East Cornwall Harriers delighted with latest staging of Cornish Marathon

THE Cornish Marathon celebrated another memorable year on Sunday, November 1, as almost 400 runners took on one of the UK's most challenging road marathons.

Hosted by Liskeard-based East Cornwall Harriers, the iconic race starts and finishes in Pensilva and follows a spectacular 26.2-mile course, taking runners across Bodmin Moor with more than 2,200 feet of elevation. This year saw 397 runners complete the marathon, with Dan Costello of Hayle Runners producing an outstanding performance to win in a time of two hours, 33 minutes and 38 seconds, understood to be a new course record. Hayle also scooped a double victory, as Dan’s club-mate Emma Paull was first female home in a time of 3:11:55.

Another very notable achievement was from Bill and Pauline Howes, who had made the journey down from Staffordshire to run, adding to the list of more than 700 marathons each they have already completed!

Conditions were misty as the runners set off from Pensilva, before the sun eventually broke through to reveal the stunning Cornish scenery for which the race has become so well-known. The atmosphere along the course was equally memorable, with fantastic support from local residents, volunteers and community groups. Local school groups cheered runners through the first two loops in Pensilva, while Samba Kernow brought music and energy to Tokenbury Corner and Liskeard Rock Choir provided another welcome boost at Jamaica Inn.

Host club East Cornwall Harriers celebrated successful performances, with 23 runners taking part, Dan Walton and Susie Hooke earning the club’s Dave and Hilary Clatworthy award trophies for the first male and female Harriers home. Club members Oli Jones and Ali O’Hora added in an extra challenge for a good cause, deciding to ‘plog’ the entire course, picking up litter as they went! The pair collected six bin bags of rubbish between them, helping to keep the lanes in this local Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty litter-free.

The 2026 event marked a new chapter for the Cornish Marathon, with the reins handed over to Joel Mitchell as the new race director, continuing the long tradition of East Cornwall Harriers organising the event which is the final event of the 2026 Cornwall Grand Prix.

Mitchell explains: “Taking on the race director role is a real privilege. There is a huge amount of work that goes on behind the scenes and an incredible team of people who help to make it all happen."

On the event, he continued: “What a day! The Cornish Marathon really is something very special and I think everyone involved could feel that this year. Seeing 397 runners finish such a tough course is fantastic, and Dan’s time of 2:38:33 was an incredible performance.

“We owe huge thanks to the local community for their support – we have volunteers, running clubs, schools and local groups helping us right across the course, local businesses offering us sponsorship, as well as residents coming out to spectate and cheer on the runners. But my biggest takeaway from this year is just how much the Cornish Marathon means to people. It is a race with real character, a challenging course and a fantastic community behind it. We are already excited about next year and looking forward to doing it all again!”

East Cornwall Harriers are now looking ahead to the 2027 race, with entries expected to sell-out in record time when they open midway through the year.

The top three in each age category were as follows: Female Under 35: 1 Connie Walsh (unattached) – 3:15:30; 2 Emma Hancock (unattached) – 3:52:18; 3 Tamara Kearney (Hayle Runners) – 4:10:11; F35-39: 1 Carly Kendall (St Austell RC) – 3:16:56; 2 Kate Morrison (unattached) – 3:49:53; 3 Fay Giles (unattached) – 3:52:47; F40-44: 1 Emma Paull (Hayle Runners) – 3:11:55; 2 Joanne Page (Okehampton RC) – 3:16:22; 3 Rebecca Stark (Hedge End Running Club) – 3:32:52; F45-49: 1 Clare Dale (St Austell RC) – 3:34:22; 2 Susie Hooke (East Cornwall Harriers) – 3:39:22; 3 Kate Murphy (St Austell Athletes) – 3:53:50; M50-54: 1 Emma Lake (Erme Valley Harriers) – 3:45:52; 2 Emma Langstaff (Looe Pioneers RC) – 3:57:05; 3 Mandy Gibson (Looe Pioneers) – 3:57:22; M55-59: 1 Sue Nancarrow (Truro RC) – 3:36:35; 2 Helen Chapell (Erme Valley Harriers) – 3:37:46; 3 Corinne Gerrard (Hayle Runners) – 4:08:19; M60-64: 1 Rachael Webster (Lonely Goat RC) – 4:32:42; 2 Michaela Hillman (unattached) – 4:57:35; 3 Jane Stedman (100 Marathon Club) – 5:16:48; M65-69: 1 Sarah Wilkinson (Newquay RR) – 4:48:48; 2 Nicola Vosper (Lonely Goat RC) – 6:27:29; 3 Carol Norwood (East Cornwall Harriers) – 6:28:06; M70-74: N/A; M75-79: 1 Pauline Howes (100 Marathon Club) – 7:01:02; 2 and 3 N/A.

Male Under 35: 1 Daniel Costello (Hayle Runners) – 2:38:33; 2 Mark Budge (unattached) – 2:51:50; 3 Liam Grubb (Simple Life Run Club) – 3:04:23; M35-39: 1 Simon Morse (unattached) – 2:55:40; 2 Rick Nicholls (Bodmin RC) – 3:01:05; 3 Liam O’Neill (Hayle Runners) – 3:11:47; M40-44: 1 Steve Reynolds (Truro RC) – 2:45:41; 2 Tom Murrin (Bude RATs) – 3:08:46; 3 Phil Dawber (Bodmin RC) – 3:19:38; M45-49: 1 Alex Marples (Truro RC) – 2:59:36; 2 Chris Hallman (Hartland Hillbillies) – 3:01:43; 3 Robert Kelly (Okehampton RC) – 3:07:44; M50-54: 1 Andrew Harverson (Truro RC) – 3:00:53; 2 Ross Portass (unattached) – 3:03:38; 3 Mark Roby (Bodmin RC) – 3:08:30; M55-59: 1 Adam Meneer (Wadebridge RC) – 3:10:40; 2 Mark Gregory (unattached) – 3:10:40; 3 Stephen Fuller (Hayle Runners) – 3:14:15; M60-64: 1 Paul Carter (Okehampton RC) – 3:29:15; 2 Robin Watson (Falmouth RC) – 3:35:14; 3 Mark Evans (unattached) – 3:43:43; M65-69: 1 Andrew Marshall (Plymouth Harriers) – 4:06:20; 2 Keith Willcocks (Bere Alston Trekkers) – 4:41:20; 3 Peter Allen (Newquay RR) – 4:57:05; M70-74: 1 John Sudell (East Cornwall Harriers) – 4:52:56; 2 Andrew Bickle (Bys Vyken Race Team) – 5:16:19; 3 Roger Beck (East Cornwall Harriers) – 5:30:00; M75-79: 1 Michael Alsworth (100 Marathon Club) – 4:57:49; 2 Doug Alsop (St Austell RC) – 5:36:26; 3 Ray Frith (Newquay RR) – 6:02:54.