Thames Meander Marathon & Half – Summer
Event summary
Push yourself to new limits with the Thames Meander half or full marathon. Perfect for first-time marathoners or veterans alike, the out and back course takes you right along the scenic Thames Path. Sign up now for the chance to record a PB or for the bespoke finisher's medal.
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Your organiser
Organised Race Events In Surrey & Kent. These include the Thames Meander (Kingston-upon-Thames) Surrey, Magna Carta (Runnymede) Surrey, North Downs Way (Reigate) Surrey and the Bewl Water (Lamberhurst) Kent. All of the races are geared up towards both the novice runner, as well as the more experienced veteran runners.
Volunteer
We’re always looking for volunteers to help make these events epic.
Find out moreHow to enter
Tickets available until Fri Aug 06 2021
What's included:
- Lovely Thames Meander finisher's medal
- Winners’ trophies for the 1st, 2nd & 3rd Male / Female runners for each event.
- R & R free race certificate with personalised chip time.
- Sports Action Photography, option to purchase some lovely photo’s at £4.95 each.
- 5 Well stocked Aid Stations with Tailwind, Chia Charge bars, jelly babies, crisps, bananas, pretzels, coca-cola, fruit cordial and water.
- Free on-site parking at the race HQ on a first come first served basis.
- Cue Medical professional medical support through the race for all runners.
Marathon
10:00am Sat 7th Aug 2021
Run 26.2mi
£42.00
Half Marathon
10:00am Sat 7th Aug 2021
Run 13.1mi
£34.00
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What people think
4.234 reviews
Stunning scenery
Family friendly
Helpful volunteers
This was my first ever marathon and I enjoyed it immensely. The army cadets were surprisingly encouraging and I loved the route. In the half marathons I've done the distances the aid/water station are at are usually displayed/prominent before the race/in emails - maybe I missed that information but would be v nice to have available (ignore if it was!). The race photographs are quite heavily half marathon focused, and don't cover any of the marathon finishers - obviously a very minor critique. Thanks for putting on a great race!… read more
Frequently asked questions
What is the time limit for the half / full marathon?
The time limit for the half marathon course is 6hrs and 6.5hrs for the marathon course.… read moreAre there onsite changing facilities, showers & toilets?
The race YMCA HQ has adequate changing facilities for both male / female runners. In addition there will be shower facilities for runners wanting to freshen up post-race. Additionally, there will be portaloos while you are out on the course.… read moreWhere are the aid stations based along the route?
- Station 1 YMCA HQ start / finish - Station 2 Petersham fields - Station 3 Kew Gardens car park (half marathon turnaround) - Station 4 Barnes Bridge (marathon runners only) - Station 5 Barn Elms Boat Club (marathon turnaround point) *Additional marshals will be positioned at Canbury Gardens (far side) for the marathon turning point and just past the Boaters Arms Public House for the half marathon turning point.… read moreRunning Events in the United Kingdom
Running Events in the United Kingdom
Route description
Route description
Marathon Route:
This flat, scenic riverside trail starts and finishes at the YMCA Hawker Centre HQ. Starting on the far side of the meandering Thames Path by Canbury Gardens, and returning past the HQ. The whole time along the Thames Path trail, you will go as far a the Barn Elms Rowing Club turnaround point, before running towards your final turnaround point past HQ to the far side of Canbury Gardens, and finally returning to the finish at the YMCA HQ.
Half Marathon Route:
Although following a similar scenic route statting and finishing at the YMCA Hawker Centre HQ, this course starts in the opposite direction. Start by meandering along the Thames Path to the first turnaround point at the Kew Gardens car park, up to the next point just past the Boaters Inn Pub, and to the final turnaround point which takes you back to the finish a the YMCA HQ.
Course Markings/Signage:
Both routes will be very well marked, with both Hermes Running yellow/black chevron fixed directional signage and 'Caution Runner' yellow/black signage on the Lower Ham Road section of the course. The whole course will be well marshalled and checkpoints will be well-stocked.
Decent event for my first marathon however the course wasn’t very well marshalled, a lot the signs had fallen over and ended up going the wrong way at one point.
This was my first ever marathon and I enjoyed it immensely. The army cadets were surprisingly encouraging and I loved the route. In the half marathons I've done the distances the aid/water station are at are usually displayed/prominent before the race/in emails - maybe I missed that information but would be v nice to have available (ignore if it was!). The race photographs are quite heavily half marathon focused, and don't cover any of the marathon finishers - obviously a very minor critique. Thanks for putting on a great race!
it was a great course with definite PB potential (which i manage to get!). great day out, well organised, great support!
Excellent event, well planned and organised. Great out and back course, superb great support from organisers, marshals and pit-stop crews.
Was holidaying in London and decided to do this HM over the weekend, great scenic run around the Thames River
Great race, my main request for future would be that the half marathon does the 1 mile out & back at the start rather than the finish!
A nice scenic run (along the thames, of course), unfortunately a lack of experienced marshalls and unclear turning points made it seem unprofessional. Witnessed marathon runners turning at the half marathon turn point - and therefore not running the entire race distance and jeopardising the results - due to young marshalls not taking their role seriously. Also wooden medal felt more like short-change than fun novelty.
Having just run the Thames Meander race, its great to have such a route.However I felt slightly disappointed by the shower facilities. In an email from the organisers it was said that showers were available, so after the race I located the showers as advised by the staff in the YMCA. The showers which were not marked as male/ female were being used by men. No showers for the females. I therefore had to pay £7.50 to use ones in the YMCA. It’s not fair that men should get the showers for free and women should have to pay. I thought we had progressed in fairness and men and women were being treated the same, i was left with the impression this was certainly not the case here.
I really enjoyed the Thames Meander, beautiful course with lovely scenery and great flat route for enjoyable running. I would say the half marathon course could have done with a couple of extra water stations. Also I didn’t love the use of so many single use plastic cups especially on such a windy day so close to the river (definitely saw some blowing away towards the river), think you should encourage people to bring their own water packs/camelbaks to minimise the use of plastic cups. Or ask people to pay an extra couple of pounds each and get paper cups! Otherwise amazing event - will be back in November!
Generally a great race, but three issues:- I didn't understand the total ban on headphones. Many people were wearing them without any problem. If this is a safety issue, why do many races allow them?- The lack of any distance markers (eg, 5km, 10km, etc) was not ideal.- The safety briefing was totally inaudible to most of the crowd.
Not enough drink stationsPeople at the drink stations handed out a sip of water, not enoughCourse isn’t in good condition
Love the new-style environmentally-friendly medal, I have far too many useless lumps of metal at home! The course is lovely but it's a shame it doesn't go a couple of km further downstream and then avoid having to repeat the start loop; painful to arrive back at the finish area and realise you haven't finished yet. Easy access by train and then the 65 bus (better than driving). And thanks to the cadets!
What a great surprise - a wonderful scenic riverside trail half marathon. Hope it's going to grow!
A nice route along the thames but disappointed that there were no distance markers during the route.
This was my very first half marathon. I really enjoyed the course - scenic across the Thames River - and pretty flat, which made it great for beginners. However, it is a very local race, and as the route is right along the river, there isn't really any crowd support except at the finish line. A few notes for improvement - a) briefing at the start was difficult to hear anything b) consider changing the course at the end, as you pass the finish line and then realise you still have 3 miles to go c) I found the rules around not being able to use headphones a bit strict d) should add port-a-loos at the start of the raceOtherwise, great race!
CS
Caroline S4.0
Did the Half Marathon in 2019The atmosphere and crowd were great! Really friendly environment and everyone in good spirits. The course however bottlenecks at the start, causing a very slow start, so it's not a great course for a PB. Secondly, the finish line is extremely confusing. You have to run past the finish line for a further 2 miles. If most people are like me and start to sprint toward the finish line, you use up all of you're remaining energy only to realise you still have a bit more running to go.The medal is a very nice design made from wood.
This was my first time running Thames Meander half. The race was well organised, very welcoming atmosphere from both organisers and other runners. Pre-race communication was excellent, and the course along the Thames has not disappointed. It is a very good event to join. I think there is couple of things that could be improved: 1. more toilets - if event is to grow in needs sufficient facilities; 2. I found race briefing inaudible, despite being close to start line; 3. for new people in the race it would be good to see couple of distance markers.Otherwise this was enjoyable event. Big shout to cadets, they've done a great job supporting runners.
Good old fashioned trail race. think everyone had a tough day with the wind and some rain but was a really friendly atmosphere (much more chilled than other events like this) and first wooden engraved medal I've won!!
It was a great first half marathon however there weren't enough portaloos at the start. Also the finish line was very close to the track so it was confusing when you got there with 3km to go
Good overall for a small no-nonsense local race on a flat course. Will definitely recommend it. The medal can be better though.
Good race lots of friendly volunteers and supporters. Got to be careful as some potholes etc but that’s part of the fun I guess. Would run again
finish area needs to be changed. So confusing. Everyone really friendly though! Wind and rain didn’t dampen spirits!!
Definitely good for beginners because it was such a flat course, I got a little confused with the route at point but overall an amazing first Marathon
AS
Did the Half Marathon in 2019
It was bloody hard because of the wind but very relaxed and chilled out - not too many strict rules and a really friendly atmosphere!
The finish area was a bit confusing but it was a good race in hard conditions!!! Really like the medal
Delightful run for experienced runners and beginners, well-organised with wonderful volunteers. Highly recommended for future runners and be part of the amazing cheers.
Really good, water stations were great, maybe could have changed the course so that we didn’t run past the finish for the last switchback, but the event was very well organised. I’ll be back!
The course is cool and chill with shadow. Well organised and nice people arouns the event. Cool soilder volunteers who cheered us up a lot!
PA wasn’t loud enough to hear over the wind but otherwise very well organised. Lovely course for my first half Marathon
Perfect experience for my first half marathon. Awesome organisation! Will definitely be coming back!
This was my first ever running race, and I loved it! The course was a very beautiful trail along the River Thames, the organisation of the start was good. No issues with bag drop or bib collection. There was a long queue for the toilets before the race, but that seems pretty standard at these things. Good spacing of water points and good communication via email in the week leading up to the race. Not a huge crowd of spectators along the route, but the locals who were out certainly cheer you on. I'd highly recommend this for someone who is looking for a scenic, flat trail run in London - I'll definitely be signing up again next year!
4.234 reviews
Stunning scenery
Family friendly
Helpful volunteers
Rate this event
Logistics and schedule
Schedule:
0730: Registration opens
1000: Marathon starts
1030: Half-marathon
NB: There is a 10 minute pre-race briefing which will be mandatory.
Please arrive at least 45 minutes before the scheduled race start to ensure there is sufficient time to complete the registration process.
How to get there
YMCA Hawker, Lower Ham Rd, Kingston upon Thames KT2 5BH, UK
Get directionsAddress: YMCA Hawker, Lower Ham Rd, Kingston upon Thames KT2 5BH, UK
Car: There are no parking spaces for runners at the YMCA HQ, so you will need to go straight to the Seven Kings Carpark, Sury Basin,Kingston Upon Thames, KT2 5ND this is a multi story car-park and from here you can walk along the Thames Path from Kingston Bridge, through Canbury Gardens to the YMCA HQ and it’s literally a 1 mile walk.
There is an allocated car park at the YMCA Hawker Centre, Lower Ham Road, Kingston, KT2 5BH here parking will be on a first come first served basis as there are only 120 spaces.
Train: The nearest stations are Kingston which is around a 25-30 min walk.
Frequently asked questions
What is the time limit for the half / full marathon?
The time limit for the half marathon course is 6hrs and 6.5hrs for the marathon course.Are there onsite changing facilities, showers & toilets?
The race YMCA HQ has adequate changing facilities for both male / female runners. In addition there will be shower facilities for runners wanting to freshen up post-race.
Additionally, there will be portaloos while you are out on the course.Where are the aid stations based along the route?
- Station 1 YMCA HQ start / finish
- Station 2 Petersham fields
- Station 3 Kew Gardens car park (half marathon turnaround)
- Station 4 Barnes Bridge (marathon runners only)
- Station 5 Barn Elms Boat Club (marathon turnaround point)
*Additional marshals will be positioned at Canbury Gardens (far side) for the marathon turning point and just past the Boaters Arms Public House for the half marathon turning point.Where do I discard my litter?
There will be plastic pop-up bins provided at all the Aid Stations for your water cups / gel sachets to be discarded. The marshals will take any litter from you too, so please just keep it until you get to a marshal, or use the bins provided.Will the course be chip timed?
Chip Timing will be provided by Chris Mills from Race Director Chip Timing. You will be issued with your race number containing your electronic timing chip which is at the back of the race bib Registration on the day. Booking related questionsDo you have a question about bookings, cancellations, or refunds?
Marathon
10:00am Sat 7th Aug 2021
£42.00
Half Marathon
10:00am Sat 7th Aug 2021
£34.00
Interested in volunteering at this event?
Organisers are always looking for an extra pair of hands and there are plenty of roles to fill!
Complete this short form and the organiser will be in touch.
By submitting, you’re accepting that we’ll pass your details onto the event organiser. We won’t pass your details onto anyone else.
Route description
Route description
Marathon Route:
This flat, scenic riverside trail starts and finishes at the YMCA Hawker Centre HQ. Starting on the far side of the meandering Thames Path by Canbury Gardens, and returning past the HQ. The whole time along the Thames Path trail, you will go as far a the Barn Elms Rowing Club turnaround point, before running towards your final turnaround point past HQ to the far side of Canbury Gardens, and finally returning to the finish at the YMCA HQ.
Half Marathon Route:
Although following a similar scenic route statting and finishing at the YMCA Hawker Centre HQ, this course starts in the opposite direction. Start by meandering along the Thames Path to the first turnaround point at the Kew Gardens car park, up to the next point just past the Boaters Inn Pub, and to the final turnaround point which takes you back to the finish a the YMCA HQ.
Course Markings/Signage:
Both routes will be very well marked, with both Hermes Running yellow/black chevron fixed directional signage and 'Caution Runner' yellow/black signage on the Lower Ham Road section of the course. The whole course will be well marshalled and checkpoints will be well-stocked.
Decent event for my first marathon however the course wasn’t very well marshalled, a lot the signs had fallen over and ended up going the wrong way at one point.
This was my first ever marathon and I enjoyed it immensely. The army cadets were surprisingly encouraging and I loved the route. In the half marathons I've done the distances the aid/water station are at are usually displayed/prominent before the race/in emails - maybe I missed that information but would be v nice to have available (ignore if it was!). The race photographs are quite heavily half marathon focused, and don't cover any of the marathon finishers - obviously a very minor critique. Thanks for putting on a great race!
it was a great course with definite PB potential (which i manage to get!). great day out, well organised, great support!
Excellent event, well planned and organised. Great out and back course, superb great support from organisers, marshals and pit-stop crews.
Was holidaying in London and decided to do this HM over the weekend, great scenic run around the Thames River
Great race, my main request for future would be that the half marathon does the 1 mile out & back at the start rather than the finish!
A nice scenic run (along the thames, of course), unfortunately a lack of experienced marshalls and unclear turning points made it seem unprofessional. Witnessed marathon runners turning at the half marathon turn point - and therefore not running the entire race distance and jeopardising the results - due to young marshalls not taking their role seriously. Also wooden medal felt more like short-change than fun novelty.
Having just run the Thames Meander race, its great to have such a route.However I felt slightly disappointed by the shower facilities. In an email from the organisers it was said that showers were available, so after the race I located the showers as advised by the staff in the YMCA. The showers which were not marked as male/ female were being used by men. No showers for the females. I therefore had to pay £7.50 to use ones in the YMCA. It’s not fair that men should get the showers for free and women should have to pay. I thought we had progressed in fairness and men and women were being treated the same, i was left with the impression this was certainly not the case here.
I really enjoyed the Thames Meander, beautiful course with lovely scenery and great flat route for enjoyable running. I would say the half marathon course could have done with a couple of extra water stations. Also I didn’t love the use of so many single use plastic cups especially on such a windy day so close to the river (definitely saw some blowing away towards the river), think you should encourage people to bring their own water packs/camelbaks to minimise the use of plastic cups. Or ask people to pay an extra couple of pounds each and get paper cups! Otherwise amazing event - will be back in November!
Generally a great race, but three issues:- I didn't understand the total ban on headphones. Many people were wearing them without any problem. If this is a safety issue, why do many races allow them?- The lack of any distance markers (eg, 5km, 10km, etc) was not ideal.- The safety briefing was totally inaudible to most of the crowd.
Not enough drink stationsPeople at the drink stations handed out a sip of water, not enoughCourse isn’t in good condition
Love the new-style environmentally-friendly medal, I have far too many useless lumps of metal at home! The course is lovely but it's a shame it doesn't go a couple of km further downstream and then avoid having to repeat the start loop; painful to arrive back at the finish area and realise you haven't finished yet. Easy access by train and then the 65 bus (better than driving). And thanks to the cadets!
What a great surprise - a wonderful scenic riverside trail half marathon. Hope it's going to grow!
A nice route along the thames but disappointed that there were no distance markers during the route.
This was my very first half marathon. I really enjoyed the course - scenic across the Thames River - and pretty flat, which made it great for beginners. However, it is a very local race, and as the route is right along the river, there isn't really any crowd support except at the finish line. A few notes for improvement - a) briefing at the start was difficult to hear anything b) consider changing the course at the end, as you pass the finish line and then realise you still have 3 miles to go c) I found the rules around not being able to use headphones a bit strict d) should add port-a-loos at the start of the raceOtherwise, great race!
CS
Caroline S4.0
Did the Half Marathon in 2019The atmosphere and crowd were great! Really friendly environment and everyone in good spirits. The course however bottlenecks at the start, causing a very slow start, so it's not a great course for a PB. Secondly, the finish line is extremely confusing. You have to run past the finish line for a further 2 miles. If most people are like me and start to sprint toward the finish line, you use up all of you're remaining energy only to realise you still have a bit more running to go.The medal is a very nice design made from wood.
This was my first time running Thames Meander half. The race was well organised, very welcoming atmosphere from both organisers and other runners. Pre-race communication was excellent, and the course along the Thames has not disappointed. It is a very good event to join. I think there is couple of things that could be improved: 1. more toilets - if event is to grow in needs sufficient facilities; 2. I found race briefing inaudible, despite being close to start line; 3. for new people in the race it would be good to see couple of distance markers.Otherwise this was enjoyable event. Big shout to cadets, they've done a great job supporting runners.
Good old fashioned trail race. think everyone had a tough day with the wind and some rain but was a really friendly atmosphere (much more chilled than other events like this) and first wooden engraved medal I've won!!
It was a great first half marathon however there weren't enough portaloos at the start. Also the finish line was very close to the track so it was confusing when you got there with 3km to go
Good overall for a small no-nonsense local race on a flat course. Will definitely recommend it. The medal can be better though.
Good race lots of friendly volunteers and supporters. Got to be careful as some potholes etc but that’s part of the fun I guess. Would run again
finish area needs to be changed. So confusing. Everyone really friendly though! Wind and rain didn’t dampen spirits!!
Definitely good for beginners because it was such a flat course, I got a little confused with the route at point but overall an amazing first Marathon
AS
Did the Half Marathon in 2019
It was bloody hard because of the wind but very relaxed and chilled out - not too many strict rules and a really friendly atmosphere!
The finish area was a bit confusing but it was a good race in hard conditions!!! Really like the medal
Delightful run for experienced runners and beginners, well-organised with wonderful volunteers. Highly recommended for future runners and be part of the amazing cheers.
Really good, water stations were great, maybe could have changed the course so that we didn’t run past the finish for the last switchback, but the event was very well organised. I’ll be back!
The course is cool and chill with shadow. Well organised and nice people arouns the event. Cool soilder volunteers who cheered us up a lot!
PA wasn’t loud enough to hear over the wind but otherwise very well organised. Lovely course for my first half Marathon
Perfect experience for my first half marathon. Awesome organisation! Will definitely be coming back!
This was my first ever running race, and I loved it! The course was a very beautiful trail along the River Thames, the organisation of the start was good. No issues with bag drop or bib collection. There was a long queue for the toilets before the race, but that seems pretty standard at these things. Good spacing of water points and good communication via email in the week leading up to the race. Not a huge crowd of spectators along the route, but the locals who were out certainly cheer you on. I'd highly recommend this for someone who is looking for a scenic, flat trail run in London - I'll definitely be signing up again next year!
4.234 reviews
Stunning scenery
Family friendly
Helpful volunteers
Rate this event
Logistics and schedule
Schedule:
0730: Registration opens
1000: Marathon starts
1030: Half-marathon
NB: There is a 10 minute pre-race briefing which will be mandatory.
Please arrive at least 45 minutes before the scheduled race start to ensure there is sufficient time to complete the registration process.
How to get there
YMCA Hawker, Lower Ham Rd, Kingston upon Thames KT2 5BH, UK
Get directionsAddress: YMCA Hawker, Lower Ham Rd, Kingston upon Thames KT2 5BH, UK
Car: There are no parking spaces for runners at the YMCA HQ, so you will need to go straight to the Seven Kings Carpark, Sury Basin,Kingston Upon Thames, KT2 5ND this is a multi story car-park and from here you can walk along the Thames Path from Kingston Bridge, through Canbury Gardens to the YMCA HQ and it’s literally a 1 mile walk.
There is an allocated car park at the YMCA Hawker Centre, Lower Ham Road, Kingston, KT2 5BH here parking will be on a first come first served basis as there are only 120 spaces.
Train: The nearest stations are Kingston which is around a 25-30 min walk.
Frequently asked questions
What is the time limit for the half / full marathon?
The time limit for the half marathon course is 6hrs and 6.5hrs for the marathon course.Are there onsite changing facilities, showers & toilets?
The race YMCA HQ has adequate changing facilities for both male / female runners. In addition there will be shower facilities for runners wanting to freshen up post-race.
Additionally, there will be portaloos while you are out on the course.Where are the aid stations based along the route?
- Station 1 YMCA HQ start / finish
- Station 2 Petersham fields
- Station 3 Kew Gardens car park (half marathon turnaround)
- Station 4 Barnes Bridge (marathon runners only)
- Station 5 Barn Elms Boat Club (marathon turnaround point)
*Additional marshals will be positioned at Canbury Gardens (far side) for the marathon turning point and just past the Boaters Arms Public House for the half marathon turning point.Where do I discard my litter?
There will be plastic pop-up bins provided at all the Aid Stations for your water cups / gel sachets to be discarded. The marshals will take any litter from you too, so please just keep it until you get to a marshal, or use the bins provided.Will the course be chip timed?
Chip Timing will be provided by Chris Mills from Race Director Chip Timing. You will be issued with your race number containing your electronic timing chip which is at the back of the race bib Registration on the day. Booking related questionsDo you have a question about bookings, cancellations, or refunds?
Marathon
10:00am Sat 7th Aug 2021
£42.00
Half Marathon
10:00am Sat 7th Aug 2021
£34.00
Interested in volunteering at this event?
Organisers are always looking for an extra pair of hands and there are plenty of roles to fill!
Complete this short form and the organiser will be in touch.
By submitting, you’re accepting that we’ll pass your details onto the event organiser. We won’t pass your details onto anyone else.