Marathons in the Canton of Neuchâtel

The marathon in the canton of Neuchâtel doesn't have its own race on the calendar yet, but the terrain is well suited to training 🏃. The roads around Lake Neuchâtel, the vineyard paths and the first slopes of the Jura offer long, varied runs, with steady climbs that build strong legs for the 42.195 km. Neuchâtel runners can find everything they need to string together long runs far from the main roads.

To gauge your fitness in the middle of your training, the Semi Marathon CEP Cortaillod serves as a full-scale test by the lake, in Cortaillod 🏅. You can use it as a benchmark run a few weeks before your marathon, to check your pace and how you feel on an urban course. It also gives you a taste of the atmosphere of a popular event, with supporters along the roadside.

To cross the finish line over 42.195 km, look to the neighbors: the Lausanne Marathon runs along Lake Geneva on the Vaud side 🌊, the Jungfrau Marathon heads up to the peaks of the Bernese Oberland ⛰️ and the Marathon des terroirs du Valais takes you through the Rhône valley 🍷. Three very different atmospheres, so you can find the one that suits you. Book your bib early, as the most popular marathons sell out several months in advance.

The marathon calendar for Neuchâtel is yet to be written, but you can already build your plan from the half marathons in the canton of Neuchâtel, the Vaud marathons, the Bernese marathons and the marathons in Switzerland 📅. Between 12 and 16 weeks of training, with one long run per week and patience on the climbs, make a good framework for a first marathon. A few uphill sessions and good nutrition management complete the picture, along with a bit of extra sleep the week before the start.