The good news — Edinburgh actually lets you transfer
If you've been reading guides on London, Manchester, or Brighton and getting bad news at every turn, Edinburgh is a different story. Edinburgh Marathon Festival operates an official person-to-person transfer portal — one of the very few major UK marathons to do so. You can hand your entry to another runner, legitimately, through the race organiser's own platform. No grey-market bib selling. No risking a ban. No forfeiting your entry fee.
London, Manchester, and Brighton all explicitly ban person-to-person transfers. Edinburgh lets you do it officially, for a £20 fee paid by the new runner. If you have a friend or club-mate who wants your place, this is the one UK context where that's allowed.
The catch — and there is one — is the transfer window. Transfers are only possible for a defined period each year. Once the window closes (typically several weeks before race day), transfers stop and the remaining options become withdrawal or simply not racing. The 2026 marathon and half marathon transfer window has already closed. If you have a 2026 place and can't race, your window is gone — see the next section for what's left.
You have a 2026 place but can't race — your options now
The Edinburgh Marathon Festival 2026 is Sunday 24 May 2026, with the 10K and 5K on Saturday 23 May. The marathon and half marathon transfer window has closed. That narrows the picture considerably. Here's what each option actually gets you:
| Option | Available? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Transfer to another runner | ❌ Window closed for 2026 marathon/half | 5K and 10K may still have transfers open — check MyRunning. For 2027, the window will reopen closer to the race. |
| Defer to 2027 | ❌ Not permitted | Edinburgh's policy: no deferrals unless the event itself is postponed. Entry fees are non-refundable. |
| Withdraw your entry | ✅ Via MyRunning dashboard | Frees your name from the start list but gives no refund. Useful mostly for record-keeping. |
| Refund | ❌ Not available | Entry fees are non-refundable once the transfer window has closed. |
| Don't turn up | ✅ Always an option | No consequence beyond the lost entry fee. A DNS (did not start) on your record, nothing more. |
The transfer deadline can vary by event. While the marathon and half marathon windows have closed for 2026, the 5K and 10K (on Saturday 23 May) can sometimes stay open longer. Log into MyRunning and look for the Manage My Entry option — if transfer is still visible, you're still in the window.
How the transfer process works, step by step
This is relevant both if you currently have an open transfer window (5K/10K for 2026, or the marathon/half in 2027 when the new window opens), and if you're planning to take on a transferred entry from someone else. Edinburgh runs transfers through MyRunning, the same account platform used for original entries.
Log in to MyRunning and open Manage My Entry for your event. If the transfer option is visible, the window is still active. If it isn't, transfers for your event have closed — your only remaining option is withdrawal.
This is your responsibility — the race organiser doesn't match buyers with sellers. Most people transfer to a friend, club-mate, or someone found via a verified community like BibBuddy. Edinburgh strongly advises against accepting transfers from people you don't know without verifying their entry first.
If the new runner is reimbursing you for the original entry fee, that's a private arrangement. GSI Events, the organiser, does not facilitate it and is not responsible for it. Use a safe payment method — Edinburgh explicitly warns against unverified transfers and screenshot-based "proof of entry".
Go to Manage My Entry and start the transfer. You'll need the new runner's full name and email address. They'll receive an invitation to accept.
The new runner logs in (or creates a MyRunning account) and pays the £20 transfer fee through the platform. Both of you receive confirmation once complete. The entry is now in the new runner's name, with their emergency contact and medical information.
If the official transfer window has closed, the only legitimate outcome is withdrawal. Swapping a race number unofficially — running under someone else's name — is a breach of the event terms and can result in disqualification and being banned from future events. Your name on the bib is how first responders identify you in a medical emergency. It matters.
Why deferral isn't available — and what to do instead
Edinburgh Marathon Festival's official position is direct: entries cannot be deferred to future events unless the event itself has been postponed. This isn't a negotiation point — it's the policy. If you can't race and the transfer window has closed, deferral won't be offered. Entry fees are non-refundable.
That sounds harsh, but it's actually consistent with most major UK marathons. London only defers ballot places (a specific category). Manchester, Brighton, and most regional races don't defer at all. Edinburgh compensates by offering something London and Manchester don't — the transfer portal. If you're the kind of runner who sometimes can't be certain six months out, Edinburgh is the better insurance.
Because deferral isn't available, the transfer window is your only out. If you're injured or uncertain months before the race, don't sit on it hoping you'll recover. Initiate the transfer early while there's still time for a new runner to train. Entries are easier to transfer 8 weeks out than 2 weeks out.
Got an Edinburgh bib to transfer?
BibBuddy is a free community marketplace for runners. List your bib, find a runner to take your place, and do it safely. All transfers complete through the official Edinburgh Marathon portal — we just help you connect.
Browse BibBuddy →Free to use · Built by runners, for runners
Entering Edinburgh Marathon 2027
Edinburgh Marathon Festival has sold out every year since 2008, making it the second-largest marathon in the UK after London. Unlike London, it doesn't run a ballot — entry is first-come, first-served. That means timing matters.
The 2027 race is expected in late May 2027 (specific dates TBC — Edinburgh typically announces the following year's dates after the current race weekend). Registration usually opens within weeks of the preceding race closing. If you want a 2027 place, the best strategy is to watch the official Edinburgh Marathon site from June 2026 onwards and register as soon as entries open.
What makes the course different
- Fast and flat — voted the fastest marathon in the UK by Runner's World. Well-suited to a PB attempt or a debut marathon
- Point-to-point — starts at Potterrow in central Edinburgh, finishes in Musselburgh after a scenic East Lothian coastal stretch
- Iconic early miles — passes Edinburgh Castle, Arthur's Seat, Holyrood Park, and Musselburgh Racecourse
- Smaller than London, bigger than most — roughly a quarter the size of London Marathon but still a significant field
For more on the transfer portal, fees, and how to find a place if direct entries have sold out, see the Edinburgh Marathon 2027 transfer guide. For where to stay over race weekend, see the Edinburgh Marathon accommodation guide.
Alternative UK and European marathons
If Edinburgh isn't going to work — wrong weekend, already sold out, injury recovery timeline — here are the closest Plan B options, ranked by similarity to Edinburgh's profile (late-spring UK/European, runnable field, PB-friendly where possible):
| Event | Date | Entry method | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| TCS London Marathon | Late April 2027 | Ballot (~2% odds) or charity | World Major. No person-to-person transfers. Entry guide → |
| adidas Manchester Marathon | April 2027 | First-come, first-served | UK's 2nd largest field. Flat and fast. Entry guide → |
| Brighton Marathon | April 2027 | Open entry (sells out) | Seafront finish. No transfers or deferrals. Entry guide → |
| Dublin Marathon | Late October 2027 | Ballot | One of the friendlier ballots for Irish/UK runners. Autumn, not spring — gives you recovery time. |
| Berlin Marathon | Late September 2027 | Ballot | World Major. Better ballot odds than London. Fastest World Record course. |
Frequently asked questions
I've got a 2026 marathon place but the transfer window has closed. Is there any way to get my money back?
No. Once the transfer window has closed, Edinburgh's entry fees are non-refundable and the place cannot be deferred to 2027. You can formally withdraw in MyRunning (which just removes your name from the start list) or simply not show up. Neither returns any portion of your entry fee. The only pre-closure escape route was the transfer portal, which is now closed for the marathon and half marathon.
I saw someone selling their Edinburgh Marathon place on social media. Is that the same as a transfer?
Only if they process it through the official MyRunning transfer portal. A "sale" that involves them handing you their race number to run under their name is not a transfer — it's a number swap, which is banned under Edinburgh's terms and can get both of you disqualified and banned from future events. If you're genuinely buying someone's place, insist on the official transfer process: you receive an email invitation from MyRunning, you create an account, you pay the £20 fee, the entry becomes yours under your name. Anything else, walk away.
Can I transfer into a different distance — e.g. from marathon to half marathon?
No. Edinburgh's transfer portal only allows transfers of the same event — marathon to marathon, half to half, 10K to 10K. If you want to downgrade distance after the transfer window has closed, you'd need to withdraw your existing entry and make a new registration in the shorter event (subject to that event still having places available). No refund is issued on the original entry.
I'm pregnant / have a serious medical condition. Does Edinburgh make exceptions?
Edinburgh's written policy doesn't currently list routine exceptions for pregnancy or medical circumstances. That said, individual cases have sometimes been considered at the organiser's discretion. If you're in this situation, contact Edinburgh Marathon Festival directly through the official site as early as possible — don't rely on it being granted, but it's worth asking. Document your circumstances clearly. Any exception is purely at their discretion and not a guaranteed outcome.
When will 2027 entries open?
Edinburgh Marathon Festival typically opens the following year's registration within weeks of the current year's race weekend. For 2027, watch the official site from early June 2026 onwards. Because the event sells out every year and doesn't run a ballot, entering early maximises your chance of getting a place.
Exploring other UK marathons?
BibBuddy covers transfers, accommodation, and entry guides for the UK's major marathons. Manchester, London, Brighton — find your Plan B.
Browse All Race Guides →Free · No signup needed