08:00
£42.25
Age 17 & over
Scotland's biggest running festival!
40,000 people every year come to the event to enjoy the picturesque views, iconic landmarks and vibrant culture of its stunning capital.
The weekend celebration of running features a range of beautiful routes from the city centre's famous Holyrood Park, including fun runs and 5Ks right up to the headline marathon itself which sells out every year.
Runners and spectators can enjoy panoramic views over the city, Edinburgh Castle and along the East Lothian coastline too.
Edinburgh Marathon has previously been voted the fastest marathon in the UK by Runner’s World and is Scotland's largest mass participation sports event.
Enjoy a weekend in Scotland's beautiful capital city with events for all ages and abilities with an inclusive focus and uplifting crowd support.
With Edinburgh Castle as the stunning backdrop, the routes feature striking panoramic views of the city, historic buildings and the East Lothian coastline.
All events benefit from the capital's historic streets and stunning green spaces.
This event is part of Edinburgh Marathon Festival.
Dynamic Earth
Holyrood Road
Edinburgh
Edinburgh
EH8 8AS
UK
The Scottish capital is renowned for its heritage and culture, with medieval architecture and cobbled streets helping to create a spellbinding atmosphere. It's the perfect setting for an active festival of running, with each route taking full advantage of its stunning location.
The Edinburgh Marathon Festival offers an ideal opportunity to explore the historic streets on closed roads and enjoy a Bank Holiday weekend in the Scottish capital.
Starting on Holyrood Park Road with the picturesque backdrop of Holyrood Park, this incredible city centre route brings you past the impressive Surgeons' Hall, designed by William Henry Playfair in 1832.
This part of city is a fabulous mix of history, and festival culture. You will run past Scotland's premier dance and opera house, the Festival Theatre, which comes alive with a variety of world-class productions, particularly during the summer festival months.
The route then turns right, and meanders down the historic Royal Mile, heading towards and past the somewhat controversial Scottish Parliament building. Here you can look up and take in the spectacular Arthurs Seat and Salisbury Crags, as well as the Palace of Holyrood, before departing the Royal Park and heading east towards the coast.
As you reach Musselburgh, you’ll run past the oldest golf course in the world, where it’s documented that golf has been played as early as 1672, before heading further East on the flat towards the historic village of Prestonpans before turning and heading back towards the beautiful finish line within the vast playing fields of Pinkie School.
With a descent of almost 90 metres to near sea level, it has been said that this is the fastest half marathon route in the world.
There is a strict cut off time of 3 hours 15 minutes for the half marathon (from when the back of the race crosses the start line).
This event is committed to minimising the impact it has on the local environment, implemented in the following ways:
These charities have places in the event. To secure your place, select a charity, complete the form and follow the instructions.
Improving lives. Curing type 1 diabetes.
Sign up
£30
Fundraise
£250
Raise awareness, fund research and save lives.
Sign up
£15
Fundraise
£250
Supporting every baby, child, young person and family in Edinburgh's Children's Hospital to help make time spent in hospital better.
Sign up
£25
Fundraise
£275
For a world free from the effects of MS.
Sign up
£20
Fundraise
£300
Supporting those affected by mental illness to change mental health for good.
Sign up
£25
Fundraise
£275
For a world where every cat is treated with kindness and an understanding of its needs.
Sign up
£25
Fundraise
£375
Funding world-class scientific research to make breakthroughs possible.
Sign up
£30
Fundraise
£300
The blood cancer research charity.
Sign up
£10
Fundraise
£300
Providing clean water and decent toilets to everyone, everywhere.
Sign up
£20
Fundraise
£300
Providing information and support to sufferers of this incurable disease which could affect anyone of any age.
Sign up
£15
Fundraise
£350
Creating life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.
Sign up
£25
Fundraise
£300
Building brighter futures for vulnerable children in Malawi so they can grow up healthy and supported in a loving family home.
Sign up
£15
Fundraise
£350
Giving people compassion and expert care to help them live the best life they can.
Sign up
£25
Fundraise
£300
Whizz Kidz creates opportunities for young wheelchair users to get the equipment, skills and confidence to go further.
Sign up
£25
Fundraise
£350
Reducing the number of baby deaths.
Sign up
£15
Fundraise
£300
Funding research to stop prostate cancer killing men.
Sign up
£20
Fundraise
£200
Helping people in crisis, whoever and wherever they are.
Sign up
£29
Fundraise
£400
No one should have to face cancer alone.
Sign up
FREE
Fundraise
£300
Supporting cleft surgery and other forms of essential comprehensive cleft care.
Sign up
£15
Fundraise
£300
Coronary heart disease is the UK's single biggest killer but the BHF is leading the fight against it.
Sign up
£15
Fundraise
£250
Every childhood is worth fighting for.
Sign up
£20
Fundraise
£250
Here for the cure; working with urgency to find new treatments to slow, stop and reverse Parkinson’s.
Sign up
£15
Fundraise
£300
Find a cure and improve life for everyone affected by Parkinson’s.
Sign up
£30
Fundraise
£250
Samaritans is available round the clock, every single day of the year providing a safe place for anyone struggling to cope, whoever they are, however they feel, whatever life has done to them.
Sign up
£25
Fundraise
£300
Running rehoming centres to save over 16,000 abandoned dogs annually.
Sign up
£20
Fundraise
£350
Beating bowel cancer together.
Sign up
£30
Fundraise
£350
Rebuilding lives after stroke.
Sign up
£15
Fundraise
£295
Making dreams come true to bring joy to seriously ill children.
Sign up
£25
Fundraise
£275
The only UK charity that reunites missing children and adults with their loved ones.
Sign up
FREE
Fundraise
£300
Entry fee
£42.25
... I really enjoyed the event. It was well organised and I liked the course which started up by the university and then had a 5 mile downhill run through the city to the coast, followed by an out and back coastal section which was pretty flat.
Really enjoyed this run. Beautiful settings and a fantastic atmosphere.
It's true that this is a perfect race for chasing PBs - I got one today and I hadn't trained as much as I should have.
Couldn’t have picked a better location for my first marathon! Amazing atmosphere with super helpful marshals and wonderful support from spectators especially the welcoming locals who utterly emmersed themselves in the event and were out in their hundreds. Topped off by lovely finish crew who didn’t mind being hugged and sobbed over ecstatically!! and the most beautiful medal and lovely (perfectly fitted) finishers shirt! The route itself took you through lovely historical parts of the city and then out across the gorgeous coast before returning to the city for a rapturous welcome (despite the crazy headwind sclong the final four miles!) Terrific choice of route and I bet an experienced marathoner could get quite a pace as it’s relatively flat. A most excellent event and definitely one to recommend!
Reviews thanks to RaceCheck