Bath Running Festival

University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY

The race is based at the University of Bath, in the amphitheatre, a lovely circular seating area cut into the grass by the lake. Follow the Relish Running signs to event registration and the start/finish point.

Bath has excellent transport links. Bath Spa train station is on the main line between Bristol and London, Bristol Airport is about an hour away and the City is close to the M4 motorway. The best ways to get to campus from the city centre are by bus, cycling or walking.

There is free parking on Sundays.

All our finishers receive a custom medal as well as a buffet of fresh fruit and other tasty treats.

At present all our starts are individual, at 15-30 second intervals. Runners are generally seeded fastest to slowest to help spread people out across the course. The only exception is that a pair from the same household may run together on the basis that you run the whole event together and that you run in single file, not side by side.

All runners need to provide a predicted finish time to help us organise the start lists. This doesn't need to be too exact so don't worry if you think it might have changed come race day. If you wish to run as a household pair, or in the same wave of 30 when that is permitted, please select the same slightly obscure predicted finish time. Rather then selecting 50mins 0secs, select 50mins 1 sec for example.

We hope to shortly be able to offer waves of 30 runners starting every 10-15mins. These will be mixed ability waves. In time we hope to be able to get back to our usual wave size which is ~100 runners.

The Bath Run Festival 10km follows the Skyline 10km route, but hopefully with much less mud! It is a two lap course which stays on the hill tops, offering great views of Bath from the iconic Sham Castle, as well as over to Little Solsbury Hill and Bannerdown Hill, where the other races will head. There is a great mix of terrain: open meadows, single-track way and winding forest trails. The course is rolling, with a few hills, but nothing too extreme.

Follow the red arrows and green distance markers for a two lap run around the hill tops over looking Bath. The course is gently rolling and comes in almost exactly on 10km.

Follow the orange distance markers to the 14.5 mile point (where the marathon U turn point is, and Half Marathon goes straight on), and then pick up the blue distance markers to the finish.

This course takes in 3 significant hills - some of toughest in Bath - where the bulk of the 1,215ft of climbing will take place: the original Roman Fosse Way (first purple section - straight up!), down into St Catherine's Valley and up a lane which locals assure me was once a road (second purple section), a little climb up to Little Solsbury Hill at 13km, before a final climb back up to Sham Castle at the end of the course. At the top of each of the hills, beautiful views await, each offering a unique aspect of Bath and the surrounding valleys. This generously long half marathon course, has a suitably lengthy amount of climbing, with an elevation gain of 675m (2215ft) over 26km.

Feed Stations - The Very Long Half Marathon & Marathon

We are no longer offering bottled water at the drinks stations in an effort to reduce plastic waste. There will of course be biodegradable cups on offer for you at the drinks stations as well as water containers to refill your own water bottle at every drinks station.

We pride ourselves on offering some of the best feed stations you will find at any race! The Half Marathon will have 7 Feed Station passes and the Marathon will have 11 Feed Stations passed. On offer to quench your thirst and fuel your legs will be: water, isotonic drink, flat coke (marathon only), oranges, bananas, chocolate, jelly beans, flapjack, crisps and malt loaf. All this will be on offer at the end of all the events, with plenty of food available for everyone to have their fill!

We aim to make it possible to complete the course without carrying your hydration support or food on the course, for those experienced runners who are looking for a fast time. For the inexperienced long distance runners, we strongly recommend that you carry your own fluid and food as a back up and to keep you going between Feed Stations as these are very challenging courses. In extreme circumstances, we reserve the right to make it mandatory for all half marathon and marathon competitors to carry 500ml of water with them.

Cut Offs

There is a 3hrs cut off for the first 14.5 miles of the Marathon. This will be strictly enforced with no exceptions. If you do not make the cut off you will be asked to head up to the University to complete the Very Long Half Marathon course.

Lap Counting

Marathon Runners must grab a band at the Feed Station on the Canal. This is to ensure that all marathon runners complete the full distance. The finish line team will be checking all marathon runners so make sure you take a band at the aid station.

Health & Safety

Please read the Safety Advisory Notes below. Please note that we are not closing any roads for this event. Road crossings are marshalled and we recommend you follow their instructions - they do not have the power to stop traffic. The final decision to cross a road is the athlete's responsibility. We are expecting it to be hot again but please don't turn the event into a duathlon by jumping into the river or canal to cool off!

This event is not suitable for canicross.

There are no hidden booking or processing fees. Please note prices are £2 extra for on the day registrations.

Further event Information...coming two weeks from race day

Follow the orange distance markers for this (nearly) two lap course.

The Bath Run Festival Marathon Route is (almost) two laps of the Half Marathon Route, but we thought we would spare you doing the climb up to Sham Castle for a second time (and it would make the route 50km, which is a 'long' course, even for us!).

The Bath Marathon is a very hilly affair indeed. Runners follow the half marathon course as described above, but make a U turn after 14.5miles on the Kennet & Avon Canal, to tackle Bannerdown and Little Solsbury hills for a second time, before completing this epic run up North Road after 38 hilly kms. This accurate off road marathon course has 3,350ft (over 1,000m!) of climbing.