One question I am often asked by people visiting or planning to visit is, “Are there running stores in Marrakech?” or “I forgot my shoes back home, can I buy running shoes in Morocco?”
The direct answer is, no.
To be technical the answer is, not really. There are no running specific stores here in town that, I know of. I say that I know of, because in my more than six years here in Marrakech I've never found one.
The good news is that you can still find running gear in Marrakech. The city is growing very rapidly and new kinds of stores are opening all the time. When I moved here a few years ago there were only a few small sporting goods stores (think general purpose sports gear), now Marrakech has several modern sports stores but still no "running specific" stores. Many of these stores now carry running clothing and shoes most of which is Nike and Adidas. Also, there is now a small Decathlon (European sports store chain) opening next to the Marjane on the way into town from Casablanca.
If your currently in Marrakech and looking for some running shoes or clothing your best off going to Decathlon. There you will find a decent selection of road running shoes and a few trail shoes (though if you have bigger feet you may struggle to find your size). They also carry a decent selection of running clothes and accessories for both men and women at decent prices. Decathlon also has gear for cycling, hiking, and many other sports and activities.
My recommendation is that if you’re planning a visit to Marrakech bring what you need. This I what I'd recommend for you to if you plan to travel anywhere. A lot of us runners are very particular about the kinds of shoes we run in or clothes we wear so it's best to be prepared but in the case you do accidentally forget something you need there is still a chance you'll be able to find it for your run in Marrakech.
If you've visited in the past and happen to know of a running specific store in Marrakech let us know in the comments below.
