01 / KNOW THE ROUTE
What the course asks of you
Settle before leaving the city
The organiser’s spectator information takes runners from Potterrow past the Royal Mile and Holyrood towards the coast. Enjoy those opening landmarks without letting them set an effort you cannot carry into the quieter miles.
Prepare for sustained coastal running
The published course continues through Portobello and Musselburgh, then further east before returning. Long stretches with fewer changes of task reward a simple rhythm. Practise checking effort and taking fuel without needing a new landmark to keep you occupied.
Know where the race ends
The finish is in Musselburgh rather than back at the city start. That is a practical part of your preparation: arrange the trip after the finish as carefully as the trip to the start, especially if supporters will meet you.
02 / BUILD THE BLOCK
How to prepare
Run longer stretches economically
Include suitable continuous road running in the wider block. Keep most of it easy, and use marathon-effort sections only when your current base supports them. A long fast run that disrupts the next week is poor preparation.
Rehearse an effort check without instant pace
On selected runs, check breathing and overall effort before looking at the watch. That gives you another way to manage a coastal headwind or an unexpectedly warm day without constantly chasing small pace changes.
Keep the late-run routine simple
Practise how you carry fuel, when you take it and how you restart smoothly after a short stop. A familiar sequence leaves less to work out when concentration is lower towards the end.
Keep the running and strength work in one place. Explore MaxMile for your Edinburgh Marathon preparation, or compare the levels of personal coaching.
03 / PUT IT INTO PRACTICE
Pace the race you have trained for
Keep the opening controlled even when the city scenery and surrounding runners make the pace feel easy. Aim to reach the coast with your planned effort intact.
On the longer East Lothian sections, use manageable checkpoints and keep your fuelling routine going. If the wind changes the cost of running, adjust the split rather than repeatedly forcing the same number. Save your strongest effort for the part of the race you have reached.
04 / MAKE ROOM FOR TRAINING
When should your block start?
A 16-week block ending on 30 May 2027 starts on 7 February 2027. This is a calendar example, not a prescription. Start from the running you can repeat now and allow extra time if you first need to build consistency.
Put the race and the weeks when work, travel or family will interrupt training into your diary before adding key sessions. Protect the recovery around the more demanding work and reduce the load towards race day. A shorter plan does not remove the need for a suitable base.
05 / SORT THE PRACTICAL BITS
Kit and race-weekend planning
Make a clear plan for the separate start and finish locations. Confirm the organiser’s current transport choices and choose a meeting point with supporters before race morning.
Use shoes, socks and fuel you have already tested on sustained road running. Pack a change of clothes for after the finish and check the final participant information for baggage and return transport.