South Downs Trail Marathon & Half Marathon

After 14 years we are making some changes to the format of the classic South Downs Marathon Day. The routes of marathon and half marathon themselves remain unchanged but we are taking out the marathon relay and introducing a trail 10km in Queen Elizabeth Country Park.Regrettably, the lack of safe parking at two of the relay changeovers make us believe the relay is unsafe as most cars arrive at the changeover points in the same time frame and it has become a hazard and probably an accident waiting to happen. To make up for the loss of this popular element of the marathon we have brought in a 10km route entirely within Queen Elizabeth Country Park that will cover the first 2.5 miles of the half marathon route, divert on the Staunton Way and rejoin the return section of both the marathon and half marathon on the South Downs Way at the Buriton car park entrance.

Starting at Slindon College at 9.00am the full marathon runners follow a route up onto the South Downs through woodland reaching the South Downs Way at 5.5 miles, then running west back to the finish at Queen Elizabeth Country Park. The free buses to take marathon runners to the start will depart from QE Park with the full marathon runners between 7 and 7.15am.Drink stations: 5.5, 7.5, 13, 17, 20, 23 Miles. Gels at 13, 20 Miles.New: We have introduced a cut off time of 7hrs on the route with intermediate cut-offs of 3hrs 15mins at 13 miles and 5hrs at 20 miles. Runners outside these times will be returned to the finish by minibus. This has been introduced as we can’t keep the marshals and medical coverage out of the course for the increasingly extended periods of the last runners in the last two years.

As we are not permitted to leave cars at Slindon College after the start – all runners in the Full Marathon should park at the finish venue and take the INCLUDED bus service to the start. First bus will leave at 07.00 and the last bus at 07.15

Medal to all finishersFree ParkingFree Bus to the start of the Full Marathon7 drink stations on the Marathon route/ 4 on Half Marathon route / 1 on the 10km route2 Gel stations on the Marathon routeHigh Five Gift packToilets at start/finishProfessional Medical back upPrizes