The Synlab Lake Como Half Marathon is a 21.097-kilometer race starting in Como city center and finishing in front of Villa Olmo. The route is certified by FIDAL, the Italian athletics federation, and it is not a flat cruise: the course is undulating, with climbs that can make personal-best attempts harder. Runners can choose between a competitive race and a non-competitive version, so the field is not limited to people chasing rankings.
The half marathon follows the lake road from Como through Cernobbio, Moltrasio and Carate Urio, with a short stretch into Laglio before runners head back along the same side of the lake. The finish at Villa Olmo gives the race a clear local landmark, and Cernobbio adds another one with Villa Erba on the route. The event is already into double-digit editions, and it also includes the 5K Fast, a shorter race that starts a few minutes before the half marathon and uses an easy, faster course for runners who want speed rather than the full lake-road distance.