Runners spread across a city avenue during a marathon

Edinburgh Marathon Festival

The Edinburgh Marathon Festival is a road running weekend staged in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Prepare for Edinburgh Marathon Festival

A plan built from your answers and your race date.

The festival is based in Edinburgh and runs out along the East Lothian coastline beside the Firth of Forth. Races start in the city before reaching the sea, with long stretches of coastal road, park sections and open country where the wind can play a significant part in the outcome. Roads are closed to traffic for the duration of the races.

0975 km, a 10K and a 5K. The marathon and half are run on Sunday 30 May, while the 10K and 5K take place on Saturday 29. 195 km.

The formats

4 formats on the program.

Format	Distance
Marathon	26.2 mi
Semi-marathon	13.1 mi
10K	6 mi
5K	3 mi

Organizer information, checked on September 21, 2026 · edinburghmarathon.com

When to start

A build for this distance usually runs 12 to 20 weeks. Counted back from race day, that puts the start somewhere between January 4, 2027 and March 1, 2027.

These ranges are working conventions, not a research finding — no trial has compared plan lengths against each other. What matters more is that the plan was built for the weeks you actually have, rather than shrunk down from a longer one.

How to choose your start date

When to start

January 4, 2027

→ March 1, 2027

Worth reading before you enter

Races and distances 10K, half, marathon: what each one really asks They are all running. They are not the same event. What limits you, how long you need, and how the race falls apart — all three change with the distance. Read Races and distances The big marathons: what each one actually demands A marathon is 42.195 km everywhere. What changes is the profile, the crowd, the weather you are likely to get — and so what your training should emphasise. Read Training Eating and drinking: what’s proven, what isn’t This is where confident advice most often runs ahead of the evidence. Some of it is well tested. Some is opinion wearing a number. And one common habit can kill you. Read

Questions

What is the date of Edinburgh Marathon Festival in 2027?

Edinburgh Marathon Festival is run on Saturday, May 29, 2027 in Edinburgh. Date published by the organizer, checked on September 21, 2026.

What races are in the Edinburgh Marathon Festival?

0975 km, a 10K and a 5K. The Hairy Haggis relay also covers the marathon distance as a team event.

Is the Edinburgh Marathon fast?

Yes, the course is known for being flat and gently rolling, which makes it well suited to a personal best attempt. The main variable is wind on the exposed coastal sections of the route.

Other races

This list keeps growing; it draws no line. A race that is missing is prepared for in exactly the same way.

Chester · United KingdomMarathon MBNA Chester Marathon March The MBNA Chester Marathon is a road race held in Chester, Cheshire, in north-west England. 2 km marathon, Brighton and Hove · United KingdomMarathon Brighton Marathon Weekend Apr 3 195 km marathon, a 10K and the Brighton Miles in Brighton and Hove, on the south coast of England. Manchester · United KingdomMarathon Manchester Marathon Apr 18 The Manchester Marathon is run on the roads of Greater Manchester, through the urban and suburban landsca Your race is not here? Tell us about your race You can prepare for it all the same. Any race, anywhere, and even a goal without a race.

Your race is on the calendar. Your plan should be too.

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