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Scotland

Edinburgh Marathon 2025

  • Potterrow, Nicolson Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9BX
  • Sunday 25 May 2025 at 10:00
  • 26.2 miles
  • Registration fee: Free when you fundraise for Shelter Scotland
  • Fundraising pledge: £600
Sign up now

The challenge

The Edinburgh Marathon is perfect for beginners or experienced runners looking for a new personal best. This flat course has a descent of almost 90 metres and is among the fastest marathon routes in the world.

The route takes you through Edinburgh's historic city centre past iconic landmarks including Greyfriars Bobby, Edinburgh Castle, the Scottish Parliament and Arthur's Seat. You'll run along the beautiful coastline past the oldest golf course in the world, along Port Seaton promenade, before being greeted by cheering crowds at the finish line back in Musselburgh.

You must be at least 18 years old to take part in the Edinburgh Marathon.

Fundraise for Shelter Scotland

When you fundraise for Shelter Scotland, you help us to provide vital expert support and advice to those affected by the housing emergency.

There's no entry fee for this event if you pledge to fundraise at least £600 for Shelter Scotland.

Standard entry is £79.50 with no minimum fundraising pledge.

We recommend setting up a JustGiving page for online fundraising. If you do not already have a fundraising page, our community fundraising team can help you set one up once you've registered for the event.

You can ask people to sponsor you through your fundraising page or use a paper fundraising form.

Find our fundraising resources here.

Fundraising targets

Not reaching your sponsorship pledge affects what Shelter Scotland can achieve, so please make sure you're confident in reaching the £600 fundraising target before signing up for this event.

We're here to support you with your fundraising. If you have any questions, please email us at communityscotland@shelter.org.uk

Gift Aid on donations

Please encourage people who sponsor you to include Gift Aid in their donations. It’s a fantastic way to help us raise extra funds and be there for more people who are living in unsafe housing conditions.

Gift Aid does not count towards your fundraising target.

Find out more about Gift Aid.

What you get from Shelter Scotland

  • Shelter Scotland running top (once £40 raised)

  • finisher's medal and distance keyring

  • finisher's t shirt

  • finisher's pack

  • personalised event number with timing chip

  • event baggage facilities

  • hydration and energy gel on route

  • hydration and nutrition at the finish

More information about the Edinburgh Marathon

If you can no longer take part

Your place is non-refundable and non-transferable.

If you've collected donations online with JustGiving, ask your donors if they're still happy for their donation to be passed on to Shelter Scotland. If they are, your online funds are automatically sent to us. Your donors can request a refund from JustGiving if they no longer wish to donate.

Got your own place at this event?

If you've already secured a spot for this event, you can use your place to help create housing justice by fundraising for Shelter Scotland. We'd love you to join our team!

Join Team Shelter Scotland.

Get the most from your training

We've created plans to help you get the most from your training. Whatever your ability and event, we're here to help.

Download our training plans.

3 runners for Shelter talking together

We can't fight homelessness without your help

Want to fundraise for Shelter Scotland? Take a look at all our challengesruns and options if you want to organise your own event.

Whether you run, dance, walk miles in your kilt or crawl through mud, every pound you raise helps us to fight the housing emergency.

Thanks to fundraisers like you, in 2022/23 almost 17,000 people got advice through our helpline and webchat services, and our online advice pages were visited over one million times.

Together we can continue to create long-term change and fight the devastating impact the housing emergency has on people and society.