It's looking like there will be a capacity entry for the 42nd Burnham Beeches Half Marathon and its younger sibling 10K race on Sunday 13 August 2023. Just as something resembling a normal summer has finally arrived, around 750 runners will head for the cooling shade of the ancient woodland from the Race HQ at Caldicott School, Farnham Common, Buckinghamshire.

Actually, the weather forecast is for a temperate 17-20C on race day morning, so there will be no repeat of the torrid conditions that led to several retirements last year. The 2022 winners in the half marathon were Aran Davidson (Chiltern Harriers, 1:13:45) and former GB marathon international Tracy Barlow (Thames Valley Harriers, 1:24:23). In the 10K, the speediest were Rob Foster (Datchet Dashers, 36:04) and Victoria Gill (Winchester, 37:40).

Much of the half marathon course is run through or around the 375-hectare nature reserve and woodlands of Burnham Beeches and Dorney Woods on hard-surfaced paths but with the tarmac sections including Hawthorn Lane, Pumpkin Hill, Green Lane, Dorney Wood Road, Common Lane, Boveney Wood Lane and Park Lane, the countryside feel is evident from the off.

The two-lap course will again be run in the preferred clockwise direction following feedback from competitors. However, either direction includes more than 600 feet of elevation gain over the 13.1 miles. The single-lap 10K  race has 268 feet of elevation.

Burnham Beeches Half Marathon is hosted by local club Burnham Joggers along with race management company krono:sports. Massage will be available on the day from SDM Sports Massage.

Burnham Joggers run every Tuesday and Thursday evening at 7:00pm from Burnham Bowls Club, Stomp Road, Burnham. As well as the Burnham Beeches Half Marathon and 10K the club promotes the Beaconsfield 5 Mile Trail race on Easter Monday and the popular Clliveden Classic Cross Country in mid-June. Visit the Burnham Joggers website here for details.

Previous results and last year's race report are available at runABC South race listing here.

Photo courtesy Burnham Joggers on Facebook