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England > Reading Half Marathon
Reading,
England, UK
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Date
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Event
Details
More than 17,000 runners took to the streets of this large town in
southern England in the spring of 2009 for the 27th annual running of
the Reading Half Marathon, which takes runners on a 13.1-mile route
that starts and finishes at Madejski Stadium, the home field of the
Reading Football Club. With a course that features some significant
uphills and downhills, especially in the race's first six miles,
followed by some long flat stretches in the second half, the race
offers a challenging route past notable sights like the University of
Reading, Prospect Park and bridge crossings over both the River Thames
and River Kennet.
From the starting line just a few hundred yards from the stadium, the
race course follows an out-and-back loop that winds in a roughly
counter-clockwise direction around the town, which is home to more than
230,000 residents. The first half of the race, which is run entirely on
paved surfaces throughout the course, contains its more hilly sections,
as runners climb from just below 50 feet above sea level near the
starting line to a peak of over 300 feet above sea level by the time
they're nearing the third mile marker.
Between miles 3 and 4, as runners are approaching the University of
Reading campus, the course
starts a steady but sure downhill that plateaus in sections but keeps
generally descending for the rest of the race. After making their way
past the university, runners head toward the Oracle Shopping and
Leisure Centre on the banks of the river. The field makes a number of
twists and turns through the city streets on the northern side of the
river, past the historic Forbury Gardens and ultimately heads west
along Tilehurst Road toward the edge of
the green, open parkland of Prospect Park.
Runners turn south from Tilehurst onto Liebenrood Road and head along
the park's eastern edge, within view of its historic Mansion House in
the distance. From there, as runners are making their way past the mile
10 marker, the rest of the course features a long, flat stretch toward
the finish line, which lies inside the football stadium on the midfield
line.
For prospective runners who don't feel quite up to the challenge of
running 13.1 miles, the event also includes the 2.8-kilometer GreenPark
Challenge and the Osborne Clarke Business Challenge race for corporate
relay teams.
Race
Weather & Climate
Located in central southern England, roughly 67 kilometers west of
London's city center, the town of Reading typically experiences some of
its coldest weather conditions of the year in March, when the town's
average monthly temperatures range between 11°C and
3°C. Like its neighboring towns and cities, Reading also sees
its share of precipitation year-round, usually in the form of rain,
especially in the spring and summer months.
Fees
£28.50 for runners without AAA-affiliated
running club membership
£26.50 for runners with AAA running club membership
£2 additional if registering after February 1, 2009
Registration
Registration for the spring 2009 running of England's
Reading Half Marathon is now closed, as the race has completed. Please
check back later for updated information on the 2010 running of the
race.
Website
www.mirrorservers.co.uk
Course Map
View Larger Map
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Your Race Story
Ever run in England's annual Reading Half Marathon?
Share
your impressions and read fellow runners' stories
and tips for the event.
Post your comments in Runner Reviews for the Reading Half Marathon
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