Thames Meander Summer | Marathon

Race briefing

There will be a 10 minute Health and Safety briefing that will take place before the start of the half marathon and marathon, so please get to the start in time to attend.

Kit list

Mandatory items:

• Hydration pack or waist pack - minimum 500ml
• Cap
• Sunglasses
• Screen block
   

Road shoes

Road shoes are definitely recommended for this course as 80% of it is run along asphalt paths and the rest on very hard packed dirt trails, so you can easily run this in road shoes or hybrid trail shoes.

Event HQ

Petersham and Ham Sea Scouts
Meadow Close
Richmond
Greater London
TW10 7AH
UK

Overview

2 laps of the half marathon route; starting at the Petersham and Ham Sea Cadets HQ heading out along the Thames Path to opposite the Barnes Sports Club Check Point 3 (the turnaround point) and back.

Map

Surface

The majority of the course 99% is flat. The conditions are weather dependent though it’s mainly a firm running surface. Road shoes are recommended. The turnaround point for the half and marathon at the Isleworth Eyot will also be very well marshaled.

Checkpoints

Please ensure that you move out of the way of fellow runners if you stop to re-fuel to avoid any congestion occurring at the check points and please pay particular attention to marshals on the route, especially at the turnaround point. 

• CP1 Start /Finish Petersham and Ham Sea Scouts HQ, Petersham Road, Richmond, TW10 7AH (KLP Medics) 
• CP2 Kew Gardens Car Park, Ferry Lane, TW9 3AG
• CP3 Thames Path (opp) Barnes Sports Club, Lonsdale Rd, SW13 9Q 

Cut off

The time limit for the marathon course is 6.5hrs.

Headphones

Runners should use the UKA Approved 'Aftershokz' over-ear bone conducting earphones so you can hear what is going on around you at all times, and to be courteous to fellow runners and all other pedestrians / cyclists using the Thames Towpath. If you run using any form of over or in earphones as per the terms and conditions, you do so at entirely your own liability risk. Please be very mindful of the public using the trails too - if you are caught being rude to anyone you will be disqualified from future events.

Qualifying race

The race is fully TRA, ARC and UKA permitted and professionally chip timed.

In this respect it has all the necessary indemnifications in place required for this to be officially recognised as a pre-qualification event for the Comrades Ultra Marathon (South Africa) and 2 Oceans Ultra Marathon (South Africa).

This is not an officially measured course and cannot be used as a London Marathon Good For Age qualification time. 

Runners are encouraged to bring a refillable hydration pack or waist pack.

Included

• Bespoke Thames Meander race medal
• OneTime chip timing with results published directly after each event staging
• KLP Medical Supplies (First Aid Support) throughout the race
• Well stocked check points supplying High 5 gels / bars, Blue Fuel electrolytes, fruit cordial and water
• Well-marshaled run-route

Optional extra

• Photography by Gareth Parker Photography - £10 per photograph
• Professional Sports Massage Therapy by LA Sports Massage - £12 for 10 mins

Prizes

Winners’ Awards for the 1st, 2nd & 3rd Male / Female runners for each event.

Entry fees

An absolute stunning location with great facilities to prepare for a marathon. A very well organised event and a very friendly Race Crew. Thank you for a lovely few hours on the Thames. I shall return. Heather

Beautiful views of the River Thames on an easy to navigate, two lap out and back, flat course. Small, friendly event with plenty of encouragement from the other runners at the turn around points. Well stocked, frequent aid stations. Range of participants from first timers to 100 marathon club runners and suitable for all. Fun, well organised events that I will be sure to run again. Jackie