Oaxaca is the largest and capital city of the State of Oaxaca, located in the foothills of the Sierra Madre in the southeast of Mexico. A center of Zapotec and Mixtec culture, this popular tourist spot is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, famous for its colonial-era buildings made from green volcanic stone. Among the appealing aspects of running in Oaxaca is the good year-round weather, mile-high altitude, and great hill running opportunities in the foothills nearby.
For road running, the best place to run in Oaxaca is probably the Bosque El Tequio, a 5 km dirt loop close to the airport. There is also a nice paved bike lane along Avenida Ferrocarril which reaches the ‘widest tree in the world’ (Arbol de Tule). It’s also fun to create your own ‘sightseeing’ route of Oaxaca’s historic center, which includes the Paseo Juárez El Llano. The Riberas del Río Atoyac is a 4 km out and back on a riverside path. The stairs and trails of Cerro del Fortin also make for a fun route. For a longer run and a taste of the secluded Oaxacan foothills, run on the Libramiento del Norte — an abandoned highway that’s now a car-free road. There’s more extensive hill and trail running in the hills above Libramiento.
Getting around Oaxaca is easiest on foot, especially when it comes to the main neighborhoods downtown. There is public transportation in the form of buses and colectivos, which are affordable and hit most of the major destinations. For the hillside running, a car/cab is needed. We thank the folks at Run Oaxaca and Go! Running Tours Oaxaca for their help!
