Compiled and fact-checked by Tommo, Verus founder · Last verified August 2026 · Spot an error?
Running · Marathons
Loch Ness Marathon 2026
- Race day
- Sunday, 27 September 2026
- Location
- Inverness, Highland, UK, UK
- Distance
- 26.2 mi / 42.2 km
Loch Ness Marathon: 27 September 2026, from Between Whitebridge and Fort Augustus, southside of Loch Ness. Entry, route, a pace chart and the race-day forecast.
Loch Ness Marathon Race Timeline
17 days to go
Mileage drops across these final weeks while you hold onto some race-pace sharpness — arriving fresh matters more than arriving fitter.
Loch Ness Marathon 2026: quick answers
When is Loch Ness Marathon 2026?
Loch Ness Marathon 2026 takes place on Sunday, 27 September 2026.
Where does Loch Ness Marathon start?
Loch Ness Marathon starts at Between Whitebridge and Fort Augustus, southside of Loch Ness. The organiser hasn't published a finish location.
How many miles is Loch Ness Marathon?
Loch Ness Marathon is 26.2 miles (42.2km).
How much does Loch Ness Marathon cost to enter?
General entry sold out for 2026; charity places still available
Key Race Metrics & Overview
- Date
- Sunday, 27 September 2026
- Distance
- 26.2 miles / 42.2km
- Location
- Inverness, Highland, UK, UK
- Start Point
- Between Whitebridge and Fort Augustus, southside of Loch Ness
- Surface
- Road
Not published by the organiser at the time of writing: finish point, start time, cut-off time, age requirement, tracking app. Verus records these as unconfirmed rather than estimating them — check the official race website closer to race day.
Direct Entry Summary
General entry sold out for 2026; charity places still available
Ballot Policy
No ballot — entry is direct through Baxters Loch Ness Marathon and Festival of Running.
Loch Ness Marathon Race Day Weather
A real forecast appears here once one exists for race day — usually about a week to ten days out. Nothing is shown until then, because a made-up forecast is worse than none.
Loch Ness Marathon Route Map & Elevation Profile
Starting at Between Whitebridge and Fort Augustus, southside of Loch Ness. The organiser hasn't published a finish location. Total elevation gain is not published for this event, and Verus does not estimate one.
Is Loch Ness Marathon flat?
No official elevation figure is published for this course, so Verus doesn't state one. The organiser describes the going as: road.
Loch Ness Marathon Course Profile
Elevation change not published for this event.
Tap a point on the course for details.
Between Whitebridge and Fort Augustus, southside of Loch Ness
Start line.
Where Loch Ness Marathon starts and finishes
Loch Ness Marathon starts at Between Whitebridge and Fort Augustus, southside of Loch Ness. We haven't been able to place those on a map accurately enough to show one — a pin in the wrong place is worse than no pin.
These are the start and finish points, not the route. Verus doesn't hold course files for this race, and drawing a line between two pins would be a guess you might end up training on.
Full Loch Ness Marathon Route Breakdown
Point-to-point marathon tracing the shores of Loch Ness into Inverness; part of a long-running Festival of Running that draws over 8,000 participants across all its events.
Loch Ness Marathon Pace Calculator & Splits
Loch Ness Marathon Pace Calculator
Enter a target finish time to see your pace and projected splits.
Average pace / mile
9:10
Average pace / km
5:42
Loch Ness Marathon Pace Chart
Split markers calculated for standard checkpoints — no official pacers are confirmed for this event.
| Target | Pace /mi | Pace /km | 5K | 10K | Half Marathon | 30K | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3:00 | 6:52 | 4:16 | 21:21 | 42:41 | 1:30:04 | 2:08:04 | 3:00:00 |
| 3:15 | 7:27 | 4:37 | 23:07 | 46:15 | 1:37:34 | 2:18:44 | 3:15:00 |
| 3:30 | 8:01 | 4:59 | 24:54 | 49:48 | 1:45:05 | 2:29:25 | 3:30:00 |
| 3:45 | 8:35 | 5:20 | 26:41 | 53:22 | 1:52:35 | 2:40:05 | 3:45:00 |
| 4:00 | 9:10 | 5:42 | 28:28 | 56:55 | 2:00:05 | 2:50:46 | 4:00:00 |
| 4:15 | 9:44 | 6:03 | 30:14 | 1:00:29 | 2:07:35 | 3:01:26 | 4:15:00 |
| 4:30 | 10:18 | 6:24 | 32:01 | 1:04:02 | 2:15:06 | 3:12:06 | 4:30:00 |
| 4:45 | 10:53 | 6:46 | 33:48 | 1:07:36 | 2:22:36 | 3:22:47 | 4:45:00 |
| 5:00 | 11:27 | 7:07 | 35:34 | 1:11:09 | 2:30:06 | 3:33:27 | 5:00:00 |
| 5:30 | 12:36 | 7:50 | 39:08 | 1:18:16 | 2:45:07 | 3:54:48 | 5:30:00 |
| 6:00 | 13:44 | 8:32 | 42:41 | 1:25:23 | 3:00:08 | 4:16:08 | 6:00:00 |
| 6:30 | 14:53 | 9:15 | 46:15 | 1:32:30 | 3:15:08 | 4:37:29 | 6:30:00 |
| 7:00 | 16:02 | 9:58 | 49:48 | 1:39:37 | 3:30:09 | 4:58:50 | 7:00:00 |
Loch Ness Marathon Finish Time Estimator
Enter a recent 5K, 10K or Half Marathon time to estimate your Loch Ness Marathon finish time.
Your 5K time
Estimated Loch Ness Marathon finish
3:59:36
An estimate only, based on Pete Riegel's race-time prediction formula. Real marathon performance depends on endurance, training specificity, pacing and race-day conditions — not just your speed over a shorter distance.
Training for a different distance? Try the full pace calculator, race time predictor or pace chart.
Got your target time? Save it to your profile.
Tag Loch Ness Marathon, set your goal pace, and let Verus track your countdown, training and fundraising in one place.
Start Your Verus JourneyLoch Ness Marathon Race Day Checklist
Tap items to mark off your race-day readiness.
- Race number attached, and any timing chip fitted per your race pack instructions
- Weather-appropriate kit, plus something warm and disposable to discard before the start
- A plan for reaching Between Whitebridge and Fort Augustus, southside of Loch Ness
- A meeting point agreed with family and friends for after the race
Training Strategy for Loch Ness Marathon
16-20 weeks is the target window for first-time marathoners; 12-16 weeks is solid if you're already maintaining a baseline mileage. Arrive with your longest run behind you in training, not on race day itself.
This is a largely flat course, so most of your long runs can mirror that — flat and steady, building time on feet rather than hill strength.
Reduce overall mileage across the final 2-3 weeks while preserving short race-pace bursts. Arrive at Between Whitebridge and Fort Augustus, southside of Loch Ness fresh, energized, and primed — not fit, fresh.
Lock in your target pace using the interactive splits calculator below — no official pacers are confirmed for this event, so a pace band on your watch is the more reliable option.
Test your race-day fuel and hydration plan on your long training runs, not for the first time on race day — check the Race Day Checklist below for what's actually on this course.
Marathon Nutrition & Fueling Plan
A deliberate increase in carbohydrate over the two to three days before the race is the well-established approach at marathon distance.
Eat a carbohydrate-focused breakfast two to three hours before the start, and stick to something you've already tested in training rather than trying anything new.
Most runners take on carbohydrate every 30 to 45 minutes from about an hour in, alongside fluid at the on-course stations.
A mix of carbohydrate and protein in the hour or so after finishing supports recovery.
Loch Ness Marathon Charity Places 2026
No formal charity-place scheme published — runners commonly fundraise for a charity of their own choosing.
Lead with your personal story — explain why the charity matters to you. Personal connection generates 3x more support than a generic link broadcast.
Share key training milestones on Instagram (first 10-miler, peak week, race week) with your fundraising link in bio. Publicly thanking donors prompts secondary gifts!
Running Loch Ness Marathon for charity?
Link your JustGiving page to Verus and show up right here alongside other Loch Ness Marathon fundraisers — goal, progress and story, all in one place.
Add Your Fundraiser to VerusLoch Ness Marathon Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know for race weekend.
People Also Search For
Similar races
Chester Marathon
Chester, UK
Nike Melbourne Marathon
Melbourne, Victoria
Perth Running Festival Marathon
Burswood, Perth, Western Australia
Yorkshire Marathon
York, UK
Abingdon Marathon
Abingdon, Oxfordshire, UK
TCS Sydney Marathon
Sydney, New South Wales
Race details independently compiled and fact-checked by Tommo against the official Loch Ness Marathon site , last verified August 2026. Always confirm official timings and policies directly prior to race day.