Enschede Marathon
The Enschede Marathon, established as the Netherlands' oldest marathon, takes place annually in Enschede, within the Twente region. While the full 42.195 km race is the primary focus, the event also features a half marathon, 10 km, 5 km, and children's runs, catering to serious marathoners, shorter-distance runners, families, and local clubs. Historically, it has been known as the Twente Marathon, a name it carried officially for a period. The course begins at Roomweg in Enschede. Organizers characterize the marathon route as fast, supported by well-organized aid stations. The inaugural event saw 51 marathon participants start, with 33 finishing at G.J. van Heekpark. Finnish runner Eero Riikonen was the winner in 2:44:13. American Jane Wipf was the first woman to complete the Enschede marathon, with a time of 2:38:21. The event has capacity for up to 20,000 participants across all its distances and is affiliated with the Atletiekunie.