Event overview
Over recent years The Edinburgh Half Marathon has sold out months before event weekend. Thousands of runners secure charity places in this highly sought after run which means they are guaranteed a place on the start line.
Flat and fast from capital to coast
Edinburgh Half Marathon shares some of the same fast and flat route from the iconic castle and city sights to the coast for an explosive finish and offers genuine PB potential.
Run for charity
Every year the Edinburgh Marathon Festival raises millions of pounds for a wide variety of charities. You too can get a guaranteed place in the event and make a positive difference at the same time by running for charity.
What are charity places?
Charities buy places in this event, then give them to runners who agree to raise money for the charity – these are called charity places. Charity places are a great way to support a cause you're passionate about and to get a place in the event.
Benefits of running for charity
Committing to raising money for charity gives you motivation to get outside and run, plus many extras which will elevate your event experience - see the Fundraising section for more details.
Half marathons and charity fundraising go hand-in-hand - which of these charities will you run for?
Event photos
Event video
- All fitness levels
- Event village
- Families
- Fancy dress
- Newcomers
- Spectators
- Teams
- Wheelchair users
Timetable
Saturday
Sunday
- Bag storage
- Cafe
- Changing facilities
- Coast
- Park
- Rural
- Showers
- Toilets
- Urban
Event HQ
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.
- Cut off time
- Distance markers
- First aid
- Flat
- Food stations
- Marshals
- PB
- Point to point
- Return transport
- Sweeper
- Toilets
- Traffic free
- Water stations
- Wave start
- Way markers
Route highlights
- Potterrow
- The University of Edinburgh’s McEwan Hall
- Iconic city centre sights
- Greyfriars Kirkyard
- Royal Mile
- St Giles Cathedral
- Edinburgh Castle
- Princes Street Gardens
- Scott Monument
- Scottish Parliament building
- Arthurs Seat & Salisbury Crags
- Palace of Holyrood
- Royal Park
- Portobello promenade
- Musselburgh
- Oldest golf course in the world
- Historic village of Prestonpans
- Arrive to a rapturous welcome on the vast playing fields of Pinkie School
- 90 metre descent
Map
Flat and fast from capital to coast.
Route description
Starting on Potterrow with the picturesque backdrop of The University of Edinburgh’s McEwan Hall, this incredible city centre route takes you past many iconic sights of the city.
Turning the first corner you’ll make your way past Greyfriars Kirkyard, home to the statue of Edinburgh’s favourite dog who spent 14 years guarding the grave of his owner - Greyfriars Bobby.
Continuing on into the city's old town, you’ll cross over the Royal Mile, with St Giles Cathedral to your right and the iconic Edinburgh Castle to your left, before heading down the Mound into New Town.
You’ll run through the beautiful Princes Street Gardens where you will see the Scott Monument - a towering gothic monument dedicated to Sir Walter Scott.
The route then turns back up to the historic Royal Mile, heading past the breathtaking architecture of the Scottish Parliament building. From here you can look up and take in the spectacular Arthurs Seat & Salisbury Crags, as well as the Palace of Holyrood, before departing the Royal Park and heading east towards the coast, taking in the sea air of Portobello promenade.
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.
Cut off
3hrs 15 mins.
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).
- Public transport links
- Recycling
- Sustainability policy
Sustainability overview
This event is committed to minimising the impact it has on the local environment, implemented in the following ways:
- Online entries rather than paper forms
- Marketing material online rather than flyers and posters
- Runner information online rather than printed
- Public transport encouraged
- Communication with residents and business regarding road closures, to reduce traffic congestion
- Reduce noise pollution
- All waste collected and recycled/repurposed wherever possible
- Unused food donated to food bank
- Chip timing
- Goody bag
- Map
- Medal
- Technical t-shirt
Included
- Wicking finisher's t-shirt
- Finisher's medal and distance keyring
- Finisher's pack
- Personalised event number with accurate timing chip
- Event baggage facilities
- Hydration on route
- Hydration and nutrition at the finish
- Results posted in your account within 48 hours
- Fantastic running experience
How to fundraise
Getting a charity place in the Edinburgh Half Marathon is a great way to secure a place on the start line of this sell-out event, but how do you start?
-
Start fundraising early
Starting your fundraising early gives you the best chance of reaching – and even exceeding – your sponsorship goal.
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Make it known
Keep talking about your fundraising target to your friends, family, colleagues, social media followers - everyone!
-
Have some fun
Seize the chance to make it your own: sell unwanted clothing online, hold an afternoon tea, host a ticketed dinner party, wash some cars, shave your beard; be inspired!
... 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 along 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
- Age 17 & over
- Entries open
- Enter online
- Event merch available
- Race pack by post
