Edinburgh Marathon Festival - 5K

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From GSi Events Ltd

  • Date Sat 23rd May 2026
  • Time 00:00
  • Location Edinburgh, Midlothian
  • Price £24.25
  • Races 1 race
  • Distances 5km

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Two young men wearing race bibs smile as they run outdoors in a marathon event. Other participants and a grassy hillside appear in the background under a cloudy sky.

Edinburgh Marathon Festival - 5K

Sat 23rd May 2026

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Event summary

Get ready for an unforgettable running experience at the Edinburgh Marathon Festival - 5K, taking place on Saturday, May 23, 2026, in the stunning city of Edinburgh, Midlothian. Organised by GSi Events Ltd, this event offers participants a picturesque route around Holyrood Park, featuring breathtaking views of the iconic Edinburgh Castle and the vibrant city skyline.

Whether you're a seasoned runner or just beginning your journey, the EMF 5K is the perfect opportunity to join Scotland's biggest running festival. With a diverse range of distances, including marathon, half marathon, Team Relay, 10K, and Junior races, there’s something for everyone at this exhilarating celebration of fitness and community. Don’t miss your chance to be part of this fantastic event on May 23rd, as the Edinburgh Marathon Festival promises an unrivalled atmosphere and unforgettable memories. Make 2026 your year to run in Edinburgh!

Edinburgh Marathon Festival - 5K

Sat 23rd May 2026

Two young men wearing race bibs smile as they run outdoors in a marathon event. Other participants and a grassy hillside appear in the background under a cloudy sky. A joyful runner in a blue "Diabetes UK" tank top, with outstretched arms, celebrates while finishing a race in outdoor summer conditions. The runner appears to be elated with their accomplishment. Other runners and greenery are seen in the background. A runner, wearing a green tank top and bib number 19857, rejoices with both arms raised at the finish line of a race. A crowd of spectators claps and cheers in the background. Bright greenery is visible behind the crowd. Two men in red T-shirts and checkered hats with red pom-poms, smiling and posing for a photo at a marathon event. One holds a smartphone, and both have race numbers pinned to their shirts. People and trees are visible in the background on a sunny day. A colorful map showcasing a race route through Holyrood Park. Starting and finishing points are marked with a red and a green flag respectively. The route includes markers 1-8, passing key points such as Duddingston Loch and areas along Queen's Drive and Holyrood Road. A map of the Holyrood Park running route starting and finishing at Queen's Drive, indicated by marked points. The mapped route passes various roads and landmarks including Dynamic Earth, Calton Hill, Duddingston Loch, and follows a path around the park. A map layout showing the route for a running event. The start point is marked on the bottom left near Holyrood Park, and the finish line is nearby. The route includes a section called "Queen's Drive" and passes by a landmark labeled "dynamic earth. A map indicating the route from the start to the finish of an event. Key points shown include the start area, the finish area, and the location of "Dynamic Earth" on Queen's Drive. A diagram details the color-coded start pens. Paths are marked with red dotted lines. Map showing the route for an event in Holyrood Park. The starting point with a rainbow-colored marker is labeled "START," and the endpoint is marked "FINISH" near Holyrood Rd. The Dynamic Earth attraction is shown near the route's beginning. A map showing the route of the Edinburgh Marathon Festival along the coast. The route is marked with various icons indicating water stations, toilets, mile markers, and support points, starting in Edinburgh and extending eastwards along the shoreline. Map of the EMF Relay route, highlighting the coastline and surrounding areas near Edinburgh. Key points along the route are marked with numbered icons, indicating various checkpoints, water stations, and landmarks. The EMF Relay logo is in the top left corner. A map showing the route of the emf half marathon in Edinburgh. The route starts in the city and follows the coastline eastward, then loops back. Key locations and markers are highlighted along the way, and parks and other areas are depicted on the map. Logo of "emf half" is at the top left.

Organiser's Description

The EMF 5K takes place on the Saturday and offers a picturesque route around Holyrood Park with stunning panoramic views of the city and Edinburgh Castle. The EMF 5K is a great start to your running journey and a chance to be part of the biggest running festival in Scotland.

Make 2026 your year to Run in Edinburgh. The Edinburgh Marathon Festival takes place on 23/24 May and has marathon, half marathon, Team Relay, 10k, 5k & Junior distances to choose from. Scotland’s biggest running festival combines an unrivalled atmosphere with spectacular routes, it's no wonder it sells out every year!

Races

  • Edinburgh Marathon Festival 5K

    Sat 23rd May 2026 (00:00)

    £24.25

    Book

Book

  • Edinburgh Marathon Festival 5K

    Sat 23rd May 2026 (00:00)

    £24.25

    Book

Course Details

Starting and finishing near EMF Hub at Dynamic Earth, this beautiful scenic route takes you around Holyrood Park in the heart of Edinburgh.

The route offers stunning views of Edinburgh Castle and panoramic views of the city. Runners start on Queens Drive and after 0.5km the route passes St. Margaret’s Loch before starting the ascent around the east side of Arthur’s Seat before you pass Dunsapie Loch at around 2k.

On the far side of Arthur’s seat and approaching the halfway point, runners can enjoy spectacular views of Duddingston Loch below and across the southside of Edinburgh and beyond towards the Pentland Hills with the knowledge that the rest of the route is flat and downhill!

As the route continues down the West Side of this famous old volcano you can enjoy the views of the steep slopes on your right and in the distance the cheering masses at the final turn.

The last 250m section runs back through the Start Line and then turns left onto Holyrood Gait and the Finish Line.

What's Included

Wicking finisher’s t-shirt

Accurate chip timing

Tailored training plan

Great finisher’s medal

Race recovery pack

Fantastic running experience

MInimum Ages

Marathon - 18yrs
Half Marathon - 17yrs
Hairy Haggis Relay - 15yrs
10K - 15yrs
5K - 11yrs

FAQs

All your queries answered and more!

View the faqs here

Transport

Runners and Spectators can purchase an EMF Event Bus ticket to allow easy travel to and from the start and finish areas. On the day tickets will be significantly more expensive to purchase.

It is in your best interests to get the earliest bus possible as this will reduce crowding and waiting time. Please note that the EMF Event Bus pick up point is a 25 min walk from the finish area.

  • The start/finish area for the EMF Saturday races and the EMF Hub are located at Dynamic Earth (EH8 8AS) in Holyrood Park
  • The start of the Edinburgh Marathon, Half Marathon and Team Relay is on Potterrow (EH8 9AL) in the city centre. The race will finish at Pinkie (EH21 7HA) St Peter’s Primary School, Musselburgh, approximately 8 miles from Edinburgh city centre.

Event Video

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Location

Holyrood Park Road, Edinburgh, EH16 5, United Kingdom

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