Marathon races near Polegate

Run Kent’s Tonbridge race series starts and finishes at The Judd School in the historic town of Tonbridge. It is an October road-running event with three distances on the same day: a half marathon, 10K, and 5K, all held on closed roads. Each route is a professionally marked and measured single loop, going through Tonbridge and out onto the surrounding Kent countryside roads. The races support Tonbridge Rotary Club and Tonbridge Lions, with local bands, aid stations, and spectators adding to the day along the course.

The Gatliff Marathon is an annual challenge walk, jog, or run based in Edenbridge, Kent, starting from Edenbridge Cricket Club at Blossoms Park. Despite its name, it is not a standard road marathon; participants select 25 km or 50 km routes, with a marathon-distance option sometimes listed, and the objective is to complete the course within 10 hours. The route primarily follows footpaths and tracks through the Kent, Surrey, and Sussex countryside, requiring participants to navigate using directions instead of following closed roads. Checkpoints are included, and walkers, joggers, and runners begin at staggered times throughout the morning. Having been held for over forty editions, the event has the character of a long-standing local challenge rather than a large-city race.

The Beachy Head Marathon, Ultra & 10K is an off-road race weekend held on the Eastbourne seafront in Sussex, with its event hub at Bede's Prep School. The programme includes a marathon, 10K, half marathon, and a 52K ultra, with the half marathon taking place the day after the marathon. The marathon is one of the largest off-road marathons in the UK, and it suits runners seeking hills and open-country running over a flat road-race rhythm. The marathon starts and finishes on the Eastbourne seafront, then enters the South Downs National Park on a challenging countryside route. The race was formerly known as the Seven Sisters Marathon, indicating the type of terrain runners should anticipate. The 10K follows a shorter loop across the Downs to Belle Tout Lighthouse and returns, while the ultra connects the full marathon course with the 10K route for a total of 52K, or 32.4 miles.

Brighton Marathon Weekend takes runners through Brighton and Hove each April, featuring a marathon, 10K, and Mile race. The marathon, the primary event, is a road race beginning at Preston Park. It proceeds through central Brighton, heads east towards Rottingdean, curves west around Hove, and concludes on Madeira Drive, close to Brighton Pier. The race was established by former international athlete Tim Hutchings and local athlete Tom Naylor, and is now managed by London Marathon Events. The event attracted thousands from its inception, with 12,000 entries available for the first edition and 7,589 participants on race day. It rapidly became one of the UK's larger marathons outside London, reporting over 8,000 runners and approximately 120,000 spectators during its second year. Charity participation is significant, with over two hundred charities represented and charity places increasing from 3,000 to 5,000. The race also features a competitive elite field, holding marathon records of 2:09:25 for men and 2:28:50 for women. The men's elite record was broken in four consecutive editions during its initial growth phase.