Featured Marathons

Featured Marathon - Bournemouth Marathon

Our current featured marathon is the Bournemouth Marathon. The inaugural run takes place in October this year. Set on the south coast runners will follow a route with stunning scenery, offering an experience that combines both challenge and charm. And with 5 other race options there is something for runners of all ages and abilities to enjoy.

The Marathon Route
The course starts Bournemouth's Kings Park. From there runners head down through Southbourne, a pleasant area ideal for spectators. The route then continues eastwards to Hengistbury Head promontory, once a Stone Age settlement and now a popular beauty spot.

Runners, then turn westward. They pass along Southbourne's clifftop, before heading down to the beachfront promenade for a flat run past the award-winning Boscombe Pier.

After a sharp climb through Boscombe Chine Gardens the race continues on to Bournemouth's East Overcliff with its views across Poole Bay. Runners then descend to the beach's edge and along Boscombe Pier itself. This unique experience is repeated just ahead of the 18-mile marker with a taxing ascent of the Bournemouth Marathon's "Heartbreak Hill" into West Cliff.

The route carries on to the wooded Middle Chine via a suspension bridge, the runners descending again to the promenade and heading westwards past Sandbanks Peninsula to Poole Harbour.

For the final few miles, runners are directed back along the promenade to Bournemouth Pier for the final dash into the award-winning Lower Gardens - and the finishing line!

Bournemouth Marathon Festival Photos
A few promotional images showing off Bournemouth :

Other Bournemouth Marathon Festival Races
* Bournemouth Half Marathon : 13.1 mile race following the first half of the marathon route.
* Supersonic 10K : 10K race starting and finishing at the Bournemouth Lower Gardens.
* Speed of Light 5K : 5K race that starts and finishes at the Bournemouth Lower Gardens.
* Junior 3K & 1.5K : Races for 11-14 and 6-10 year olds respectively.

Website : http://www.run-bmf.com