Another Monster Year for The Baxters Loch Ness Marathon & Festival Of Running

September 28, 2025

28th SEPTEMBER 2025 /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – The 2025 Baxters Loch Ness Marathon & Festival of Running has once again delivered an unforgettable, sell-out weekend in the Highlands, with thousands of participants from across the globe descending on Inverness to take on one of the world’s most scenic running events.

This year’s edition saw a record 10,700 runners enter across the weekend, with entries for the marathon and the Baxters River Ness 10K and 5K selling out. Participants of all ages and abilities embraced the challenge – from seasoned marathoners and charity fundraisers to local families enjoying all distances that also included the Wee Nessie children’s run.

Renowned for its breathtaking scenery and electric atmosphere, the Baxters Loch Ness Marathon witnessed stand-out performances from both elite and local talent. In the men’s category, Alex Milne of Hercules Wimbledon AC smashed the course record with an astonishing time of 02:15:46. In the female category, Melissah Gibson of 100 Marathon Club returned to successfully defend her title from 2024 and 2023, winning in a time of 02:43:08.

The Baxters River Ness 10K also showcased an incredible display of determination, with Sean Chalmers of Aberdeen AAC the first male finisher in 00:28:59 and Caitlyn Heggie of Inverness Harrier’s the first female finisher in 00:36:04.

In the Baxters River Ness 5K, Lachlan Thomas of Ross County AC (00:16:16) and Hayleigh Reid of Young Meldrum Runners (00:19:06) crossed the finish line first in the men’s and women’s categories respectively, while hundreds of participants from the local community joined in to soak up the festival spirit. This year, 33% of entries came through local schools and clubs, with more than half (51%) of all participants aged under 18. The littlest runners also had their moment in the spotlight, with 300 under-fives completing the popular Wee Nessie event at Bught Park.

Malcolm Sutherland, CEO at Caledonian Concepts – reflecting on the success of the 2025 event and the atmosphere throughout the weekend commented “What an incredible weekend we’ve had here in the Highlands. The Baxters Loch Ness Marathon & Festival of Running continues to go from strength to strength, and this year we’ve once again seen an amazing turnout from across Scotland, the UK and beyond. The atmosphere in Inverness and along the shores of Loch Ness was truly special, with thousands of participants, supporters and volunteers all coming together to create a celebration of running and community spirit. It’s always inspiring to see people of all ages and abilities enjoying the event, and I’m immensely proud of everyone who played their part in making 2025 such a success.”

Lizzie Taylor, Challenge Events Programme Manager for Macmillan Cancer Support shared a special message to those running for the charity today, “A huge thank you to all our amazing runners who have completed the 2025 Loch Ness Marathon for Macmillan Cancer Support. Your dedication and generosity help us be there for people living with cancer when they need us most. It’s been an incredible day – we hope you’re resting up and feeling proud of everything you’ve achieved!.”

Audrey Baxter, Executive Chairman and Group CEO of Baxters said: “Baxters’ ethos is to ‘be different, be better’ and every year we are greatly inspired by those who take part in this fantastic event and challenge themselves to achieve exactly that!

“The atmosphere and buzz in the area over race weekend is second to none and 2025 was no exception. Huge congratulations to all of the runners who completed races this year and well done to everyone involved in delivering another successful and enjoyable event.”

Beyond the finish line, the Festival of Running once again offered something for everyone, hosting live Q&As, alongside an expo, local street food, pipes and drums, live music, and family-friendly activities – creating a true Highland celebration.

With another record-breaking weekend in the bag, the Baxters Loch Ness Marathon & Festival of Running has cemented its status once again as one of the UK’s most iconic and eagerly anticipated annual sporting events.

Early bird entry for the 2026 Baxters Loch Ness Marathon, 10K and 5K, taking place on Sunday 27th 2026 is now open at www.lochnessmarathon.com.

Find a bank of imagery here

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Contact Information:

For more information please contact Laura Price laura@keepcomms.com +44 07444 954 275.

Notes to Editors:

• Organised by Caledonian Concepts, the Baxters Loch Ness Marathon and Festival of Running comprises the Loch Ness Marathon, River Ness 10K, 10K Corporate Challenge, River Ness 5K and Wee Nessie.
• Title sponsor is Baxters Food Group for 23rd year running. Supporting sponsors & partners include: High5, Run4It, Coopah, and Erdinger Alkoholfrei.
• The 2025 event saw 10,700 runners register for the full marathon, the Baxters River Ness 10K, 10K Corporate Challenge, River Ness 5K and Wee Nessie distances.
• The official charity for 2025 is Macmillan Cancer Support with other charity partners including Alzheimer Scotland, Cancer Research UK, Cystic Fibrosis Trust, Highland Hospice, My Name’5 Doddie Foundation and Parkinson’s UK and a further 30 participating charities: https://lochnessmarathon.com/run-for-charity/.
• The event was awarded a Racecheck Gold Award in 2022, 2023 and 2024 for consistently high reviews by runners.