Marathon races near Liskeard

The Eden Marathon and Half-Marathon start and finish around the Eden Project in Cornwall, with hilly multi-terrain routes built around the site and the surrounding countryside. The event is run in partnership with St Austell Running Club and offers both a full marathon and a half marathon, so runners can choose between a longer off-road-heavy day or a shorter route with more public road running. The marathon is roughly 70% trails, paths, and private roads, while the half marathon is 60% on public roads and 40% on trails and paths. Water stations appear every three miles, isotonic drinks are available every seven miles, and chip timing is used, with online result analysis through RunPix. The route goes through countryside and areas tied to Cornwall’s mining heritage, and the full marathon can be muddy enough that trail shoes are recommended. The half marathon’s off-road sections are generally firm enough that specialist shoes are not needed. Finishers receive a themed medal, and runners also get a pasty and a beer, which gives the day a very Cornish finish. Runners, family, and supporters get free entry to Eden on race day, and participation supports wildflower habitat work at the Eden Project instead of automatically handing out race T-shirts. The marathon is also a World Championship qualifier, while club runners can enter in teams of four and category winners are eligible for prizes.

The Cornish Marathon is Cornwall's only all-road marathon, a November race based at Millennium House in Pensilva and run entirely on tarmac. It began in 1984 as a wager between organizers John Foster and Stephen Henderson over who could run faster, with the first field having only 27 runners. The race now closes the Cornish Grand Prix Series and typically draws a mixed local field, unlike a flat, big-city marathon. The course starts with two laps around Pensilva, then proceeds through Draynes Valley and onto Bodmin Moor, passing Dozmary Pool and Jamaica Inn at Bolventor before returning along the Fowey Valley. The road offers little respite: the total climb is approximately 600 metres, with about a quarter of that occurring in the final five miles. The late climb to Foredown, between miles 24 and 25, is the section runners recall after finishing.

The Dartmoor Marathon begins and ends in Tavistock, a market town bordering Dartmoor National Park in Devon. This is a road marathon, set on moorland roads with steep ascents, undulating stretches, expansive vistas, and sections alongside reservoirs within one of England’s most rugged national parks. The course crosses Dartmoor National Park, passing landmarks like Dartmoor Prison, Burrator Reservoir, Princetown, tors, historical hamlets, and isolated open moorland. It attracts participants seeking a challenging rural marathon over a course conducive to personal bests. The event includes a local element with Flapjackery flapjacks provided for runners.