Inspired by the Great North Run?

If it's atmosphere you're after, Hastings delivers. This seaside half marathon was named Midsized Event of the Year at the 2025 Running Industry Awards. It's a hilly course, but the challenge is worth it when you cross the line with hundreds of people cheering you on.

This half marathon starts and finishes at the JobServe Community Stadium, running through Colchester city centre before heading into the country lanes around it. Thousands line the streets in town to cheer you on, and you finish back inside the stadium. It's a welcoming one for a first half.

Now in its ninth year, this half marathon starts and finishes in the heart of Royal Leamington Spa, next to the Pump Room Gardens. The traffic-free course heads out through nearby villages before returning to town. There's a free Kids Mile Fun Run too, with a medal for every child.

Run as far as you like at Chorlton Water Park on a 5.3km lap; you can repeat it anywhere from a 5k up to an ultra. Walkers, joggers and families are all welcome, and the seven-hour limit means no rush. Every finisher gets a handmade knitted bee along with their medal.

If a 10k feels like the right distance to start with, this new Hatfield race is a good option. Starting on the University of Hertfordshire campus, the route heads onto the traffic-free Alban Way for two flat loops, with supporters cheering you in and a medal waiting at the finish.

Pick anything from a 5k to an ultra at this Suffolk event near Bury St Edmunds. The route rolls through a handful of villages and past the windmill at Dalham, over around 600ft of climbing. The range of distance options makes it a good race for any fitness level.