The Maer 10K Challenge and Half Marathon will be organised by LMEvents for the sixth time on Sunday 27 April 2025 – yes, that is London Marathon day – on the glorious Exmouth seafront and along the East Devon National Landscape coastal path to Budleigh Salterton.

If you were among the 95% of the 840,318 people who were unlucky in the 2025 London Marathon public ballot, why not put your training to good use by tackling the Maer 10K Challenge or Maer Half Marathon instead? And to make it even easier, you can enter right here at runABC South...

Both distances start simultaneously at 9:00am in the Beach Gardens, bang in the middle of Exmouth's Esplanade. The 10K is a real challenge – sporting nearly 500 feet of ascent – while the Maer Half is no mere half marathon as it doubles the climbing on its extended single-lap route.

This year the 10K route has taken a twist and will head out to the coast path to rejoin the half marathon route, allowing it to experience the downhill stretch leading to the Orcombe Point Geoneedle before hugging the coastline to the finish line. The half marathon travels further on the spectacularly scenic coastal path. Enjoy the view from the highest points if you need a breather – and you probably will!

This is not PB territory. The winning times in the 10K last year were 36:31 by Joshua Sale of Exmouth Harriers and 44:41 by Ruth Bevan (unattached). Only four men beat 40 minutes. In the half marathon, the winners were Nick Day (Nuclear Phoenix, 1:29:11) and overall runner-up Abigail Wheelhouse (Solihull and Small Heath AC, 1:40:02).

Entry fees can be reduced by £3 if you opt out of receiving a finishers medal, bringing the 10K fee down to £19 and the half marathon to £30.50. Entries close on Wednesday 23 April or sooner if fully subscribed.

So, press the record button for the London Marathon and get yourself down to sunny Devon for the Maer 10K Challenge and Half Marathon!

Previous results and link to enter available via the runABC South race listing here.

Photo courtesy of LMEvents on Facebook