Leamington Spa Half Marathon
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Event summary
The Leamington Spa Half returns once again. With a tried and tested excellent route, this Half Marathon gravel course will tick all your boxes. Come for the bespoke finisher's medal and all-around great day of running.
Your organiser
Here’s why your entering a Raceways event means so much to us….. Raceways is a successful community interest company organising running events which 1000’s of adults and children have participated in over the years. However, when it all began in 2009, co-founders Martine Verweij and Catherine O’Carroll started with adults events and saw many children standing on the side lines. Seeing a need to create opportunities to inspire children to also run they knew community events had to be more accessible and inclusive and the challenge was that it had to be more regular and free for all children to take part….a big ask! As the personal mission of lifelong friends and co-founders of Raceways, in 2010 the charity Kids Run Free was born…. Through their own competitive backgrounds as athletes, Martine and Catherine believe that giving children positive fun running experiences from as young an age as possible helps build the foundation to staying physically active throughout life with all the many associated health and wellbeing benefits. Our challenge is to keep kids running for free so we appreciate your taking part in the Raceways events and your fees will be helping in transforming the health of the next generation through the power of sport!
Volunteer
We’re always looking for volunteers to help make these events epic.
Find out moreHow to enter
Tickets available until Sun Jul 11 2021
What's included:
- Bespoke medal
- Short-sleeved technical t-shirt
- Goody bag
- Official race photography
- Prizes for top finishers
Half Marathon
8:30am Sun 11th Jul 2021
Run 13.1mi
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What people think
4.565 reviews
Stunning scenery
Friendly atmosphere
Incredible crowds
I parked at St Peter's carpark a short walk from the pump room gardens where the race starts and finishes. There was music playing and a woman on stage had got loads of people doing a warmup. There were lots of toilets and the ques to use them were short and fast moving. The start was well organised and you were given plenty of instruction via the sounds system on where you needed to be. The race starts with a run through the streets, then heads out into the country side before returning to town to finish back where you started. The course was quite hilly in places and lots of people struggled. I am from the Cotswolds and my training routes have plenty of hills. So, I never found them a problem. But if this is your first half or your looking for a PB there are much easier courses than this one.There were people cheering you on all through town and out in the several villages you pass through. Kids had signs, people played music, some handed out sweets. One guy and his young daughter had even set up their own water station. Everyone was very freindly and there was a great family freindly atmosphere. At the finish the "Brownies" handed out an orange elephant shaped medal (Which was great) , a bottle of water and a banana. My only grumble is I wish I hadn't collected the cheap t-shirt. I have had some great t-shirts from races and I train in them until they are worn out. These t-shirts just tick the box. They are made of material which would chaffe if I ran in them. So, they are literally rubbish. I think if funds are that tight they should make people aware the shirts are not suitable for running in. Grumbles over, I loved Leamington Spa, the race and all the people I met. It was a great way to spend a Sunday morning which I would highly recommend! … read more
Frequently asked questions
Can you enter on the day for the Leamington Spa Half Marathon?
Half Marathon entries close when the event reaches their limit. There is strictly NO entry on the day. … read moreHow old must entrants be to enter the Leamington Spa Half Marathon?
Runners must be aged 17 or over on race day to enter the Half Marathon.… read moreWhen will I receive my race number for the Leamington Spa Half Marathon?
Your chipped race number will be posted out to the address you registered upon entry approximately 1 week prior to the event. Registrations made within the last 3/4 weeks may not have their bib posted and will need to collect from the Event HQ from 6.30am on race morning (exact cut-off date TBC).… read moreRunning Events in the United Kingdom
Running Events in the United Kingdom
Route description
Route description
This traffic-free course starts in the heart of Leamington Spa at the Royal Pump Room Gardens.
The course heads south out of Leamington through scenic villages, passing farms and fields in the beautiful Warwickshire countryside before descending back into the town for a tour of Leamington’s stunning historic gardens and parks, where spectators will cheer you on to your finish in Mill Gardens.
The race itself was undulating and therefore a challenge if you are trying to run a PB. Organisation around start times was odd and still haven’t had results over 24hrs after race?!
I parked at St Peter's carpark a short walk from the pump room gardens where the race starts and finishes. There was music playing and a woman on stage had got loads of people doing a warmup. There were lots of toilets and the ques to use them were short and fast moving. The start was well organised and you were given plenty of instruction via the sounds system on where you needed to be. The race starts with a run through the streets, then heads out into the country side before returning to town to finish back where you started. The course was quite hilly in places and lots of people struggled. I am from the Cotswolds and my training routes have plenty of hills. So, I never found them a problem. But if this is your first half or your looking for a PB there are much easier courses than this one.There were people cheering you on all through town and out in the several villages you pass through. Kids had signs, people played music, some handed out sweets. One guy and his young daughter had even set up their own water station. Everyone was very freindly and there was a great family freindly atmosphere. At the finish the "Brownies" handed out an orange elephant shaped medal (Which was great) , a bottle of water and a banana. My only grumble is I wish I hadn't collected the cheap t-shirt. I have had some great t-shirts from races and I train in them until they are worn out. These t-shirts just tick the box. They are made of material which would chaffe if I ran in them. So, they are literally rubbish. I think if funds are that tight they should make people aware the shirts are not suitable for running in. Grumbles over, I loved Leamington Spa, the race and all the people I met. It was a great way to spend a Sunday morning which I would highly recommend!
My daughter and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. There was a great family atmosphere with awesome scenery throughout the route. Highly recommended!!
First organized half marathon I've done and everyone was so welcoming and the atmosphere was amazing. The course was rather hard though with all the hills, which I enjoyed but for a beginner that might not be ideal.
First review on here and first time doing this event. It was well organised, and as is standard now 'Covid secure'. LOVE that the main car park is just over the road to the gardens for those non-local. It's a shame there wasn't more of a village and stalls, but probably due to the pandemic etc.The route was good and challenging with some nice/horrible inclines! Medal was a bit different, but I did like the tshirt.OK. My gripes, hopefully the organisers will see this.The documentation sent out was very clear about no spectators. I told friends and family not to show for this reason. I turned up at 7:30 and the gardens were full of runners with friends and family there. Bit disappointing as I clearly could have had some support and ignored the rules, but I guess you can't man the town and close it off to the public.I entered last year with a time of sub 2 hours but put into the 3 hour wave - yes, I got into the queue early to set off sooner and saw many more of my wave way further ahead. I don't think this was checked so felt a bit of a free for all. I think the whiteboard at the race info tent needed updating!Toilets - maybe have some more next year? The queue for the loos were way past the queue to start the event!Water Station 1 - my biggest gripe...what the hell happened here??? No table, no marshalls, just a bundle of seemingly discarded bottles chucked on the floor. Did I miss the station and that was the 'dumping area'? Oh, no, the bins were 100m down the road....that collection of discarded bottles were actually fresh bottles for you to stop, crouch, and take away. Good luck finding a fully closed one and not an open one though. In a pandemic. The marshall over the road didn't know what was going on either. Personally, I could make it to the next station, but others may have been banking on that.Overall, a nice event and a good one to tick off the list. Not one to add to my yearly calendar, but good for the collection.
A really well organised event in these challenging times. Felt really safe, went off in waves and this meant that whilst running the runners were spread out. Absolutely loved the new route, lovely scenery and the marshals were so supportive. I did this race in 2019 and was really impressed with the organisation, medal and t-shirt, will definitely be back next year.
Loved this event. A great course and one I managed a PB on. Great organisation, easy to get to and a pleasant setting for the start/finish. I will definitely be doing this one again next year 😃
Lovely atmosphere, well organised, loved it.The Marshalls were excellent Thank you.Would do it again no problem.
Excellent all round event. Fantastic atmosphere, especially around the finish area. Great organisation and highly recommended 😀
Well organised with good vibes, big crowds and easily accessible. Lovely post run massage. Awesome way to spend a day!
This was my first year doing this and the course was really good, just enough the right amount of hills.....some would say too many! The atmosphere was amazing throughout the course and a special mention to all marshals! Organisation was brilliant too, although I would say that next year you have 3x the amount of loos.... having 11 toilets for over 1000 runners, means a very very very long queue.
I absolutely loved this event! The organisation was spot on, from receiving my race back in plenty of time to the huge number of marshalls on hand to help out. The route was beautiful and the crowd support incredible, even with the early start. The medal and t-shirt were great colours and an original design. There was a party like atmosphere at the finish and all runners were included in the hero’s welcome at the finish line.It’s now my favourite half marathon and - I’ve done quite a few.
A really well organised event, the race village was great, music, food, ice cream van 😀Went off dot on time. The route was hilly but the marshals and the support from the locals was great. Amazing medal also great t-shirt and goody bag, will definitely return next year.
Fantastic course, location and atmosphere. Really a lot of fun, with a perfect mix of urban, suburban and rural parts of the course. There’s just the right mix of ups and downs - nothing to steep but perfect to add variety. Town is very welcoming of runners, and there’s lots of support all throughout the course.
Fantastic atmosphere and course was almost perfect. It wasn’t a massive deal, but if we could avoid having to run back on ourselves and u-turn, that would be great. Other than that, I’ll almost certainly sign up for next year’s run.
Course was all but 5 stars- the end coming through the Jephson Gardens and Victoria Park was picturesque but it was too windy, I would have preferred a straighter route to the finish line. Other than that, absolutely greatNeed more toilets, huge queue- urinals for the men!
Great course and atmosphere at the race village but needed a lot more direction when finishing to get to medal/water etc, it was so busy and didn’t know where to go! Lovely medal and T-shirt though, great support on last 2 miles into Leamington
Ran the Leamington Spa Half Marathon with my daughter. It was undulating but the long, downhill stretches more than made up for this! The water stations were plentiful, start and finish were very well organised. Loved the elephant design medal and bright orange T Shirt (great fit too). Very well supported Ali g the route. Even a supporter asked for a selfie photo! Definitely worth a 2 hour drive to Leamington.Absolutely loved it.
Fantastic event,the organization was great, the course was very challenging the atmosphere was amazing with all the locals out cheering everyone on which is brilliant.
Living in Leamington I couldn’t miss the opportunity to run my most local half and I wasn’t disappointed! Fabulous organisation, clear marshalling and road blocks. Plenty of notice to local traffic of impending road closures in the week before the run. An undulating, interesting course with plenty of well managed water and gel stations ending with a fabulous medal and goody bag... will definitely be back next year, thank you 🙂
WF
Did the Half Marathon in 2019
What a lovely place with a tough, but scenic route with its fair share of hills. Lovely friendly event staff and brilliant pacers, particularly Delroy (2 hour pacer). The only improvements I would make are to have at least double the amount of portaloos and to not allow buggies, as I almost got taken out by one ramming in to the back of my legs!Other than that, it was great!
JU
Jonathon U4.3
Did the Half Marathon in 2019
Really liked the route that way round. Love the medal & t-shirt. My only complaint not enough toilets & they should have been in two groups avoiding the one long queue, missed warm up!
This was my first ever half marathon it was so well organised , had a great atmosphere and through some lovely villages. I’ll be back next year.
At the start I had to wait over 50 minutes to use the toilet. The water stations were poorly placed at the start of each hill it felt like. But I did feel like it was a lovely course and nice as a family day atmosphere, which is different on the running circuit.
Medal and race pack was good, course challenging but well organised. Removing the u turn by a small increase at the start would be an improvement.
My first half and it was great. Will be doing again next year! The event was ran really smoothly. One thing I noticed though was that there wasn’t enough toilets!
Well organised. 2 hr pacer did an excellent job. A couple of the hills were hard going. 🥴 apart from that great running route.
Great course built up of manageable sections, weather was perfect and the locals were out in force cheering you on and the event structure was very organised.Definitely recommend this Half Marathon
I think route could be improved. Having steep uphill and downhill sections on the second half wasn't good for me.
Atmosphere was great, huge increase in numbers from last year. Reversing the course was brilliant, I never would have realised what a difference it would make. The pacemaker for 2:30 was excellent, encouraging, engaging, positive and helpful. Thank you to everyone that made it work so well
Really Enjoyed the course nice countryside with no traffic. The first few miles are a steady slight incline but nothing you really notice and then long undulating country roads till you decend back into Leamington center. The organisation was well planned though the warmup lasted a little long and too near the race start time. Great support at all the barriers on the roads but a little quiet as its in the country for a lot of it. The Crowds at the end were great and moving through the park was nice end to the race. Will be back next year , Thanks Kevin
Well organised. Great course, quick but challenging.Urinals would help keep the toilet queue down.Will definitely be there next year
Enjoyed the course that way round. The only fault more toilets spread around so there isn’t one big toilet queue. Well organised, and love the medal & t-shirt.
Absolutely wonderful! I ran last year and this year, the route iwas much improved. Huge thank you to all the marshalls & Leamingtonians who were so encouraging and helpful along the way. The vibe at race HQ with the music was great! My little girls ran in the fun run and loved it too. Really well organised, a top event!
I thought the new route was slightly better although it does mean a few more inclines early on in the race. However I do feel the race would be complete if the route took runners down the parade through the town of Leamington to the finish line. Other than that, it was much better organised this year & a special thank you to all Marshall’s and volunteers who gave their time to help out. Looking forward to next years already.
DG
Daniel Gascoyne 5.0
Did the Half Marathon in 2019First marathon up hill was an absolute killer. community was absolutely fantastic great support. As a team we raised over £2000 for Samaritans
This was my first 1/2 marathon but after this one, it definitely won't be my last! Brilliant course with lots of support throughout. The route passed through the town centre and suburbs before heading out into the countryside. It was brilliant to see so many people in the villages coming out to support as well! The course was really laid out, it was a bit undulating but the downhills were definitely steeper than the uphills! The organisation was excellent and the activities in the park were perfect to keep my daughter entertained with her mum until we got back! Sign me up for next year!
Awesome! Really good course through pretty villages and countryside. A few hills thrown in for good measure! Lovely medal and nice finishers tee. Super support and great organisation. Loved it. Roll on 2020!
I would say that the run was largely a success. However, the toilet situation was ridiculous. After arriving at the venue with over an hour to go until the start time, I could not believe that the toilet queue was already across the whole site. I think I recall seeing only 13 toilets and couldn't see signposts for any others. This was largely frustrating. Also, the end was confusing as I didn't know where to go when crossing the finish line.
Terrific organised event, enjoyed the day so much. It was very clearly posted, particularly liked the mile countdown and the community coming out to cheer us on
I cannot fault anything. This was my first race and everything seemed very smooth and well organised to me!
Really nicely run event. Would have been ideal if mile markers had been made clearer as I didn't see a marker until mile 8.
Not enough toilets at the startLots of water and gelsWe’ll organisedMarshall’s were more interested in cheering than actually marshalling. At mile 3 an ambulance was trying to get past the runners & the marshalls didn’t make the runners aware of this. Happened again with another vehicle later in the course. As you came into the park there were lots of pedestrians walking across and also down the course including blocking the whole course across the width, no Marshall’s were telling pedestrians to watch their backs, in the last 1km runners don’t need to be dodging pedestrians
Nowhere near enough toilets at the start. Queued for 45mins. Some people still queuing as we set off.Plus side - great course, very picturesque and a nice 'race village' atmosphere. Brilliant medal!
Definitely need more toilets! The route was nice but I hoped we would see a bit more of leamington overall rather than just lanes
Overall, a very well organised event set in beautiful countryside. Marshals were great. My only criticism would be lack of toilets. You need at least three times as many. You could come to an agreement with local venues to provide loo facilities (Premier Inn for instance).
This was my first ever half marathon and it was absolutely amazing, thoroughly enjoyed it. It was so well organised and the medal is superb!
Great event. The course was really lovely and showcased the local countryside suberbly. Will defiently be back next year
A very well-organised race. Course is pretty tough - lot of uphills and running in July is never easy, but a good range of town and pretty countryside en route. Despite an early start, there was good support throughout the town. The elephant-shaped medal made it all worth it - gorgeous!
Unable to run due to last minute injury. However, the t&c's for the team half stated that you must give 1 months notice if you wish to defer your place!!!!!!
Fantastic event in the Warwickshire countryside, great organisation and great medal! Will definitely come back next year
Very well organised, lovely route and atmosphere. Amazing warm up and great massage afterwards, lovely medal and a T-shirt
Absolutely loved it ,well done to everyone involved,you well and truly smashed it , a few punishing hills but a fab route
Very well organised from before to after, and lots of amazing volunteers offering water and energy gels along the way. But yes, as expected, quite a few inclines! Great to have the pace marker guys; Mr 2hours 10 was very helpful and cheerful. But best of all was the local support!! So many people, families, kids etc. out to cheer us on, with an array of signs, sprinklers and sweeties!Well done to all involved.
PP
Pierre PLM5.0
Did the Half Marathon in 2019I had a bad run. That's my fault.. Now the organisation was very good baggage superb I found nearby free parking the course was fine.. The people watching deserve a great deal of credit therye support was second to none well done all round.. Thank you great value . Maybe more toilets next year I'll be back definitely
Amazing day really well organised the support on the course was great, there were issues last year but they were all resolved, the medal is amazing
Better organisation than last year and better temperatures but seem to be less support on route and felt less runners. Toilet queue horrendous at start but at least public loos open this year. Pa was not great even at front no one had any idea what was being said
Atmosphere and crowd participation was fantastic, weather was too hot but if you have a race in July that is to be expected. Forty minute delay was very disappointing, people who don't mind the heat will forgive that as it was the first event but not if it happens again. My son , daughter and myself all measured over 13.1 miles ( our sat navs had it 13.17 to 13.20 miles) this is not a complaint I just wondered if you are confident you measured the course exactly.
the race was delayed by nearly an hour which made the heat nearly unbearable during the long shadeless stretches. water was given in cups which is horrible as you can't carry it with you. but have to drink it on the spot. the first water station gave out water with a very weird lemony taste to it, without saying it maybe wasn't even water. the water stations with cups weren't great organised as people shouted last minute which side was water, which were sport drinks, but by then it was too late to get in lane. thankfully some visitors hosed us down so we stayed cool. the delay was a massive game changer causing lots of discomfort under the given (stable for weeks) weather conditions the race should have been cancelled. the delay caused parking fees as well.
4.565 reviews
Stunning scenery
Friendly atmosphere
Incredible crowds
Rate this event
Logistics and schedule
Schedule
07:00 - 08:15 Registration
08:30 - 09:30 Half Marathon Start Times
Do arrive in plenty of time as late arrivals will not be permitted to start, as the rolling road closures will be reopened progressively after the last runner.
Age Criteria
Runners must be aged 17 or over on race day to enter the Half Marathon.
Medical
Runner safety is our priority so you can rest assured that we will have qualified medics available to assist on the day, if required.
It is essential you write your emergency contacts details on the reverse of your race number along with any medical conditions. In the event of an emergency, it is essential we have this information to help you if needed. Please DO NOT RUN if you are not feeling well in the lead-up to the event.
Prizes
1st, 2nd & 3rd male and female winners' prize-giving will take place after all six runners have finished the race.
The prizes for the following categories will be handed out as the 1st-placed male and female winners finish:
- V40
- V50
- V60
How to get there
Royal Pump Room Gardens, Royal Leamington Spa, Leamington Spa CV32 4AA, UK
Get directionsThe exact start location will be available closer to the event date.
Frequently asked questions
Can you enter on the day for the Leamington Spa Half Marathon?
Half Marathon entries close when the event reaches their limit. There is strictly NO entry on the day. How old must entrants be to enter the Leamington Spa Half Marathon?
Runners must be aged 17 or over on race day to enter the Half Marathon.When will I receive my race number for the Leamington Spa Half Marathon?
Your chipped race number will be posted out to the address you registered upon entry approximately 1 week prior to the event. Registrations made within the last 3/4 weeks may not have their bib posted and will need to collect from the Event HQ from 6.30am on race morning (exact cut-off date TBC).Is there somewhere I can leave my bag during the Leamington Spa Half Marathon?
Unfortunately there will not be a secure bag drop at the event so please prepare accordingly. What is the Leamington Spa Half Marathon in support of?
This event raises money for Marathon Kids UK, who help aim to provide running and exercise opportunities for primary school children, both in school time and at weekends as well as school holidays. To find out more about their work please visit https://www.marathonkids.co.uk/Booking related questionsDo you have a question about bookings, cancellations, or refunds?
Half Marathon
8:30am Sun 11th Jul 2021
Route description
Route description
This traffic-free course starts in the heart of Leamington Spa at the Royal Pump Room Gardens.
The course heads south out of Leamington through scenic villages, passing farms and fields in the beautiful Warwickshire countryside before descending back into the town for a tour of Leamington’s stunning historic gardens and parks, where spectators will cheer you on to your finish in Mill Gardens.
The race itself was undulating and therefore a challenge if you are trying to run a PB. Organisation around start times was odd and still haven’t had results over 24hrs after race?!
I parked at St Peter's carpark a short walk from the pump room gardens where the race starts and finishes. There was music playing and a woman on stage had got loads of people doing a warmup. There were lots of toilets and the ques to use them were short and fast moving. The start was well organised and you were given plenty of instruction via the sounds system on where you needed to be. The race starts with a run through the streets, then heads out into the country side before returning to town to finish back where you started. The course was quite hilly in places and lots of people struggled. I am from the Cotswolds and my training routes have plenty of hills. So, I never found them a problem. But if this is your first half or your looking for a PB there are much easier courses than this one.There were people cheering you on all through town and out in the several villages you pass through. Kids had signs, people played music, some handed out sweets. One guy and his young daughter had even set up their own water station. Everyone was very freindly and there was a great family freindly atmosphere. At the finish the "Brownies" handed out an orange elephant shaped medal (Which was great) , a bottle of water and a banana. My only grumble is I wish I hadn't collected the cheap t-shirt. I have had some great t-shirts from races and I train in them until they are worn out. These t-shirts just tick the box. They are made of material which would chaffe if I ran in them. So, they are literally rubbish. I think if funds are that tight they should make people aware the shirts are not suitable for running in. Grumbles over, I loved Leamington Spa, the race and all the people I met. It was a great way to spend a Sunday morning which I would highly recommend!
My daughter and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. There was a great family atmosphere with awesome scenery throughout the route. Highly recommended!!
First organized half marathon I've done and everyone was so welcoming and the atmosphere was amazing. The course was rather hard though with all the hills, which I enjoyed but for a beginner that might not be ideal.
First review on here and first time doing this event. It was well organised, and as is standard now 'Covid secure'. LOVE that the main car park is just over the road to the gardens for those non-local. It's a shame there wasn't more of a village and stalls, but probably due to the pandemic etc.The route was good and challenging with some nice/horrible inclines! Medal was a bit different, but I did like the tshirt.OK. My gripes, hopefully the organisers will see this.The documentation sent out was very clear about no spectators. I told friends and family not to show for this reason. I turned up at 7:30 and the gardens were full of runners with friends and family there. Bit disappointing as I clearly could have had some support and ignored the rules, but I guess you can't man the town and close it off to the public.I entered last year with a time of sub 2 hours but put into the 3 hour wave - yes, I got into the queue early to set off sooner and saw many more of my wave way further ahead. I don't think this was checked so felt a bit of a free for all. I think the whiteboard at the race info tent needed updating!Toilets - maybe have some more next year? The queue for the loos were way past the queue to start the event!Water Station 1 - my biggest gripe...what the hell happened here??? No table, no marshalls, just a bundle of seemingly discarded bottles chucked on the floor. Did I miss the station and that was the 'dumping area'? Oh, no, the bins were 100m down the road....that collection of discarded bottles were actually fresh bottles for you to stop, crouch, and take away. Good luck finding a fully closed one and not an open one though. In a pandemic. The marshall over the road didn't know what was going on either. Personally, I could make it to the next station, but others may have been banking on that.Overall, a nice event and a good one to tick off the list. Not one to add to my yearly calendar, but good for the collection.
A really well organised event in these challenging times. Felt really safe, went off in waves and this meant that whilst running the runners were spread out. Absolutely loved the new route, lovely scenery and the marshals were so supportive. I did this race in 2019 and was really impressed with the organisation, medal and t-shirt, will definitely be back next year.
Loved this event. A great course and one I managed a PB on. Great organisation, easy to get to and a pleasant setting for the start/finish. I will definitely be doing this one again next year 😃
Lovely atmosphere, well organised, loved it.The Marshalls were excellent Thank you.Would do it again no problem.
Excellent all round event. Fantastic atmosphere, especially around the finish area. Great organisation and highly recommended 😀
Well organised with good vibes, big crowds and easily accessible. Lovely post run massage. Awesome way to spend a day!
This was my first year doing this and the course was really good, just enough the right amount of hills.....some would say too many! The atmosphere was amazing throughout the course and a special mention to all marshals! Organisation was brilliant too, although I would say that next year you have 3x the amount of loos.... having 11 toilets for over 1000 runners, means a very very very long queue.
I absolutely loved this event! The organisation was spot on, from receiving my race back in plenty of time to the huge number of marshalls on hand to help out. The route was beautiful and the crowd support incredible, even with the early start. The medal and t-shirt were great colours and an original design. There was a party like atmosphere at the finish and all runners were included in the hero’s welcome at the finish line.It’s now my favourite half marathon and - I’ve done quite a few.
A really well organised event, the race village was great, music, food, ice cream van 😀Went off dot on time. The route was hilly but the marshals and the support from the locals was great. Amazing medal also great t-shirt and goody bag, will definitely return next year.
Fantastic course, location and atmosphere. Really a lot of fun, with a perfect mix of urban, suburban and rural parts of the course. There’s just the right mix of ups and downs - nothing to steep but perfect to add variety. Town is very welcoming of runners, and there’s lots of support all throughout the course.
Fantastic atmosphere and course was almost perfect. It wasn’t a massive deal, but if we could avoid having to run back on ourselves and u-turn, that would be great. Other than that, I’ll almost certainly sign up for next year’s run.
Course was all but 5 stars- the end coming through the Jephson Gardens and Victoria Park was picturesque but it was too windy, I would have preferred a straighter route to the finish line. Other than that, absolutely greatNeed more toilets, huge queue- urinals for the men!
Great course and atmosphere at the race village but needed a lot more direction when finishing to get to medal/water etc, it was so busy and didn’t know where to go! Lovely medal and T-shirt though, great support on last 2 miles into Leamington
Ran the Leamington Spa Half Marathon with my daughter. It was undulating but the long, downhill stretches more than made up for this! The water stations were plentiful, start and finish were very well organised. Loved the elephant design medal and bright orange T Shirt (great fit too). Very well supported Ali g the route. Even a supporter asked for a selfie photo! Definitely worth a 2 hour drive to Leamington.Absolutely loved it.
Fantastic event,the organization was great, the course was very challenging the atmosphere was amazing with all the locals out cheering everyone on which is brilliant.
Living in Leamington I couldn’t miss the opportunity to run my most local half and I wasn’t disappointed! Fabulous organisation, clear marshalling and road blocks. Plenty of notice to local traffic of impending road closures in the week before the run. An undulating, interesting course with plenty of well managed water and gel stations ending with a fabulous medal and goody bag... will definitely be back next year, thank you 🙂
WF
Did the Half Marathon in 2019
What a lovely place with a tough, but scenic route with its fair share of hills. Lovely friendly event staff and brilliant pacers, particularly Delroy (2 hour pacer). The only improvements I would make are to have at least double the amount of portaloos and to not allow buggies, as I almost got taken out by one ramming in to the back of my legs!Other than that, it was great!
JU
Jonathon U4.3
Did the Half Marathon in 2019Really liked the route that way round. Love the medal & t-shirt. My only complaint not enough toilets & they should have been in two groups avoiding the one long queue, missed warm up!
This was my first ever half marathon it was so well organised , had a great atmosphere and through some lovely villages. I’ll be back next year.
At the start I had to wait over 50 minutes to use the toilet. The water stations were poorly placed at the start of each hill it felt like. But I did feel like it was a lovely course and nice as a family day atmosphere, which is different on the running circuit.
Medal and race pack was good, course challenging but well organised. Removing the u turn by a small increase at the start would be an improvement.
My first half and it was great. Will be doing again next year! The event was ran really smoothly. One thing I noticed though was that there wasn’t enough toilets!
Well organised. 2 hr pacer did an excellent job. A couple of the hills were hard going. 🥴 apart from that great running route.
Great course built up of manageable sections, weather was perfect and the locals were out in force cheering you on and the event structure was very organised.Definitely recommend this Half Marathon
I think route could be improved. Having steep uphill and downhill sections on the second half wasn't good for me.
Atmosphere was great, huge increase in numbers from last year. Reversing the course was brilliant, I never would have realised what a difference it would make. The pacemaker for 2:30 was excellent, encouraging, engaging, positive and helpful. Thank you to everyone that made it work so well
Really Enjoyed the course nice countryside with no traffic. The first few miles are a steady slight incline but nothing you really notice and then long undulating country roads till you decend back into Leamington center. The organisation was well planned though the warmup lasted a little long and too near the race start time. Great support at all the barriers on the roads but a little quiet as its in the country for a lot of it. The Crowds at the end were great and moving through the park was nice end to the race. Will be back next year , Thanks Kevin
Well organised. Great course, quick but challenging.Urinals would help keep the toilet queue down.Will definitely be there next year
Enjoyed the course that way round. The only fault more toilets spread around so there isn’t one big toilet queue. Well organised, and love the medal & t-shirt.
Absolutely wonderful! I ran last year and this year, the route iwas much improved. Huge thank you to all the marshalls & Leamingtonians who were so encouraging and helpful along the way. The vibe at race HQ with the music was great! My little girls ran in the fun run and loved it too. Really well organised, a top event!
I thought the new route was slightly better although it does mean a few more inclines early on in the race. However I do feel the race would be complete if the route took runners down the parade through the town of Leamington to the finish line. Other than that, it was much better organised this year & a special thank you to all Marshall’s and volunteers who gave their time to help out. Looking forward to next years already.
DG
Daniel Gascoyne 5.0
Did the Half Marathon in 2019First marathon up hill was an absolute killer. community was absolutely fantastic great support. As a team we raised over £2000 for Samaritans
This was my first 1/2 marathon but after this one, it definitely won't be my last! Brilliant course with lots of support throughout. The route passed through the town centre and suburbs before heading out into the countryside. It was brilliant to see so many people in the villages coming out to support as well! The course was really laid out, it was a bit undulating but the downhills were definitely steeper than the uphills! The organisation was excellent and the activities in the park were perfect to keep my daughter entertained with her mum until we got back! Sign me up for next year!
Awesome! Really good course through pretty villages and countryside. A few hills thrown in for good measure! Lovely medal and nice finishers tee. Super support and great organisation. Loved it. Roll on 2020!
I would say that the run was largely a success. However, the toilet situation was ridiculous. After arriving at the venue with over an hour to go until the start time, I could not believe that the toilet queue was already across the whole site. I think I recall seeing only 13 toilets and couldn't see signposts for any others. This was largely frustrating. Also, the end was confusing as I didn't know where to go when crossing the finish line.
Terrific organised event, enjoyed the day so much. It was very clearly posted, particularly liked the mile countdown and the community coming out to cheer us on
I cannot fault anything. This was my first race and everything seemed very smooth and well organised to me!
Really nicely run event. Would have been ideal if mile markers had been made clearer as I didn't see a marker until mile 8.
Not enough toilets at the startLots of water and gelsWe’ll organisedMarshall’s were more interested in cheering than actually marshalling. At mile 3 an ambulance was trying to get past the runners & the marshalls didn’t make the runners aware of this. Happened again with another vehicle later in the course. As you came into the park there were lots of pedestrians walking across and also down the course including blocking the whole course across the width, no Marshall’s were telling pedestrians to watch their backs, in the last 1km runners don’t need to be dodging pedestrians
Nowhere near enough toilets at the start. Queued for 45mins. Some people still queuing as we set off.Plus side - great course, very picturesque and a nice 'race village' atmosphere. Brilliant medal!
Definitely need more toilets! The route was nice but I hoped we would see a bit more of leamington overall rather than just lanes
Overall, a very well organised event set in beautiful countryside. Marshals were great. My only criticism would be lack of toilets. You need at least three times as many. You could come to an agreement with local venues to provide loo facilities (Premier Inn for instance).
This was my first ever half marathon and it was absolutely amazing, thoroughly enjoyed it. It was so well organised and the medal is superb!
Great event. The course was really lovely and showcased the local countryside suberbly. Will defiently be back next year
A very well-organised race. Course is pretty tough - lot of uphills and running in July is never easy, but a good range of town and pretty countryside en route. Despite an early start, there was good support throughout the town. The elephant-shaped medal made it all worth it - gorgeous!
Unable to run due to last minute injury. However, the t&c's for the team half stated that you must give 1 months notice if you wish to defer your place!!!!!!
Fantastic event in the Warwickshire countryside, great organisation and great medal! Will definitely come back next year
Very well organised, lovely route and atmosphere. Amazing warm up and great massage afterwards, lovely medal and a T-shirt
Absolutely loved it ,well done to everyone involved,you well and truly smashed it , a few punishing hills but a fab route
Very well organised from before to after, and lots of amazing volunteers offering water and energy gels along the way. But yes, as expected, quite a few inclines! Great to have the pace marker guys; Mr 2hours 10 was very helpful and cheerful. But best of all was the local support!! So many people, families, kids etc. out to cheer us on, with an array of signs, sprinklers and sweeties!Well done to all involved.
PP
Pierre PLM5.0
Did the Half Marathon in 2019I had a bad run. That's my fault.. Now the organisation was very good baggage superb I found nearby free parking the course was fine.. The people watching deserve a great deal of credit therye support was second to none well done all round.. Thank you great value . Maybe more toilets next year I'll be back definitely
Amazing day really well organised the support on the course was great, there were issues last year but they were all resolved, the medal is amazing
Better organisation than last year and better temperatures but seem to be less support on route and felt less runners. Toilet queue horrendous at start but at least public loos open this year. Pa was not great even at front no one had any idea what was being said
Atmosphere and crowd participation was fantastic, weather was too hot but if you have a race in July that is to be expected. Forty minute delay was very disappointing, people who don't mind the heat will forgive that as it was the first event but not if it happens again. My son , daughter and myself all measured over 13.1 miles ( our sat navs had it 13.17 to 13.20 miles) this is not a complaint I just wondered if you are confident you measured the course exactly.
the race was delayed by nearly an hour which made the heat nearly unbearable during the long shadeless stretches. water was given in cups which is horrible as you can't carry it with you. but have to drink it on the spot. the first water station gave out water with a very weird lemony taste to it, without saying it maybe wasn't even water. the water stations with cups weren't great organised as people shouted last minute which side was water, which were sport drinks, but by then it was too late to get in lane. thankfully some visitors hosed us down so we stayed cool. the delay was a massive game changer causing lots of discomfort under the given (stable for weeks) weather conditions the race should have been cancelled. the delay caused parking fees as well.
4.565 reviews
Stunning scenery
Friendly atmosphere
Incredible crowds
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Logistics and schedule
Schedule
07:00 - 08:15 Registration
08:30 - 09:30 Half Marathon Start Times
Do arrive in plenty of time as late arrivals will not be permitted to start, as the rolling road closures will be reopened progressively after the last runner.
Age Criteria
Runners must be aged 17 or over on race day to enter the Half Marathon.
Medical
Runner safety is our priority so you can rest assured that we will have qualified medics available to assist on the day, if required.
It is essential you write your emergency contacts details on the reverse of your race number along with any medical conditions. In the event of an emergency, it is essential we have this information to help you if needed. Please DO NOT RUN if you are not feeling well in the lead-up to the event.
Prizes
1st, 2nd & 3rd male and female winners' prize-giving will take place after all six runners have finished the race.
The prizes for the following categories will be handed out as the 1st-placed male and female winners finish:
- V40
- V50
- V60
How to get there
Royal Pump Room Gardens, Royal Leamington Spa, Leamington Spa CV32 4AA, UK
Get directionsThe exact start location will be available closer to the event date.
Frequently asked questions
Can you enter on the day for the Leamington Spa Half Marathon?
Half Marathon entries close when the event reaches their limit. There is strictly NO entry on the day. How old must entrants be to enter the Leamington Spa Half Marathon?
Runners must be aged 17 or over on race day to enter the Half Marathon.When will I receive my race number for the Leamington Spa Half Marathon?
Your chipped race number will be posted out to the address you registered upon entry approximately 1 week prior to the event. Registrations made within the last 3/4 weeks may not have their bib posted and will need to collect from the Event HQ from 6.30am on race morning (exact cut-off date TBC).Is there somewhere I can leave my bag during the Leamington Spa Half Marathon?
Unfortunately there will not be a secure bag drop at the event so please prepare accordingly. What is the Leamington Spa Half Marathon in support of?
This event raises money for Marathon Kids UK, who help aim to provide running and exercise opportunities for primary school children, both in school time and at weekends as well as school holidays. To find out more about their work please visit https://www.marathonkids.co.uk/Booking related questionsDo you have a question about bookings, cancellations, or refunds?
Half Marathon
8:30am Sun 11th Jul 2021