This is not the official race website
cherrymarathon.com was once the home of the Gyeongju Cherry Blossom Marathon, but the race organizers no longer run this address. We are an independent guide: we cannot take entries, issue refunds, or look up results. For current dates, entry details, and records, use the organizer’s current official channels, or check the Gyeongju City website and Korean running-event calendars.
경주벚꽃마라톤을 찾으시나요?
이 사이트(cherrymarathon.com)는 예전에 경주벚꽃마라톤대회 공식 홈페이지로 사용되었으나, 현재는 대회와 관계없는 독립적인 경주 여행·문화유산 안내 사이트입니다. 참가 신청, 기록 조회 등 최신 대회 정보는 주최 측 공식 채널이나 경주시청 홈페이지에서 확인해 주세요.
A short history of the race
The Gyeongju Cherry Blossom Marathon (경주벚꽃마라톤대회), styled in English on the race’s old website as the Gyeongju Cherry Marathon, is one of Korea’s longest-running spring road races. The 26th edition was run on Saturday, 1 April 2017, which places the first race in the early 1990s. The 29th edition was scheduled for 4 April 2020.
The formula has stayed simple: an early-morning start on the first weekend of April, timed to coincide with Gyeongju’s cherry blossoms, and a course staged around the Bomun Lake resort district east of the historic center. The race’s original website published an online record search covering every edition from 2004 to 2019, a sign of how many runners returned year after year.
Distances and course
| Distances | Recent editions offered a full marathon, a half marathon, 10 km, and 5 km, so serious runners and families could take part on the same morning. |
|---|---|
| Start time | Racing got under way at 8:00 a.m., with runners asked to assemble from around 7:00 a.m. and awards presented through the late morning. |
| Setting | The start and finish area has been in the Bomun Lake tourist district, where lakeside roads are lined with cherry trees. |
| Getting to the start | Race-morning shuttle buses have run from Gyeongju Express Bus Terminal and Gyeongju Station to the start area. |
| International runners | The race has welcomed overseas entrants, and its old website published information in English, Japanese, and Chinese. |
Details such as the exact course, cut-off times, and eligibility can change between editions. Treat the notes above as history, and confirm every detail with the organizer before you enter.
Entry rules runners should know
Past editions were strict about identity: entries had to be made in the runner’s real name, and bibs could not be transferred to another person after registration. Organizers said this was for runners’ safety as well as administration, since event insurance covered the registered entrant. Full-marathon entrants had to be at least 18 years old.
Planning a race weekend in Gyeongju
Book early
Race weekend usually overlaps with peak cherry blossom season, Gyeongju’s busiest time of year. Accommodation around Bomun Lake and in the historic center fills early, so reserve as soon as the race date is announced.
Where to stay
Staying in the Bomun Lake resort area keeps you close to the start on race morning. Staying in the historic center puts you within walking distance of the royal tombs and Cheomseongdae for the rest of the trip, with shuttle buses or a short taxi ride to the start.
Getting to Gyeongju
KTX high-speed trains stop at Gyeongju Station, and express buses run from Seoul, Busan, and Daegu. Our plan your visit guide covers transport, travel documents, and money in detail.
Recovery days
The flat historic district is ideal for an easy recovery walk the day after the race. Save the steeper climb to Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple for when your legs have recovered.
Running in Gyeongju any time of year
You do not need a race bib to enjoy running here. The lakeside paths around Bomun Lake are popular with local runners, and the flat, open parkland around Daereungwon, Cheomseongdae, and Wolseong makes for an early-morning run through the museum without walls before the crowds arrive. Gyeongju also hosts an international marathon in autumn, typically in October.
Make it more than a race
Runners come for the blossoms, but Gyeongju was a royal capital for almost a thousand years. Start with the story of the Silla Dynasty and let it shape the days around your run.