Run Leicester Festival 2024

Half Marathon
The Run Leicester Half Marathon is our flagship event and will see thousands of runners take on the 13.1 mile distance. With roads closed for the duration of the event and plenty of entertainment to keep your legs moving, runners will have Leicester’s city streets all to themselves. Our much-loved half marathon route will start and finish at Victoria Park. To start, runners will head through the city and out along Leicester’s golden mile, before looping back in via Watermead Park and Abbey Park, after which we take in more of the city’s iconic landmarks before the final push up the idyllic New Walk, all the way to the finish line.

10K
Starting and finishing at Victoria Park, the Run Leicester 10k will follow the Half Marathon route up the Golden Mile as far as Loughborough Road, before passing The National Space Centre and the beautiful Abbey Park. Running back through the heart of the city centre with entertainment to keep you going you’ll face one last hill up the idyllic New Walk, all the way to the finish line.

Your entry fee includes your participation, postage of your race bib (if you live in the UK and register no later than one week before the event), as well as your hard-earned medal for when you cross that finish line. High quality souvenir technical race t-shirts produced by Scimitar are an optional extra which you can order when you register to collect on the day

Both the 10k and the Half Marathon will start at 9:15am on Sunday 13th October.

The Run Leicester Half is open to anyone and everyone over the age of 17, whilst the Run Leicester 10k is open to everyone over 15 years old

What is Run Leicester? The Run Leicester Festival is a complete re-invention of the original Leicester Marathon, Half Marathon and Relay Events with a renewed focus on creating a fantastic race atmosphere for all. Expect entertainment to keep you going all around a much-loved route and more support than ever before. In 2024 we are delighted to be offering both a Half Marathon and 10K race, both on the same day.

When will the event take place? We’re delighted to confirm that Run Leicester will be going ahead on Sunday 13th October 2024. Once again, we will be focusing our efforts on giving you all the best Leicester Half Marathon and 10k experience ever with plenty of entertainment to keep you going all the way to the finish line!
The expected start time for the race is 9:15am tbc.

Will there be a marathon event this year? Sadly we have decided not to host our full 26.2 mile distance event for at least the next couple of years, instead focusing our efforts on giving you all the absolute best Leicester Half Marathon experience ever. In its place we are excited to build on the success of our first ever Run Leicester 10K which took place for the first time in 2022, alongside our flagship Half Marathon.

Where is the race arena? The race arena, start and finish line are all based in Victoria Park, Leicester, LE1 7RU. Parking is available nearby and Leicester Train Station is but a 15 minute walk away.

When will I receive my race pack? Almost all runners will have their race packs posted out two weeks before the event. This will contain your bib number (with chip attached), along with all final details for the event. Any late entrants or international runners will need to collect their race packs. Collection is generally available between 11:00am – 3:00pm the day before the race as well as on the morning of the event from the race registration desk on Victoria Park.

Can I enter the race on the day? Unfortunately not. Online registration will close at midnight on Wednesday 9th October 2024 and there will be no registration on the day.
I deferred my place from last year – how do I claim this? Anyone that has deferred their place from last year’s event will automatically be registered for the event this year. Please check your email for your confirmation of deferral which was sent out on 18/10/2023. If you have moved house since originally registering please let us know, or your race pack will be posted to the wrong address.

What happens if I get injured during training or am unable to run on the day? If you are unable to run and would like to defer your place until next year then you can do so by sending us an email to [email protected]. Deferrals are available up until Friday 13th September 2024 and no deferrals will be accepted after this date. The one exception to this being if you test positive for COVID-19 and can provide evidence of this, in which case we will accept a deferral request beyond 13th September 2024, but only in these circumstances.
Alternatively you have also have the option of transferring your place to another runner at any time right up until Sunday 6th October 2024. You can do this by logging into your Results Base profile online and changing the owner of your place. For more details on how to transfer your place to another runner please see here.
Please note if you are transferring a place towards the end August or later then your race pack may already have been printed and ready to be posted. In this case you will need to arrange to pass your race pack onto the new runner, or collect a replacement from us as detailed above.

What facilities are available in the Race Arena? You will be able to deposit bags in our free bag drop facility on the day. Please note that we cannot take any responsibility for valuables left with us. There will be a changing area on the park as well as toilets on-site. Race registration for any lost packs will open approximately an hour and a half before the race. Post-race physio is generally available along with numerous hot and cold food and drink vendors on-site.

What additional COVID-19 measures are you intending to put in place? We will continue to monitor any external factors that might affect the event, including the COVID-19 pandemic. As it stands events are running as normal and currently we see no reason why this shouldn’t be the case come 13th October 2024. We absolutely want to make sure that everyone is kept safe at this event and as such if you are showing symptoms we politely ask that you do not attend and contact us so that we can arrange a deferral for you.
As a licensed UKA race we will be following all guidelines laid out by UK Athletics along with government recommendations as and when they are updated. Should the situation change between now and 13th October 2024 we will communicate any changes closer to the time.

What should I do with my race number? Race numbers must only be worn by the person who has registered for the event, and should only be pinned to the front of your top.

Are there water stations and toilets on route? Water stations are provided approximately every 3 miles on the Half Marathon route. On the 10K route there is just one water stop located around 6km into the race in Abbey Park. Water is served in cups for both races. Toilets are located at the start and finish, and for the Half Marathon runners there will also be some additional toilets approx. 6 miles in.

I am coming by car will there be plenty of parking? There is event parking available at selected University car parks, payable either to the car park machines or with a donation to LOROS Hospice. Parking details will be provided in your race pack. Numerous NCP car parks are also available nearby. We recommend car sharing as much as possible or using public transport wherever possible to reduce the number of cars coming into the city. Car parks will be well sign-posted. Please note that the Granville Road Car Park outside De Montfort Hall will not be accessible on the day as Granville Road will be closed for the event. There is also a fair amount of roadside parking available around the perimeter of Victoria Park.

I want to come in fancy dress, is this allowed? Yes, the more the merrier! When choosing your costume please bear in mind the race day weather conditions and appropriate fluid intake should your fancy dress layers leave you needing extra hydration.

What is the route? The general expectation is that our route will follow roughly our existing race route from 2023. This is however dependent on planned roadworks which may result in changes to parts of the route. Our final race route will be released in Spring 2024; in the meantime you can find details of our existing race routes from last year online via the link below.
You can take a close up look at the route map for both distances online here.

I have an old injury – what if I have problems half way around the course? We will have full medical care/treatment available to all runners at the start, along the route, and at the finish. We take safety of our runners, volunteers and the general public very seriously. Medical cover will be provided by St John Ambulance, and if at any point you feel you cannot continue we will also be able to arrange non-emergency transport back to the Race Arena should you need it.
How will I remember the route? Unless you’re leading at the front this should not be a problem! The race route will be laid out clearly for the entrants with barriers, cones, mile markers and our wonderful team of volunteer marshals. A lead vehicle / bike will remain at the front of the race at all times, with a sweep vehicle / bike at the rear. Don’t worry you won’t get lost.

I am quite a slow runner. Is there a cut-off time? The roads around the course unfortunately have to be re-opened at certain times. As such, anyone moving around the course at slower than 3 hours 15 minutes for the Half Marathon (approx. 12:30 min/mile pace), may be asked to move over to the pavement and continue as a pedestrian on the path alongside the route. The same applies for the 10K race with a cut off time of 1 hour 35 minutes. Whilst we need to be relatively strict on this during the first half of the course in order for roads to re-open on-time, much of the later stages of our route take place on pedestrianised streets, which does mean that we can be somewhat flexible on this depending on how far around the course you have managed to get.

Can I listen to music as I go around the course? No, please leave your earphones at home. We consider it dangerous to wear headphones during the event. Should the emergency services need to pass you to reach a runner in distress then you will not be able to hear them or any instructions given by the marshals. In accordance with UKA ruling (read more here) any competitors seen with earphones in or covering their ears will be disqualified. The exception to this are bone conductor head phones which are permitted as they do not sit in or over the ear, and therefore still allow you to hear any instructions from marshals or noise from approaching vehicles.

Can I bring my dog? Dogs are welcome spectators on the park, but unfortunately in line with UK Athletics ruling you are not able to run with your dog during the event.

Can I run with a pushchair? Similarly due to age limits for races set by UK Athletics who provide our insurance, we are unable to allow runners to take with their children in buggies.

Can I walk? Whilst we know that some people will run / walk for large chunks of the race, we cannot say it is OK to walk through the entire distance. Runners will be expected to stay ahead of the sweep car who will ask you stop if you fall behind the pace required to finish within the cut-off time (3 hours 15 minutes for the Half Marathon, and 1 hour 35 minutes for the 10K).

What happens if the weather is bad? We suggest that from five days out, you keep an eye on the weather forecast so that you have time to prepare all the correct running apparel; not only to run in, but to warm-up in before the race and to wear after the race. Unless you specifically hear from us, the event will be going ahead as planned regardless of the forecast.

What prizes are there for the winners? There are trophies, prize money and a gift for both male and female; 1st, 2nd, 3rd in the Half Marathon distance. Cash prizes will also be awarded to male and female; 1st V40, 1st V50, 1st V60, and 1st V70. Overall winners’ prizes will be allocated based on finishing position and their gun time, whilst age category prizes will be awarded based on chip time. All winners will also earn a free place in next year’s event.

What do we get at the finish line? A massive feeling of achievement and a pat on the back from the Run Leicester team! There will be bananas, water and snacks available when you finish, along with of course, your hard-earned finishers medal and souvenir race T-Shirt if you have ordered one.

How will I get my results? Results will appear online on the ResultsBase website soon after the race. During registration you can also opt to receive a text with your finish time on it as well if you wish. To ensure your time is accurate and recorded correctly, please do not tamper with your number as you chip is attached.

What do I do if I am injured before the race and have to consider pulling out? The basic advice for any mild injury or “niggle” is ‘R.I.C.E’ (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation), but this should not be relied upon for anything other than a slight sprain or ache. For any pain that persists, it is best to consult your doctor or local physio to have the injury properly diagnosed – and to prevent a re-occurrence of your injury. Please see above for how to defer your place or transfer to another runner.

Is there a minimum age limit to take part? Yes. As per UK Athletics guidelines the minimum age limit for the Half Marathon is 17, whilst the minimum age for the 10k is 15 years old.

• THERE ARE NO ENTRIES ON THE DAY