Wellington is a valuable page because it offers a serious city marathon and enough supporting events to matter, while still forcing runners to weigh wind and weather more carefully than in other New Zealand hubs.
Gazley Volkswagen Wellington Marathon gives the capital city a clear road-race anchor, but the city's reputation for wind is part of the decision, not background noise.
Best season: Winter into spring is the key comparison window, especially around Wellington Marathon timing.
Best for: capital-city marathons, runners comfortable with weather variability, road-race weekends with more character than purity
Wellington deserves a guide because the city makes runners choose on honest terms. The marathon is credible and the location is attractive, but the weather is a real planning variable. That makes the page more useful, not less, because the tradeoff is clear.
Choose Wellington when you want a capital-city race weekend and you do not mind the possibility of wind affecting pacing or enjoyment. Christchurch is usually the cleaner road-race option. Wellington is stronger when atmosphere and city character matter more.
Start with marathon and road-race filters first, then check the wider grid for urban ultra and shorter city events. If the weather risk bothers you, compare Wellington directly with Christchurch.