2027 race date
BigWayRound - Winchester Trail Festival Marathon: May 3, 2027. Checked against the official organizer source on October 13, 2026.
The date was checked separately from the course and planning details below, reviewed October 14, 2026. Recheck entry availability and the final athlete guide before travel.
Winchester trails, with a separate map for each distance
The BigWayRound route description links Winchester's Itchen Navigation, St Catherine's Hill and Cheesefoot Head with sections of the South Downs Way and other named paths. It describes predominantly trail running with some road through the city. The organizer's calendar lists May 3, 2027, while parts of the detailed event page still refer to earlier editions; the route description is a preview until the 2027 guide confirms it.
Download the marathon's own route when it is issued. The festival also offers shorter distances and a 50 km option, so a GPX file labelled only with the festival name is not enough. Check the distance, start location and year together before loading a track onto your watch. Keep a map available that shows how the route returns towards Winchester as well as where it heads out onto the trails.
Train for changes in footing and rhythm: easy running along a path, controlled climbing, and a comfortable return to road running near the city. Judge effort on the trail sections rather than trying to enforce a road-marathon pace at every kilometre. Test footwear across both surfaces so that a shoe chosen for off-road grip is still comfortable over the full outing.
Earlier instructions describe wave starts and aid arrangements, but their times and quantities should not be promised for 2027. When the new briefing arrives, choose your wave using realistic trail progress, identify the gaps between support, and plan arrival at the named event venue. Leave time after the finish to collect belongings and meet supporters instead of scheduling onward travel from a road-race time estimate.
Last-known race profile
These details identify the race page; they do not establish the next edition's operations. Confirm current course and operations on the official event site.
Training calendar
These start dates count back from the first listed race day. For a multi-day event, recalculate from your assigned day. The duration is a planning option, not proof of readiness.