bus ticket. Should it even be called a goody bag?

The organisation on the day

Both races are very well organised and I found that everything went smoothly on the day. Bag drop, portable toilets, volunteers directing you to the starting pens…it’s fairly straightforward and stress free.

The atmosphere

I found that both races had the same amount of spectators cheering us on (even though we had terrible weather at the Generali half this year, people still came out to support!).

The atmosphere is a little more festive at the Generali Half, with several bands playing live music at different parts of the course. The course is also a little more spectator friendly (especially for the marathon course) with a big chunk of it in the city centre and by the main beaches.

Which Malaga half marathon is the best?

Both races are great, but unless you’re spending the whole Winter in Malaga (which I am very lucky to do this year), then you will most likely have to make a choice and pick one.

Having done the Generali Half twice and the Total Energies half once, I would say that all things considered, the Total Energies is the best one in my opinion. It’s the flattest course out of the two and your best pick if you’re aiming for a PB. The atmosphere is great, it’s well organised and chances are, the weather will be on your side.

Plus, it’s better value for money in my opinion, considering all the goodies you get for roughly the same price!

Keep an eye out for the next edition of the Total Energies Half Marathon / Media de Malaga here.

If you find these race reviews helpful, a coffee would be very much appreciated :) And if you have any questions, feel free to get in touch via the contact form.