Three marathons in one year is a milestone worth celebrating. Congratulations to Tony, who has completed his third marathon of 2026 at the Bumble Bee Challenge in Devon. It was also a return visit: Tony completed the same marathon last year, making this his second finish at the event.
The 2026 Bumble Bee Challenge took place over the weekend of 26–27 September near Littleham in Exmouth. Tony’s latest finish adds another marathon to an already busy year of running, and another chapter to his history with an event he knows from experience.
Back to the Bumble Bee Challenge
Carn Runners readers may remember Tony’s run at the 2025 Bumble Bee Challenge Marathon. He finished fourth overall in 4:41:32, setting a personal best at the time. That was a memorable result; this year brings a different milestone, with Tony returning to complete the course again as his third marathon of 2026.
Completing the same event in consecutive years gives this result a particular place in Tony’s running story. The first finish stands on its own, but going back and covering the marathon distance again is an achievement too. It is a chance for the club to recognise not just one race, but the distance Tony has covered across the year.
What makes this marathon different?
The Bumble Bee Challenge is organised by Running Events Devon as a timed, lap-based event rather than a conventional point-to-point marathon. Across its Saturday and Sunday event listings, the organiser describes a 5.3km out-and-back lap along a former railway line near Exmouth. Eight laps count as the marathon option.
That format means seeing the same stretch of route repeatedly, with each return marking another lap completed. The organiser says the course is entirely on tarmac and has an aid station at the end of each lap. Runners and walkers can choose different distances within the event’s time limit, so the marathon sits alongside shorter and longer efforts on the same route.
For anyone more familiar with a big-city marathon, it is a distinctive way to cover the distance. The route comes in sections rather than one long journey to a distant finish line, but reaching the marathon mark still means putting together eight laps. Tony has now done that at the Bumble Bee Challenge twice.
Another finish to celebrate
Tony’s latest result is part of a bigger achievement: three completed marathons in 2026. Last year’s Bumble Bee run gave Carn Runners a PB and a fourth-place finish to cheer; this time, the news is his return to the event and another marathon completed.
There is plenty to celebrate without needing to compare the two races. Finishing a marathon is a significant undertaking on any course, and completing a third within the year makes this one especially notable for Tony and the club. Well done, Tony — congratulations on marathon number three and on your second Bumble Bee Challenge finish!
