Half marathons in the canton of Neuchâtel

The half marathon in the canton of Neuchâtel has one benchmark event: the Semi Marathon CEP Cortaillod, which offers an urban course along the shores of Lake Neuchâtel 🌊. It is run in Cortaillod, a winegrowers' village on the water's edge, with the canton's lakes and ponds as the backdrop. This 21.1 km format appeals as much to runners who want to step up after a 10 km as to marathoners looking for a fitness test.

To prepare for it, focus on steady-pace runs and a bit of hill work, because lakeside courses are never completely flat 🏃. The vineyard roads around Auvernier and the paths along the water offer great training grounds. The classic plan lasts 8 to 10 weeks, with two short runs and one long run per week, plus a specific-pace session every two weeks.

To mix things up, the neighbors offer some great opportunities: the 20 km de Lausanne on the Vaud side 🍇, or the Semi-marathon des Côtes de l'Orbe at the foot of the Vaud Jura ⛰️. Both are about an hour's drive from Neuchâtel, making it easy to organize a carpool or take the train and be back the same evening without stress.

The half marathon calendar in Neuchâtel is concentrated at the end of winter 📅. To complete your plan, check out the 10 km races in the canton of Neuchâtel, the half marathons in Vaud, the half marathons in Bern and the half marathons in Switzerland, plus the marathons in the canton of Neuchâtel if the longer distance tempts you 🏅. Choose your goal, sign up a few months in advance and enjoy the preparation, because the road to the start line is part of the fun too, with beautiful runs by the lake and through the vineyards.