Marathons in Scotland 2013

Scotland has many fantastic marathons to choose from throughout the year. Big and small in participation numbers, all are the classic challenge of 26.2 miles! This is the selection for 2013, taking in Scotland’s amazing scenery and hospitality.

Meadows Marathon

Sunday 3rd March 2013
The Meadows, Edinburgh
Essentially, a charity fundraiser organised by the student’s of Edinburgh University. A half marathon and 5k event have been held for several years. The Marathon was added in 2012.They use multiple loops of a course using the Bristo and George Square area and the Meadows Park. Eight laps for the half and 16 laps for the full marathon. It has been accurately measured by a UKA course measurer so if you are aspiring for 100 marathon club status, it will qualify!
Further information: www.meadowsmarathon.org.uk

Team Strides Lochaber Marathon

Sunday 14th April 2013 11 am
Nevis Centre, Fort William
This is a superb low key marathon. The antithesis of the city events but incredibly well organised by the local Lochaber Athletic club. 2013 will be the 30th edition and if you missed out on London why not plan a spring weekend in the highland’s. Starting in Fort William, behind the railway station, you may think it is going to be hilly, but on the contrary, it is relatively flat. It starts on the edge of Fort William on the town’s Shinty pitch, and heads north towards Spean Bridge, before you turn on to the Mallaig road, the road to the isles. After passing over the Caledonian Canal at Corpach, with its impressive collection of loch gates, Neptunes Staircase, you are running alongside Loch Eil. The scenery is superb all the way to the turn around point. It is then a simple job of retracing your steps the 13 miles back to the shinty field in Fort William. The bonus on the way back, is that the massive outline of Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest mountain, behind you on the way out , is now straight in front of you, and cloud level permitting , gets bigger and better as you get closer to it on your return. With feed stations every 5 km you can plan a regular feed strategy. Time was you could just turn up and enter on the day, but its popularity and race logistics now, is such that its 600 limit is usually reached early in the New Year.
Further information: www.lochaberac.co.uk

Cape Wrath Challenge Marathon

Saturday 18th May 2013
Durness Sutherland
Part of the week long Cape Wrath Challenge, which features a week of events in this beautiful remote corner of Scotland. The week includes a ¬road half marathon, a trail run, a multi terrain run a beach run, and the full marathon. You can enter the whole week of events or just pick and choose which ones you want to enter. The marathon has been measured by a UKA course measurer and has a unique feature in that it features a ferry crossing!
“It is essential that every participant understands that this is quite unlike a normal road race. It is extremely challenging, including a climb of over 2,415 feet and is the most North Westerly and probably the most innovative run on mainland Britain. The route is extremely exposed. The logistics involved in hosting these events mean that available entries are limited and it is is vital that individuals and teams register early. ALL RUNNERS MUST REGISTER BEFORE THE WEEK OF THE CHALLENGE”
Further information: www.capewrathchallenge.co.uk

Edinburgh Marathon Festival

Sunday May 26th 2013
Edinburgh and East Lothian
Scotland’s largest marathon, and the flagship event of the weekend long EDINBURGH MARATHON FESTIVAL which also includes a half marathon, 5k, 10k and the EMF marathon team relay together with junior races and a Saturday breakfast run. A Runners World survey in 2008 ranked it as the fastest course in the UK. There are now dual starts to cope with the ever increasing numbers and after early miles in the city, the route heads out along the coast through Portobello, Musselburgh, Prestonpans and Port Seton. After a short loop in the scenic grounds of Gosford House, the route returns to finish in Pinkie Park at Musselburgh.
Further information: www.edinburgh-marathon.com

Strathearn Marathon

Sunday 9th June 2013, 9am
Comrie, Perthshire
New race for 2012 organised by the local club Strathearn Harriers. This, like the Lochaber marathon should be one for marathon connoisseurs! If road running is your thing, why wouldn’t you want to go and run an event in beautiful scenic Strathearn in Perthshire. The profile looks like this will be a challenging undulating (rather than hilly), one loop course, but when you are running through such beautiful place names like Glen Artney, Drumchork Wood and the River Earn valley with fabulous views at times across to the Ochil’s to the south and the Perthshire hills to the North and West. The Harriers with their Famous Grouse 10k in July and the Comrie hills relay in September have built a good reputation for race organisation with good solid events in the “organised by runners..for runners tradition” and you can be sure that whatever your goals or standard, you will have a great experience.
Further information: www.strathearnharriers.org.uk

Highland Perthshire Marathon

7th September 2013
Aberfeldy, Perthshire
Another new event for 2012, which will feature a two lap course, from Aberfeldy to Kenmore, at the eastern end of Loch Tay. Capitalising again on some breathtaking scenery, there will also be a half marathon.
Further information: www.highlandperthshiremarathon.co.uk

Macallan Moray Marathon

Sunday 2nd Sept 2013
Cooper Park, Elgin
Like Lochaber, an event that was started in the first mass marathon boom of the early 1980’s. While many events have come and gone, this will be the 31st running of this event. It starts in Elgin and takes in one large beautiful loop of the Moray countryside. It meanders out to the coast at Burghhead through quiet country roads, flanked in September by acres and acres of fields, awaiting or, recently harvested. A stretch along the coast to Lossiemouth and its picturesque harbour and beaches before returning inland on more quiet country roads to Cooper Park in Elgin. It has grown to include a half marathon which starts at Gordounstoun School near half way and a 10km event which starts close to the 20 mile mark. A unique feature of the event is that to co-ordinate all mile markers, they appear in reverse order, as miles “to go” rather than miles covered. IE: if you are running the marathon, the first mile mark you see is after 385 yards, when a sign says 26 miles to go, and so on.
Further information: www.moraymarathon.com

Baxters Loch Ness Marathon

Sunday 29th September 2013
Loch Ness and Inverness
2012 will be the 11th running of the event. It is Scotland’s second largest marathon and is run on a point to point course on the south side of Loch Ness from just beyond Whitebridge into Inverness. Runners are bussed to the start. Taking in open moorland, forests and of course the world famous Loch, this has to rank as one of the most scenic and beautiful courses and start locations in Great Britain. Although several thousand runners come together on the weekend in the capital of the highlands, to tackle not just the marathon but the concurrent 5km and 10km events, the event organisers Malcolm and Caroline Sutherland have managed to establish a family feel about the event.
Further information: www.lochnessmarathon.com