Leeds Marathon 2024

The official Leeds Marathon 2024 route will see 10,000 participants take on a brand new course around Leeds, starting and finishing at Headingley Stadium.

You will cover 26 miles through Headingley, Hyde Park, Meanwood, Lawnswood, Adel, Bramhope and Otley. Absorbing some of the best suburbs and countryside the city has to offer.

The marathon route and event has been created in tribute of the amazing talent and tireless fundraising by the Leeds Rhinos player Rob Burrow.

Take a look at our complete guide of the Leeds Marathon.

Wanting to find your way to the start of the route? Here is a link for a Google Maps Directions page.

This route has a distance of 42.2km and an elevation gain of 675m.

The largest continual decline is 400m long with an elevation drop of 41m which starts in the second third of the route. This is shown on the chart as green.

Route Highlights

The route takes in some of the better parts of Leeds, but our favourite is when the route passes through Adel and then Golden Acre Park. The lack of cars will make this section of the route a calming break from the roads.

Start the marathon route at Headingley Stadium. Run out onto St Michaels Lane – St Michaels Road and turn right on Headingley Lane heading towards the city centre.

At the edge of Woodhouse Moor park run anti-clockwise around it via Hyde Park Road. Come back onto the Headingley Lane dual carriage before leaving it to run a triangle around Cavendish Road, Hilary Place and Blenheim Terrace.

It’s now time to run a long stretch back north up Headingley Lane – Otley Road. Soon after mile 6 around Lawnswood you will take a right onto Church Lane. Run onto Eccup Lane – this is where a few hills begin – and keep going until you reach Black Hill Lane, taking a left onto the latter…

Cross the junction onto Kings Road and run back to Otley Road – continue north until you hit Creskeld Lane in Bramhope. Follow Creskeld until you reach Arthington Lane taking a right on this road and running a mini out and back to the edge of Arthington Park.

Running west on Arthington you will continue directly through Pool in Wharfedale. Keep running west on the A659 until you get to Otley – you’re two thirds complete at this point – and brace yourself for the second series of hills.

In Otley begin running south on the A660 past Bramhope and back onto Otley Road. Run south back the way you came until you reach the Kirkstall Lane right turn and the Headingley Stadium finish! Well done marathoner!

Training for the Marathon

We have put together a couple of pieces on how to train for a marathon. If you are wanting to get stuck in, take a look at our Training for a Marathon as a Beginner article.

Another that may be helpful is the “Top Winter Training Tips” written by Nick Green from the Running Studio. It walks you through how to get training and keep training through winter.

As you’re running a marathon distance it’s important to consider one of the biggest risks of pushing the body this far – dehydration. To counter this drink plenty of water before the run and stay hydrated throughout by continuing to drink!

If you are running the Leeds Marathon 2024 route on race day there will be no cars. However, if you are running this by yourself watch out for cars. These roads can get quite busy!

The start and finish of the run takes in the inner city areas of  Hyde Park and Headingley – smack bang in the middle of the city’s student population. Three of the largest college and university campuses are a short stroll away in the direction of the city centre.

The Headingley Stadium complex is one of the only sports facilities in the world that has two professional sports teams – the Yorkshire County Cricket Club and the Leeds Rhinos – side by side each other.

There are bins on this route. The nearest public toilets to the start and finish of the run can be found on Headingley Lane.

Park for free (some on street parking spaces are timed) on St Michaels Lane, postcode: LS6 3BR (Google Map Directions)

A favourite after run munch – particularly when you’ve burnt in excess of 3,000 calories running a marathon – is Santorini Bar & Grill on Otley Road. Put your feet up and gorge on tasty Greek and Turkish dishes in a pleasantly chilled environment.