Spring
|
| When is it? |
What is it? |
2008 Race Ratings |
Run this if you like... |
| May 3 |
North Dorset Village Marathon |
New event |
Country lanes; south-west scenery; trying new events |
| May 3 |
Suffolk Heritage Coast Run/Walk 26/13/6 |
80% (see more) |
Suffolk coastal paths; the variety of road, heath and sea wall |
| May 3 | Three Forts Marathon, West Sussex |
90% (see more) |
Tough courses with more than 3,000ft of climbing; running off-road and finding your own way round (there are no marshals); small fields - there were only 200 runners last year |
| May 9 | Endurancelife Coastal Trail Series: Exmoor |
86% (see more) |
Dizzying clifftop views; monstrous, masochistic climbs; cockle-warming grub at the finish |
| May 9 |
Orpington Mara*fun |
87% (see more) |
Raising funds for a good cause; friendly, local races; a mix of surburbia and greenery  |
| May 10 | Halstead and Essex Marathon, Essex |
94% (see more) |
Lovely country lanes; PB potential; personalised drinks |
| May 16 |
White Peak Marathon, Derbyshire |
91% (see more) | Traffic-free, off-road, point-to-point racing; steep downhill finishes |
| May 17 |
Brathay Windermere Marathon, Cumbria |
96% (see more) |
Views over Windemere Lake; running through woodlands and plenty of hills |
| May 17 |
Cape Wrath Challenge Marathon, Highland |
100% (see more) |
Enjoying a week-long programme of races; beach BBQs; end-of-series ceilidh
|
| May 25 |
Newry City Marathon, Co Down |
100% (see more) |
Touring one of Northern Ireland’s oldest cities; running along the banks of the River Clanrye
|
| May 31 |
Albert Bartlett Edinburgh Marathon |
77% (see more) |
Early starts; haggis at the pre-race pasta party |
| May 31 |
Needles XC Marathon, Isle of Wight |
92% (see more) |
A challenging course, with a small field (the race has a limit of just 150) |
Summer
|
| When is it? |
What is it? |
2008 Race Ratings |
Run this if you like... |
| June 6 |
Dartmoor Discovery 32 Ultra Marathon, Devon |
96% (see more) |
Scaling tors; beautiful moorland scenery; running through National Parks |
| June 13 |
Mourne Way Marathon, Co Down |
New event |
Going off-road; mountain, coast and countryside views; running through an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty |
| June 13 |
Saab Salomon South Downs Marathon, West Sussex |
94% (see more) |
Running through White Ways Country Park and Arundel Castle, with a relay option |
| June 14 |
Bustinskin Coastal Challenge 26 Race 2, Dorset |
New event |
Fossils on the wild Jurassic coast; challenging trails |
| June 14 | Cheltenham Circular Challenge |
New to RW |
Cotswold valleys and villages; walking or running; raising money for local causes |
| June 19 |
Colworth Marathon Challenge, Bedfordshire |
87% (see more) |
Your 26.2 miles spread across three off-road races in three days |
| June 20 |
The Trionium Picnic Marathon, Surrey |
99% (see more) |
Two-laps of island running; prizes galore and stadium finishes |
| July 18 |
Moors The Merrier Marathon, West Yorkshire |
100% (see more) |
Ginger cake at water stations; map-reading; running the Yorkshire Moors
|
| July 19 |
Fairlands Valley Challenge Marathon, Herts |
93% (see more) |
Finding new parts of Hertfordshire; multi-terrain courses; following instructions and reading maps to navigate; great post-race grub - especially barbecues and bread pudding! |
| July 25 |
Faversham Marathon, Kent |
97% (see more) |
Running laps; smaller fields; traffic-free park running
|
| August 9 |
Salclear Isle of Man Marathon, Isle of Man |
84% (see more) |
Two laps of island running; prizes galore; stadium finishes
|
| August 9 |
Salisbury 5-4-3-2-1 Trail Marathon, Wiltshire |
75% (see more) |
Running on trails; a choice of distances; beautiful scenery; castles and cathedrals
|
| August 30 |
SportingBet Guernsey Marathon, Channel Islands |
New event |
Re-launched races; touring flower-lined lanes and sandy beaches
|
Autumn & Winter
|
| When is it? |
What is it? |
2008 Race Ratings |
Run this if you like... |
| September 6 |
Carver Wolverhampton City Marathon |
61% (see more) |
Fantastic crowds; gentle hills; a relay challenge
|
| September 6 |
Kent Coastal Marathon |
78% (see more) |
Coastal scenery; challenging hills; vocal supporters
|
| September 12 |
DRAM (Dundee Running Adventure Marathon) |
85% (see more) |
A mixture of trail, path and pavement; running the banks of the Tay; small, friendly fields |
| September 13 |
Mizuno Yorkshireman Marathon, West Yorks |
94% (see more) |
Demanding off-road courses; entering team events
|
| September 13 |
Moray Marathon, Moray |
80% (see more) |
Uncomplicated, gently undulating races; Scottish coastal views; dolphin and whale watching en route |
| September 13 |
Experian Robin Hood Marathon |
84% (see more) |
Touring Nottingham’s sights; big-city races; flat and fast courses
|
| September 13 | Wyre Running Weekend Marathon, Lancs |
New event |
Chasing a PB; sea views; friendly crowds of spectators |
| September 20 |
Anglesey Marathon, Gwynedd |
87% (see more) |
Quiet country roads and beautiful scenery |
| September 20 |
Green Chain Marathon 27, Kent |
80% (see more) |
Following the Thames; going off-road; exploring south-east London |
| September 25 |
Atlantic Coast 3-Day Challenge, Cornwall |
100% (see more) |
Hills, hills and more hills; multi-day challenges; Cornish coastal scenery |
| September 27 |
New Forest Marathon, Hampshire |
86% (see more) |
A mixture of road and trail running; a tranquil forest setting |
| September 27 |
Standard Chartered Jersey Marathon, Channel Islands |
95% (see more) |
Rolling countryside and pretty green lanes; small hills and valleys |
| October 4 |
Baxters Loch Ness Marathon, Highland |
98% (see more) |
Bagpipes and Highland music en route; stadium finishes; point-to-point races; moorland scenery; Nessie-spotting |
| October 4 |
Isle of Wight Marathon, Isle of Wight |
74% (see more) |
Tradition - this is Britain's longest continuously run marathon; hills; sea breezes; bargain price tag |
| October 4 |
The Great Clarendon Marathon, Wilts |
92% (see more) |
Hills; stiles; multi-terrain, point-to-point racing; following the Pilgrim's Way; cathedral cities |
| October 11 |
The First Eden Project Marathon, Cornwall |
New event |
Multi-terrain challenges; environmental issues |
| October 11 |
Leicester City Marathon, Leics |
80% (see more) |
Predominantly flat courses; city running; hot food served at the finish |
| October 18 |
Abingdon Marathon, Oxon |
90% (see more) |
Late-season PBs on a flat, scenic rural course; helpful marshals and cheering crowds |
| October 18 |
Dartmoor Vale Marathon, Devon |
89% (see more) |
Beautiful Devon countryside; quiet country lanes; fancy-dress fun runs for the rest of the family |
| October 18 |
Spires and Steeples Challenge 26, Lincolnshire |
95% (see more) |
Trails, tracks and fields underfoot; historic castles and villages |
| October 24 |
Beachy Head Marathon, East Sussex |
97% (see more) |
3,500ft of South Downs ascents; windy, muddy, tough courses; cattle- and sheep-dodging; pub stops along the way; free swimming and hot food at the finish |
| October 24 |
Snowdonia Marathon, Gwynedd |
96% (see more) |
Tough marathons in spectacular settings with huge hills and unpredictable weather |
| October 25 |
Brentwood Multi Mile Marathon, Essex |
93% (see more) |
Multi-lap courses; woodland scenery; off-road running |
| October 25 |
Trionium Greensand Marathon, Surrey |
New event |
Climbing to south east England's highest point; autumnal scenery; cooked breakfasts |
