A record 5,100 participants have signed up for the sold-out 2026 Inverness Half Marathon & 5K.
The 41st edition of the event takes place on Sunday 8th March, with the Highland capital set to welcome runners from as far afield as Germany, Chile and the USA.
Taking place on International Women’s Day, this year’s event will welcome its highest ever percentage of female entrants, accounting for 50 per cent of entries.
A third (36 per cent) of all 5K entries are from Highland schools and sports clubs, and 46 per cent are aged under 18.
Inverness Half Marathon 2026 will also host Lindsays Scottish Half Marathon Championships and North District Championships for the fourth consecutive year.
Enhanced measures for the 2026 event are in place to improve the experience and safety for participants, spectators and other road users.
The Half Marathon route remains unchanged however sections of the route will now be subject to single lane closures, and some roads will now be fully closed for a period while the event passes.
The event will start at the earlier time of 11.30am to allow roads to be re-opened sooner.
Organisers are working closely with Highland Council and Police Scotland to minimise any inconvenience to local residents, businesses and visitors.
“We are excited to welcome our largest ever contingent of participants to Inverness this Sunday,” said Malcolm Sutherland, CEO of Caledonian Concepts, organiser of Inverness Half Marathon.
“As always, we rely on our fantastic partners and volunteers to ensure the event runs smoothly and participants receive a warm Highland welcome, so I’d like to extend a massive thank you to everyone involved.
“The event is also an important fundraising opportunity, with hundreds of thousands of pounds raised for charities across the Highlands and beyond again this year.
“Good luck to everyone taking part on Sunday, from our youngest participants in the 5K to our most experienced runners pushing for PBs in the Half Marathon.”
Official charities for the 2026 event are Alzheimer Scotland, Highland Hospice, Mikeysline, SAMH (Scottish Action for Mental Health) and The Archie Foundation.
Taking place as part of the event, Lindsays Scottish Half Marathon Championships are open to scottishathletics members and North District Championships are open to scottishathletics members in the north of Scotland.
Mike Johnston, Convenor of the scottishathletics Road Running and Cross Country Commission, said:
“We look forward to hosting the Lindsays Scottish Half Marathon Champs at Inverness.
“Lindsays has sponsored our Cross Country season for more than ten years and is now supporting road race championship events, too.
“Inverness is, in fact, the first event under its banner.
“We know the popularity of the event and there have been some top-class performances in recent years
“Over 5,000 entrants this year reflects well on the event organisers and there is always a special atmosphere for runners racing in the Highland capital.
“We look forward to presenting individual and team national medals and North District Championships, too.”
Provost of Inverness and Area, Councillor Glynis Campbell-Sinclair, will attend the event prizegiving to announce the winners of Inverness Half Marathon.
Speaking ahead of the event, she said:
“I’m delighted to be attending Inverness Half Marathon & 5K again this year, an event that is always an important boost for the local area.
“Each year, it is fantastic to see its growth in popularity, proving that it is a ‘must do’ event for people coming from throughout Scotland and beyond, bringing people together and showcasing our beautiful surroundings.
“I wish everyone taking part the best of luck and extend the warmest of welcomes to those visiting the Highlands for the first time.”
Further information on Inverness Half Marathon & 5K can be found at https://invernesshalfmarathon.co.uk/
Details of road closures can be found here
