How do I enter the Brighton Marathon?

Entry is available through open registration online, a general ballot, and charity places through partner charities. The entry window typically opens in April the year before the race and stays open until the field is full. Charity places usually require a fundraising commitment of £300 to £500.

Is the Brighton Marathon a Boston qualifier?

Yes, the Brighton Marathon is a Boston qualifier. The flat, sea-level course makes it a realistic option if you're chasing a qualifying standard.

What is the time limit for the Brighton Marathon?

The time limit is 7 hours, which gives a wide range of runners the opportunity to finish.

How big is the field?

Brighton typically sees around 15,000 finishers, making it one of the larger marathons in the UK.

What is the elevation profile like?

The course is largely flat with a net elevation change of zero feet, though there is a slight descent from the start in Preston Park down to the seafront. The highest point on the course is around 177 feet, so there are no significant hills to worry about.

What is the typical race-day weather in Brighton in April?

Expect cool conditions, with morning temperatures in the low-to-mid 40s Fahrenheit and highs in the mid-50s by midday. It can be breezy on the exposed seafront section, so a light layer at the start is worth considering.

Sun, Apr 4 · 2027BrightonSince 2010

Brighton Marathon

Brighton Marathon runs along England's south coast on a largely flat, sea-facing course, drawing a big, lively crowd and giving runners a genuine shot at a fast time.

FlatOpen

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BRIGHTON · GB

Brighton

SUN, APR 4

2027

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Race Overview

EST. 2010

Brighton is one of the best marathons in the UK for a reason, and it's not hard to see why once you've done it. The race starts in Preston Park in the north of the city and heads down toward the seafront pretty quickly. Once you hit the coast, you get a long stretch running along the promenade with the sea right beside you. The crowds come out in force along the seafront, and the noise from the pubs and deckchairs is genuinely fun. It's a flat course for the most part, so if you're chasing a time, this is a good one to target. Don't blow up on that early downhill into the city though, save something for the back half.

The course is point to point, which means you're not looping back on yourself, and that helps it feel like forward progress the whole way. It's a Boston qualifier, so plenty of people show up with a target in mind, and the flat profile backs that up. Entry is open registration, so you don't need to fight a lottery, you just sign up when the window opens in spring the year before, and it sells out, so set a reminder. There are also charity places if you miss the open spots. If you want a fast, well-organised seaside race with a proper crowd, Brighton is worth putting on your list.

Field size

~15k

15,000 finishers

BQ rate

—

Boston qualifier

Time limit

7:00

Generous cutoff

Entry

Open

First-come registration

Course records

Men

2:09:25

William Chebor

2014

Women

2:28:50

Eunice Kales

2013

The Course

Total ascent

—

Total descent

—

Net elevation

—

Highest point

177 ft

Lowest point

13 ft

Course shape

Point to point

Different start and finish

Brighton's point-to-point layout gains 477 feet with no net descent to offset it, so this is not a PR-optimized course. The terrain is rolling rather than mountainous, but gains accumulate steadily through the middle miles before the course swings onto the seafront. The seafront stretch offers flat, fast running but can expose you to coastal headwinds depending on conditions. The highest point sits at just 177 feet, so no single climb is brutal, but the cumulative gain on a cool, potentially breezy April day demands conservative early pacing. Surface is predominantly road. Save your legs through miles 10 to 18 and use the seafront to find your rhythm rather than to chase time you gave away early.

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Race-Day Weather

10-year median

Low

43°F

High

54°F

30°MARATHON-IDEAL 45–60°80°

What to expect

April in Brighton runs cool and often breezy. You'll likely start in the low-to-mid 40s, which feels sharp in the corral, so a throwaway layer is worth it. By the time you hit the seafront miles, it warms a little but rarely enough to cause real heat stress. The coast means wind, though, and that's the thing to plan around. A headwind on the exposed seafront stretch can cost you more than the temperature ever will. Most years this is a good window for running hard, but respect the breeze.

Entry

OPEN

Entry is available through multiple routes: open registration (available online), lottery ballot for general entry, and charity places through numerous partner charities. Charity places typically require a fundraising commitment of £300-£500.

Register on race site

Logistics

For runners travelling in

Closest airport

LGW

23 mi

from the start

≈ 36 min transferEasy transfer

What to expect

Most travelling runners fly into LGW, about 23 miles from the start, an easy transfer by rideshare or transit, roughly a 36-minute trip. Stay close to the start in Brighton so you're not fighting race-morning closures and transit on tired legs. Arrive a day early to clear the expo and bib pickup, and build in buffer for gear-check and corral entry.