Hawke's Bay Marathon

Hawke’s Bay Marathon, branded for 2026 as the ASICS Runaway Hawke’s Bay Marathon, is one of those destination races that leans hard into place. Rather than feeling like a standard urban marathon, it is marketed as a scenic running festival through the Hawke’s Bay region, with flat and relatively approachable courses that pass waterfront stretches, cycle trails, vineyards, orchards, and quiet country roads before finishing at Elephant Hill Estate & Winery. The race clearly pitches itself as more than just a stopwatch event. The official site emphasizes the finish-line food and wine festival, live entertainment, and the broader weekend-away feel, which makes it especially appealing for runners who want a race trip rather than just a single morning of suffering.