Starting in the city centre, the route covers Doune, Dunblane and Bridge of Allan before completing a circuit of the University of Stirling, past the Wallace Monument and along Hillfoots Road, through Blairlogie at the foot of the imposing Dumyat cliff, then back into the city centre.
On the official website, the marathon course is being promoted as one of the most scenic and picturesque in the world[citation needed].
More than 5000 runners signed up for the race and the Marathon were won by Michael Wright of Central AC, who retained his title as champion of the Simplyhealth Great Stirling Run marathon in a time of 2.29.32, with Kevin Wood of Fife AC second in 2.30.53 and Donnie Macdonald of Inverness Harriers AAC in 2.34.21.
The Simplyhealth Great Stirling Run Half Marathon was won by Matthew Sutherland in 69.59, with Lewis Millar second in 73.36 and Martin Brown of Kilmarnock Harriers & AC was third in 73.48.
More than 6,500 runners signed up for the first-ever Stirling Scottish marathon where the podium placings were dominated by Scots.
Prior to her re-election as a UK MP in May 2017 and becoming the first female leader of the Liberal Democrats (UK) in September 2019, anti-Brexiteer and gender-equality proponent, Jo Swinson participated in this inaugural marathon,[11] running on behalf of two health charities and finishing 396th from a field of over 1600 females, in a creditable time of 4:08:06.