The Nudist Beach Marathon, Gran Canaria
Marathon # 521
Barefoot Marathon # 186
Maspalomas Dunes Marathon # 85
Date: October 13, 2025
My Time: 5:47:36
By Dr. Barefoot Sidy Diallo
I did barefoot my 521st marathon. After running 34 km—mostly on the Meloneras Promenade—I opted to walk the rest of the distance on the 6 km beach, which extends from the Maspalomas Lighthouse to the end of Playa del Inglés District.
The nudist area of the beach is officially about 2.6 km (1.6 miles) long, but it spills on at least 500 meters (0.3 miles) further north. I finished the marathon at the sign indicating that the “Nude Area” starts 500 meters further south from there, but the 500 meters are in fact included in the nude area.
The popular Maspalomas Nudist Beach is arguably Europe's “nudist capital,” where many hundreds of individuals—mostly young males and old people—gather daily to lounge around naked in the sunshine. Oddly enough, it’s not uncommon to see nudists wearing shoes or even sneakers, which is a clear symptom of cognitive dissonance, anthropologically speaking, as I explain in my book Running Barefoot for Human Survival, available on Amazon in paperback and e-book format (French edition: Courir pieds nus pour sauver les humains).
Barefoot Marathon # 186
Maspalomas Dunes Marathon # 85
Date: October 13, 2025
My Time: 5:47:36
By Dr. Barefoot Sidy Diallo
I did barefoot my 521st marathon. After running 34 km—mostly on the Meloneras Promenade—I opted to walk the rest of the distance on the 6 km beach, which extends from the Maspalomas Lighthouse to the end of Playa del Inglés District.
The nudist area of the beach is officially about 2.6 km (1.6 miles) long, but it spills on at least 500 meters (0.3 miles) further north. I finished the marathon at the sign indicating that the “Nude Area” starts 500 meters further south from there, but the 500 meters are in fact included in the nude area.
The popular Maspalomas Nudist Beach is arguably Europe's “nudist capital,” where many hundreds of individuals—mostly young males and old people—gather daily to lounge around naked in the sunshine. Oddly enough, it’s not uncommon to see nudists wearing shoes or even sneakers, which is a clear symptom of cognitive dissonance, anthropologically speaking, as I explain in my book Running Barefoot for Human Survival, available on Amazon in paperback and e-book format (French edition: Courir pieds nus pour sauver les humains).
The two signs indicating the limits of the Maspalomas Nudist Beach in the early morning before the crowd arrives: clothing is optional between these signs.
The sign indicating that the Maspalomas Nudity Beach begins 500 meters (0.3 miles) further south, in the early morning before the nude crowd arrives.
Dr. Sidy Diallo’s Nudist Beach Marathon Garmin Data
The sign “LOVE” in the gay section of the Maspalomas Nudist Beach, in the early morning before the crowd arrives.
Nudists wearing shoes while walking or running are commonplace on the famous Maspalomas Nudist Beach.