Half Marathons in Oxford

From the organiser

Reviews

• A

  Adrian S

  Did the 10k in 2018

  Nice flat fast course great for my first 10k

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• C

  Chris g

  Did the 5k in 2018

  It was exactly as advertised, flat and fast

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• S

  Sally A

  Did the Half Marathon in 2018

  It's hot, very little shade, nice and flat, so bring sun cream.Bring music if your running alone as the 2nd lap once the 10 and 5k have finished it's quite lonely.It's was my 1st 1/2 marathon.

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From the organiser

Reviews

• M

  Mike H

  Did the Half Marathon in 2018

  Beautiful course but lacks proper signage and insufficient marshals throughout the route. More facilities needed at the start/finish.

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• A

  Amie F

  Did the Half Marathon in 2018

  Beautiful course, highly recommend. Lacked basic organisation though. Timing chip wasn't as per the information we'd been given, PA system didn't work so 10k and half marathon runners didn't know where they needed to be (started in different places). Started 15 minutes late so needed to use the loo by the time we set off. Lead rider tried to give brief to runners but didn't even have a loud haler (even park run can do that!). Water stops not well manned, people queuing for water and stewards kept putting their hands into the bucket to get the water out, not very hygenic. Very few Marshalls out on route (only a couple) and route very badly signed; at 10 miles lots of runners got lost as there was just one arrow pointed across a few fields but no path across and no clear exit. Relying on following other runners but can't tell if they are going wrong. Race distance also came up short.Feel the organisers cash in on the location but much better planning needed.

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• N

  Nathan R

  Did the 10k in 2018

  the route , as no marshalls present or directions on the course !

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From the organiser

From the organiser

Reviews

• A

  Andrew D

  Did the Half Marathon in 2016

  Flat and fast - great for PBs!

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• J

  John M

  Did the Half Marathon in 2016

  This is a fast course with PB potential. It is well organised, with a handy bag drop and somewhere to hang out inside pre-race. The course itself is two loops but gives a decent balance of town and countryside. It's well supported in the town.

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• N

  Neil L

  Did the Half Marathon in 2013

  Race was great - managed to hit the 7:40 pace I wanted even though it rained and RAINED from 8am till the end... Loved the event and would do it again (will check weather next time!)

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From the organiser

From the organiser

Reviews

• L

  Lucy J

  Did the Half Marathon in 2016

  I love a small race event, the atmosphere is so friendly, the organisation might not be quite up to the standard of the huge races, but that’s often what makes them all the more endearing.

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• J

  James S

  Did the Half Marathon in 2015

  A fantastic race. It could not be faulted. Excellent course, marshalls so friendly and supportive, the whole atmosphere was out of this world. Certainly a race I would do again and recommend. Thanks for such a nice medal and t-shirt. Well done everyone. One of the best races I have done in the 30 years I have been running.

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• P

  Paul F

  Did the Half Marathon in 2015

  It was an absolutely cracking run. Great value for money, excellent course and scenery. Great atmosphere, brilliant marshaling.

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From the organiser

From the organiser

Reviews

• R

  Did the event in 2018

  This is part of the Purple Patch Running Series, and I signed up for this series as part of the 10k races.  Heyford Airbase is a disused World War 2 and Cold War Airfield, it has a lot of history.  It's a bit out of the way, but close to Bicester (Oxford) and Sat Nav takes you there without a problem.As with all Purple Patch Events, you collect your race number on the day.  So I arrived early and went about getting warmed up after collecting my number.  With this being an Airfield and winds can be a bit gusty at times. Our briefing was complete and lets us know of where the splits would be, for the 5k race, the 10k race and the Half Marathon race, which all went off at the same time.  Families turned out to cheer on their loved ones, and they also had 2 junior races which set off and finished before we started.As I was running the 10k, we were told it was just 1 loop of the airfield and back to the finish line.  All went according to plan, but as with Stockley Park last month, I would like to have had bottles of water instead of a 1/3 of a plastic cup.  Nothing stopping you from having more cups if you wished though.Once finished you get a bottle of water, a packet of haribos and your finishers medal, which is always RAF based and is a nice shiny bit of bling.  Sadly no t-shirt for the runners, not like Stockley Park and the upcoming Spire Bushey Races.I would encourage anyone wanting to run a flat smooth Half Marathon, without the distractions of paths, to take a view on this one for next year.There was a coffee wagon selling cans of drinks also and tea, and sweets, but no food stalls as like Stockley Park and Spire Bushey and also Blue Iron Reading race.I do like the course, but being an airfield you do not have any members of the public giving you a cheer.

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• R

  Did the event in 2017

  This was my first half marathon, the course is on an airbase. It is a very flat two laps course. The HM, 10k and 5k all start together, so at the end of the first lap you can suddenly find yourself a little lonely. There wasn't a t shirt and the medal was a generic one with nothing about the date or distance travelled. All in all a great race for an experienced runner but those who would want something a little more special for their first may find themselves a little disappointed with the mementos.

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From the organiser

From the organiser

From the organiser

From the organiser

From the organiser

Reviews

• R

  Did the event in 2018

  I had just completed the MK Half and was looking for local race to keep my running momentum going.I had been recommended the Buckingham Half by a friend who completed it in 2017 and thought that this would be a good way to follow on.I believe that the race is in its second year and was a little smaller than some of the other events I have attended, but I liked that feel.I arrived early at the local rugby club, there was plenty of space to park. I collected my race number and timing chip with no queuing or stress. The timing chip attached to the ankle, something that is not used before but was not an issue. Loos were readily available here with short queues.After a short walk (approx 5mins) I was at the start line. Loads of runners were there warming up, milling about, with energising music playing in the background.After a short race brief we were off. The race starts with a short run around the field and then we were off to the sounds of cheering, clapping and words of encouragement.The weather was hot (26/27 ish).  The course is run in the road and takes you through the picturesque villages of Buckingham which is absolutely stunning. The course is undulating, and when I say undulating i mean undulating, steep inclines and declines it seemed to me unforgiving and never ending!The marshalls were fantastic and the route despite being out in the sticks was littered with spectators full of support, kind words, treats and the occasional welcomed super soaker. Water stations were well placed and stocked.When I eventually reached the finish (and there were points that i didnt think that possible) i was welcomed by a cheering crowd that pushed me over the line.The medal was great and the tea and cake at the finish were fantastic a welcome change from the banana and sports bar.All in all a challenging course, but also a very enjoyable one too. I'll definately be back next year and ready to take it on again.

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• R

  Did the event in 2017

  To see what the course is like check out my race GoPro Video https://youtu.be/PUgd67TsJDAThe webpage for this event was hosted on the Stowe & Buckingham Running Club website & was locally organised to raise money for two local charities. Online registration was quick & simple. Parking was available at the Buckingham Rugby Club where race registration took place & you collected your race bib & timing chip on the day from here, with toilets available. It was a short 3 minute walk to the start in a park/field at the local scouts hut. The walk was well sign posted.At the scout hut was more toilets & the baggage drop area which was indoors & supervised. The race began on the field & had an inflatable start gantry with chip timing. The course was a really beautiful & scenic country lanes run with aid stations at roughly 3, 6, & 10 miles giving out bottled water & haribo, really well stocked. You'll see from the video how scenic, well marshalled & signposted it is.the finish line had live music & commentary with runners names being announced as they finished & the medal was a quality bespoke medal not a cheap generic one which really impressed me for an inaugural event.free tea, coffee & cake was available at the scout hut after the race, donated by the local Womens Institute. At the start of the race it was announced £5,000 had been raised for the two charities from race proceeds.all in all a really nice event well worth doing.

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• R

  Did the event in 2017

  From the easy online registration to the free tea and cake at the end, this new event to the race calendar through the beautiful Buckinghamshire countryside was fantastically well put together. The race director was so keen to ensure that there were enough marshalls and helpers for the day that he even stopped the members of Buckingham & Stowe running club from taking part! Their enthusiasm was evident around the course and the numbers made sure that navigation was easy out on the country roads.The race HQ at the local rugby club just a short 5 minute walk from the start worked well, with toilets both here and at the start (they may need more as the event gets bigger but worked fine on the day), with the baggage drop right next to the start area making life easy.The race started on time with the lap around the field allowing the runners to spread out before hitting the road. The route itself is undulating to say the least and a real challenge to any standard of runner. There were marshalls at many stages along the route and were easily identifiable at all key junctions. The 3 water stations were well placed and well manned at 3, 6 & 10 miles with the boxes of haribos a nice touch (bottles with sports caps would be better for a runner that can't drink propoerly unless he stops, but understand that this adds costs). The inflatable finish gantry was a welcome site and it was great to receive a high quality and unique race medal. The finishers were greeted with more haribos and there was plenty of water available but the best part was a room full of free cake and hot drinks for all runners. This has to be a must for all races I attend going forwrd!!I spoke to the race adjudicator and he was very impressed at how well this event had run for a first time. I can only echo this sentiment and I am really looking forward to running it again in the future and seeing how it grows.

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From the organiser

From the organiser

From the organiser

Reviews

• R

  Did the event in 2018

  If you’re looking for a flat fast half, this is not you’re race but sign up anyway because the scenery, atmosphere and challenge of this course is something that you’ll not regret. The added bonus of having your beautifully engraved glass in the beer tent at the end is the icing on the cake.

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• R

  Did the event in 2018

  I have ran the half marathon twice (2017 & 2018). It's great trail race - Demanding and beautiful at the same time. A very friendly atmosphere, wonderful marshals, and the organisation was brilliant. I'll be back in 2019, possibly for the full marathon this time.

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• R

  Did the event in 2018

  A challenging marathon but definitely worth it for the scenery. Well organised, friendly and great value. Will certainly be doing it again.

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From the organiser

Reviews

• R

  Did the event in 2018

  This was an ok race. Any future competitors please be aware there is a spectator entry fee if you want to see someone start and finish. We paid £23.40 for 1 adult and child. We were told we wouldn’t be allowed to the start area unless we paid. We would of never raced if we knew how much we’d have to pay. Better races nearby that don’t charge to start on the start line.

  
  Organiser replied:

  Thank you for getting in touch regarding our Blenheim Palace Half Marathon, around spectator fees. Unfortunately the spectator entry fees into the venue are set by Blenheim Palace to maintain the historic house and its grounds and we have no influence over those fees. The ticket gives you access to the Formal Gardens, 2000 acres of parkland and the Pleasure Garden and can be upgraded to give you full access to the house. We appreciate this cost to support a loved one can seem excessive, so we have worked with Blenheim Palace over the years to offer a discounted ticket that can be bought online prior to the event. We are sorry to hear you felt the entrance fee was a hidden cost as we do all we can to publicise the spectator tickets through the Blenheim Palace Half Marathon and 10K webpages and social media. We also highlight the option of signing up to 2K Fun Run as an alternative, cheaper option that still offers access to the Palace grounds. However in light of your feedback we will review how we can better communicate information regarding spectator fees in future. We’re really sorry if this charge may have put a dampener on your day, we do value the support of our runners and their families who create such an incredible atmosphere on event day, and ensure our life-saving research can continue. With warm wishes

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• R

  Did the event in 2017

  Nice enough race - lots of climbs - not flat at all. Not the best medal at the end but good surrounds to run in. If the race is local give it a go. They let the 10k runners go just as the main bulk of HM runners were approaching final 2km - awful decision basically ended up walking the last section when trying for a final push.

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• R

  Did the event in 2017

  Registration: I signed up about 2 weeks before the event and had no problems, race pack arrived promptly about 5 or 6 day before the event. Arrival: Blenheim is always busy at the weekends so is worth allowing plenty of extra time to cue to get in and then park up. Positives: Blenheim is a beautiful place to run around, the course is challenging with a few decent hills to push up yet still offering an excellent even running surface. The support from other Blenheim visitors was nice and I thought the atmosphere was excellent. The finish of the race is spectacular as you cross the bridge and sprint towards the palace with a lot of support cheering you on. A lovely way to spend a morning.Water station at 5k was good and I thought the course marshalls all around were excellent and very encouraging. There was also a free tech t shirt which you don't always get these days. I didn't bother getting one as I never use them but plenty of people did. Negatives: The start pen was an undeniable problem. It was far too small for that amount of runners. There was a huge cue for portaloos (although no cue for the inside loos which weren't sign posted sadly) and by the time I got back the pen was completely full. I could see pacers for 70 minutes a long way ahead which was concerning bearing in mind I wanted to do it about 20 minutes faster than that. This meant that for the first 2 miles there was A LOT of bobbing and weaving and not just by me, I'd say 50% of the people I started with all were pushing to get further up the field. This was made worse by the fact that the path was about as wide as a single track road. It was tricky but after about a mile and a half I seemed to be with a group doing similar pace and we started to overtake people less frequently. Although not a huge problem it was annoying and could have simply been solved with more pre race organisation and proper time pens rather than everyone mixing in together.The medal was undoubtedly a bit cheap too, shame it makes no mention of the event it was from but worse things have happened.Also worth noting that on Strava it only came out at 9.8 or 9.9km. Overall I definitely don't feel as cheated as the other 2 reviewers here. It was a lovely race with beautiful surroundings. It's a bit congested and could benefit from better organisation but overall a very pleasant run. Not a good one for the bling hunters and if I were to run again (which I may well do) I would just ensure I got there much earlier and got to a more sensible place in the start pen (or maybe just in it at all). No problems parking or getting out afterwards. All very smooth for me.

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From the organiser

Reviews

• R

  Did the event in 2015

  2015 was the 3rd time I've done this race and I don't really know why I haven't done it since as I've really enjoyed it each time.There is plenty of local support from the villages you pass through including one fantastic lady dishing out callippo's at around 9 miles.Compton Verney is every bit as beautiful as the race organisers promise and the last 250 metres when you make your way back onto the ground is one of the loveliest race finsihes I've done.The hill at 11.5 miles is brutal on a sunny day but a small price to pay for such a great little half marathon.

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From the organiser

Reviews

• R

  Did the event in 2018

  I did the 10k...the half is basically two laps instead of one. Total value for money race, great medal, nice tee, but best of all friendly and well organised. Closed roads, hard tracks wending through countryside mostly under canopies of trees around the Beeches. Parking, excellent marshalling, and simple but effective organisation... slight loss of marks because everyone didn't get the size of tee they wanted (reckon this will be sorted next time around). Sold out this year and people have already booked for next which gives a very good indication of what this race was like. Yes there are a few hills, including some that sneak up on you when you least expect, but it's a nice course!

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• R

  Did the event in 2018

  This is a very easy to follow 10k (the half is a second lap of the same route)around the woodland paths and closed roads of Burnham Beeches. Bit of a walk from the car park so get there early but the start area is well set out with lots of loos and a good bag drop.  The 10k starts on road, again a walk from the race village but once off, it’s up and down a hilly set of shaded roads. The first 8k feels quite downhill (although elevation profile how’s otherwise) and there are then 2 sharp uphills at the end so save your energy!Great marshalling from Burnham Joggers and a great medal/T shirt at the end plus cereal bar and crisps

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• R

  Did the event in 2018

  Friendly race. Well organised. Nice medal and decent technical top I'll actually wear!I was a bit disappointed that most of the race was on roads but that was clear from the website and map at a closer look- I just didn't read the info properly.I didn't bring my headphones as the pre-race email was clear you'd be disqualified if you wore them. This didn't seem to be enforced which was slightly annoying as I missed mine! Shame some fellow runners dropped empty gel packages round the course. Maybe you could amend the rules and people have to return with three bits of rubbish to finish? All in all a great race though and I'll probably be back next year.

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From the organiser

Reviews

• C

  Constantine L

  Did the Middle in 2017

  I loved this race. The course was beautiful (helped by the amazing weather) and it was just the right distance for me. I didn't even notice the km's go by as I was just enjoying the landscape and negotiating the varying terrain. The organisers were brilliant, and the goodies at the end went down a storm, especially the beer.

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• S

  Sam B

  Did the Long in 2017

  Stunning race - got lost and went on the long rather than the middle but that just made it more enjoyable. Loved all the canicross runners and just such a great vibe to the day

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• D

  Danny B

  Did the Long in 2017

  Such a great course and so lovely to have two distances so everyone can have a bit of fun!

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From the organiser

Reviews

• R

  Did the event in 2018

  I ran this race last year but loved it so much I came back again this year. My review will not change. It is an outstanding race from start to finish. Beautiful course, tough hills but amazing Marshalls and support. Organisation at the start was spot on as was all of the organisation. The cheering and singing up one of the tough hills was brilliant and made me smile as did the sign "sweat is fat crying!" That one pushed me a bit more!! Totally brilliant race all the way around with a lovely down hill finish, "what goes up, must come down" . I look forward to completing this race for a third time next year!

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• R

  Did the event in 2018

  A very well organised race. A great atmosphere. Hills??? What hills??? 😂😂😂😂

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• R

  Did the event in 2018

  Change to the start of this race - we were on the bridge leading to the High street rather than in the park, which was a definite improvement and stopped the bottleneck from previous events.
  This is a tough run. 4 uphill inclines getting steadily steeper with each one. But you really don’t care thanks to the amazing Marshalling, gorgeous views and the two mile downhill at the end! This gets better each year, the Handy Cross nuns always raise a smile and the support is fantastic. For a really challenging but enjoyable race, with a long sleeve t shirt at the end, look no further!

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From the organiser

From the organiser

From the organiser