Leiden Marathon
The Leiden Marathon takes runners from the historic Dutch university city into the flat Green Heart countryside, with the full race covering the standard 42.195 km. Held annually in Leiden and the surrounding area since 1991, the event also offers a half marathon, 10 km, 5 km, and a 2 km kids run. The full marathon has a six-hour limit, updated from an earlier five-hour cutoff, making it suitable for serious runners while still allowing ordinary marathoners a realistic finishing window. The marathon route is now a single loop, beginning in Leiden’s historic center and proceeding through nine nearby villages. Runners encounter a distinctly Dutch middle section: polders, windmills, open farmland, and cows, instead of a closed city circuit. The longer running routes, excluding the kids run and 5 km, are certified by the Atletiekunie. Walkers can also follow the official full, half, and 10 km routes on Saturday. African runners typically win the marathon, while local history includes Jaroslav Lewandowski’s four victories and Agnes Hijman’s six consecutive women’s wins, earning her the title “Miss Leiden Marathon.”
