Portland Coastal Marathon

Coastal Trail Running on the South West Coast Path

The Portland Coastal event takes place on the Isle of Portland, starting and finishing at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy. This event focuses on coastal trail running across exposed terrain. Participants must be prepared for a self-navigation format along the South West Coast Path, as there are no event-specific route markers on the course. Runners are required to download a GPX file in advance to follow on their own devices.

The event offers three distinct distance options:

• Marathon - consists of two loops around the island.
• Half Marathon - follows single loop sections of the coastal path.
• 10k - follows single loop sections of the coastal path.

Due to the nature of the location in February, strict mandatory kit requirements are in place. All participants must carry a minimum of 500ml fluid capacity, a windproof jacket, emergency nutrition, a head covering, a charged mobile phone, a foil blanket or bin liner, a whistle, and a small first aid kit. Kit checks may be conducted at any point during the event.

The event includes chip timing, professional medical cover, and refreshment checkpoints. Finishers receive a bespoke medal and a Portland Coastal buff. Professional race photography is provided, and trophies are awarded to the top three male and female finishers for each distance. Total entries for the event are capped at 500 participants. Traditional earbuds or noise-cancelling headphones are prohibited, though bone-conduction devices are permitted. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.