The Baxters Loch Ness Marathon, organised by Caledonian Concepts (and owned by London Marathon Events), has officially sold out of general entries for the 2026 edition. This marks the fastest sell out in the event’s 24-year history, with capacity reached three months earlier than the previous record set for the 2025 race.
The event is an international draw in the Scottish Highlands and has seen a surge in popularity. This follows record-breaking participation in 2024 and 2025, where previous course records were also broken.
According to Caledonian Concepts, the rapid sell out confirms the status of the race as a premier ‘bucket list’ marathon for participants from the UK and overseas.
While general entries for the 26.2 mile distance on September 27, 2026, are now exhausted, runners can still secure a spot through official charity partners. Over 30 charities currently have a limited number of guaranteed places available for those fundraising for various causes.
General entries also remain open for the Baxters River Ness 10K and 5K. However, Caledonian Concepts anticipates these distances will also reach capacity quicker than in previous years due to the early marathon sell out.
Malcolm Sutherland, Event Director at Caledonian Concepts, said “The speed at which the 2026 marathon has sold out is phenomenal. To hit capacity three months earlier than last year – which was already a record-breaker – shows the incredible appetite for this event. For those who missed out, we highly encourage looking into our charity partner places. It’s a powerful way to experience the magic of the Loch Ness finish line while making a tangible difference to incredible causes.”
The event weekend includes a Festival of Running at Bught Park in Inverness, which features the Baxters Food Village and a Sports Expo.
Macmillan Cancer Support is the official charity for the 2026 event. Other partners include:
- Alzheimer Scotland
- Alzheimer’s Society
- Cancer Research UK
- CHAS (Children’s Hospices Across Scotland)
- Highland Hospice
- Maggie’s
- My Name’5 Doddie Foundation
- Parkinson’s UK
- Samaritans
The 2025 event saw 10,700 runners register across all distances, including the marathon, River Ness 10K, 10K Corporate Challenge, River Ness 5K, and the Wee Nessie kids’ race.
Baxters Food Group remains the title sponsor for the 24th consecutive year. Other partners involved in the event include High5, Run4It, Coopah, and Erdinger Alkoholfrei.
