← All races
Edinburgh Marathon Festival
30 May 2027 · Edinburgh, UK
pb coursescenic
Distances
5K · 10K · 21.1K · 42K
The Edinburgh Marathon starts in the heart of the old town and finishes on the coast at Musselburgh — the course drops almost ninety meters, making it one of the fastest in Britain. There are no official pacers here, only downloadable pace bands. What there is, is a Scottish sea fog called the "haar," capable of suddenly rolling over the coastal stretch regardless of the forecast. The finisher medal is substantial, on a tartan lanyard, though the name-and-time engraving only arrives by mail months later.
Course records
Men
2:13:33
2018 · Joel Kipkemboi Kiptoo
Women
2:33:36
2005 · Zinaida Semenova
Weather in May
Late May brings 8–15°C, but the coastal "haar" sea fog can roll in suddenly — pack a layer for wind and drizzle just in case.
Starter pack 2018
- Technical bib (mailed in advance)
- Finisher t-shirt (handed out after the finish, not at registration)
- Finisher medal in a gift box on a tartan ribbon
The medal's name-and-time engraving is mailed separately, at least ten weeks after the race.
Pacers & bib pickup
No pacers announced for this race.
Bib pickup
Dynamic Earth, Holyrood Park + race-day pickup at the start
day before or on race morning
There are no official pacers — only downloadable pace bands; bibs are usually mailed in advance.
Course map
Route not added yet
What’s nearby
Walking
The Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle — By the start area in the city center.
Fisherrow Harbour — By the finish in Musselburgh.
30 minutes
Portobello Beach — A popular city beach.
South Queensferry and the Forth bridges — Three famous bridges over the firth.
2 hours
Loch Lomond and Stirling Castle — A classic day-trip route, often combined with the Kelpies sculptures.
Dinner before the race
No single runner-favorite spot has emerged — Edinburgh is full of tourists in late May, so booking ahead for Saturday dinner is wise regardless.
After the finish
A cereal bar and water at the Musselburgh finish — runners note it's on the light side after a marathon.
Reviews
Leo Spall (Runners' Mentor)2018
The only marathon that left me hungry afterward — a cereal bar and water clearly weren't enough. But the medal is substantial, with a tartan lanyard, and the course is worth running in its own right.
Lucja Leonard (Running Dutchie)2014
Torrential rain before the start cleared to sun by the marathon gun. The crowd support along the course is amazing — locals come out of their front gardens to hand out sweets to runners.
Registration status to be confirmed
42.2