The Urk Marathon begins and ends at the harbor in Urk, a former island town on the edge of the IJsselmeer. It takes place on a Saturday in October and includes a full marathon and a half marathon. The full race is Flevoland’s only marathon, with capacity for 500 marathon runners and 200 half marathon runners. Loopgroep Urk arranges the event, affiliated with the Atletiekunie.
The course is officially certified and designed for speed. Runners depart the harbor along Urk’s historic boulevard toward the dike, then complete laps: four for the marathon and two for the half. The route also goes by the lighthouse, through wooded areas, and along the IJsselmeer shore. The Saturday timing accommodates runners who prefer not to compete on Sunday, and the event is open to all, from club runners aiming for a personal best to those running their first distance race.