The 27th Beneva Québec City Marathon presented by Brunet is now in the books.
The October 2–4, 2026 weekend drew more than 20,000 runners and walkers in a sold-out edition, according to the event organizer.
For visitors, the marathon is also a particularly interesting way to experience Québec City in the fall. The courses wind through some of the city’s best-known neighbourhoods and historic areas, turning race weekend into something of a moving tour of the city.
What happened Saturday
Saturday, October 3, was devoted to the shorter races.
The 5K Beneva Health Run began at 10 a.m., followed by the Sports Experts 10K at 11 a.m. The 2K Kids’ Run started at 1:30 p.m.
All of the weekend’s races finished around Place Jean-Béliveau.
Sunday’s marathon results
Sunday, October 4, was the main event.
The 42.2K marathon started at 8 a.m., while the 21.1K half-marathon began at 9:35 a.m.
The 2026 marathon carried some additional importance for competitive runners: Québec City hosted the Québec 42.2K road championships in 2026, with the designation also announced for 2027.
Jonathan Tedeschi won the men’s marathon, while Caroline Pomerleau won the women’s race; 2025 winner Alexis Lepage finished third among the men.
The course is certified by Athletics Canada, meaning qualifying performances can be used toward events including the Boston Marathon.
A destination race
The numbers also show how much the event has grown beyond Québec.
The event drew runners from well beyond Québec, which is part of why the weekend has become a tourism event as well as a race weekend.
That made marathon weekend as much a tourism event as a sporting one. Runners arrived with family and friends for an October weekend that extended beyond the race itself. For a future race weekend, if you are deciding where to eat between events, our Quebec City neighborhood dining guide is a useful companion.
Beyond the races
Visitors could still get involved without putting on running shoes.
The free Je Cours Qc Expo was held at the Centre de foires de Québec from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. It served as the race-bib pickup location but also included exhibitors, talks and services for runners.
Place Jean-Béliveau became the centre of activity during the races, with an Exhibitors’ Village, Family Plaza and entertainment.
Spectators also found spots along the course to cheer. For a future visit built around the races, our guide to six Québec City must-sees for a first visit provides a starting point for exploring between events.
Traffic during the 2026 race
Traffic planning mattered for visitors who were not participating in the marathon.
Road closures, parking restrictions and changes to public transit affected parts of the city Saturday and Sunday. Extra travel time was necessary, particularly Sunday morning. The organizer’s race-day travel and access information documented the temporary traffic plan. The organizer documented temporary ExpoCité access changes during the weekend, including Soumande Street-only vehicle access after 9:30 a.m. Saturday and after 6:30 a.m. Sunday.
The weekend offered a different view of Québec City: streets filled with runners and spectators, neighbourhoods turned into cheering sections, and thousands of people seeing the city in October.
Beneva Québec City Marathon presented by Brunet
When: October 2–4, 2026
Main races: Saturday and Sunday
Marathon: Sunday at 8 a.m.
Half-marathon: Sunday at 9:35 a.m.
Finish area: Place Jean-Béliveau
All start times are local to Québec City. The official 2026 weekend schedule remains available as an archive of the race program.
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