Abroad But Familiar...
Jersey Half Marathon offers the perfect solution for the nervous traveller...
Do you sometimes yearn for a trip abroad for a race but lack confidence, are concerned about the cost, or cannot find the time for a long journey? Perhaps we have the answer with the runABC South featured 35th Cannacord Genuity Jersey Half Marathon on Sunday 9 June 2024.
Jersey is the biggest of the Channel Islands, has 12 Parishes, and is only 8K long and 14.5K wide – so a race of 21K covers a fair bit of this scenic (meaning hilly) island. It is situated in the Bay of St Malo, 14 miles from France and 85 miles south of the English coast, often enjoying the warmest and sunniest weather of the British Islands.
Jersey may have a distinctly French flavour but the language is English and the currency is sterling but do note that Jersey pounds which may be given in change are not legal tender in the UK, although they can be exchanged in UK banks.
The race starts and finishes at Les Quennevais Cycle Track in St Brelade and the 500 feet of elevation are dismissed on the event website as: "A couple of hills thrown in to give you the best views of the coastline."
Jersey Half Marathon started in 1989 and there were 370 finishers last year in 3:25:17. The 2023 champions were Steven Gray (Jersey Spartans AC, 1;19:27) and Kim Garrett (1:26:06) as 24 runners dipped under 90 minutes.
The organisers lay on complimentary return coach transfers from Liberation Square, St Helier and there is free parking at Les Quennevais for those who have hired cars or brought their car on the ferry from Poole or Portsmouth. Les Quennevais is also on a bus route from the nearby Jersey Airport but be aware of Sunday service timetables.
So if you fancy a short hop abroad to an island where the language and money are the same as at home but the atmosphere is distinctly different, take note of Cannacord Genuity Jersey Half Marathon on Sunday 9 June 2024.
Online entries cost £34 (£134 for a team of four) plus a small admin fee and are available via the official Cannacord Genuity Jersey Half Marathon website.
Past results are available via runABC South race listing here.
Photo courtesy Jersey Half Marathon on Facebook