Yorkshire Marathon Festival 2019: route, start time, events and how to get there

Each year the marathon attracts a bigger crowd, with people coming from around the world either to take part in the 26.2 mile effort or to cheer from the sidelines.

Twenty-three different nations will be represented in the marathon this time around.

The race is known for the size and the spirit of the local support it draws, and has been celebrated as an ideal way to experience the picturesque Yorkshire countryside.

Here's everything you need to know about the 2019 Asda Foundation Yorkshire Marathon.

When is this year's marathon?

The 2019 event will be held on Sunday 20 October.

As of 7am, the race office, assembly area and baggage storage facilities are all open to participants.

Then, at 9.10am, there is a mass warm-up on University Road to help all the racers get ready.

The wheelchair race will begin at 9.25am, with all the other races following five minutes later at 9.30am.

Can I still enter?

Sadly, there's no space left for the marathon - as always the race has proven very popular and all available spaces have been booked out.

However, if you'd still like to take part, there are spaces on the Yorkshire Marathon Relay or the Yorkshire 10 Mile and you can find more details about to enter on the website.

Next year's Yorkshire Marathon Relay will take place on 18 October 2020, so put the date in your diary and make sure to secure tickets early.

What is the route for this year's marathon?

The race gets off to a bang with a fast start going down Green Dykes Lane and then rounding towards the city centre.

It then peels off into the historic district via the medieval gateway at Walmgate Bar.

After winding through the city centre, the route then makes its way outwards and towards Heworth Green.

The main route then continues along through the village of Stockton-on-the-Forest.

Stockton Lane will bring you to Common Lane and then past the Snowball Plantation where there will no doubt be some entertainment on show.

Turning left onto Northgate Lane, the route then winds left again to Upper Helmsley.

From here, it goes through the suburbs of York and into another rural stretch through Buttercrambe Moor Wood.

From there it goes to Stamford Bridge and on to a spectator point at Dunnington.

The route heads back up Holtby lane and left onto Bad Bargain lane before turning back on itself and pointing back towards the city along Murton lane.

A left turn off Osbaldwick road takes you back on to Hull road and the climb towards campus. After re-crossing the start line, the route then descends into one final stretch towards the finish.

What other events are there?

As well as the traditional, one-person, 26.2 mile marathon, there are a couple of other ways the Yorkshire Marathon can be run.

The Yorkshire Marathon Relay Race sees racers joining up into teams of six to take on a segment of the route each.

With Open, Mixed and All-Female categories available, this is ideal for those who aren't sure about taking on the full thing themselves or for anyone who just prefers to be part of a team.

For those who want to take on a solo challenge but don't feel up to the full marathon, the Yorkshire race can also be run as a 10-mile or half-marathon course.

How do I get there?

York is one of the most accessible cities in the UK, with excellent bus and rail links.

The train from London takes only two hours, and from Edinburgh it's around two-and-a-half hours. Full train timetables can be found at Trainline's website.

For those coming from Manchester, Leeds or the Midlands, York's motorway links make things easy.

For anyone coming from further afield, Leeds Airport is less than an hour away, while the ferry ports of Newcastle and Hull are also conveniently located.

There will also be a Park and Ride system in operation to bring runners to and from the start and finish points. Full information can be found here.

A shuttle bus will also be running from York railway station.