Kent

Newsdesk

Race Listing for Kent

Date	Event	Location
26 Jan 2025	Furley Page Canterbury 10 Mile	Christ Church University Sports Centre, Canterbury
26 Jan 2025	Bromley 10K	Norman Park Athletics Track, Bromley
01 Feb 2025	Phoenix Tiaras & Tutus	The Cyclopark, Gravesend
02 Feb 2025	Phoenix Lions & Tigers & Bears Run	The Cyclopark, Gravesend
02 Feb 2025	Bedgebury Forest 5 & 10 Mile	Bedgebury National Pinetum & Forest, Goudhurst
08 Feb 2025	Heads Or Tails 6 Hours Challenge	Betteshanger Country Park, Deal
09 Feb 2025	Dymchurch 10K	The Beach Cafe, Dymchurch
16 Feb 2025	Headcorn Half	Headcorn Primary School, Headcorn
16 Feb 2025	Bexley 10K	Danson Park, Bexleyheath
16 Feb 2025	Deal Half Marathon	Betteshanger Country Park, Deal
23 Feb 2025	Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon	Tunbridge Wells Sports Centre, Tunbridge Wells
02 Mar 2025	Maidstone Road Run	Cornwallis Academy, Maidstone
02 Mar 2025	Dartford Half Marathon March	Central Park Arena, Dartford
09 Mar 2025	Lydd 20 Mile & Half Marathon	Banks Sports & Social Club, Lydd
09 Mar 2025	Paddock Wood Half Marathon	Eldon Way, Paddock Wood
15 Mar 2025	Nature Trail Challenge	Ranscombe Farm Nature Reserve, Cuxton
16 Mar 2025	Sevenoaks Circular	West Heath School, Sevenoaks
23 Mar 2025	Canterbury Riverside 10K	Village Hall, Chartham
23 Mar 2025	Run Whitstable & Herne Bay Spring 5K, 10K & Half Marathon	Hampton Pier, Herne Bay
12 Apr 2025	Lucky Dip Challenge	Betteshanger Park, Deal
13 Apr 2025	Kent Spring Marathon & Half Marathon	Sandyacres Sports Club, Ashford
11 May 2025	Maidstone Riverside 10K & 10M	The Hermitage Millennium Amphitheatre, Maidstone
17 May 2025	Inflatable 5K Brands Hatch	Brands Hatch, Fawkham
25 May 2025	Folkestone Coastal 10K	Coastal Park, Folkestone
14 Jun 2025	Dirty Rotten Scramble	Hole Park Estate, Cranbrook
21 Jun 2025	Runway	Manston Airport, Ramsgate
29 Jun 2025	North Downs Run	Cyclopark, Gravesend
04 Oct 2025	Runway 100	Manston Airport, Ramsgate
05 Oct 2025	Run Kent Tonbridge Half Marathon, 10K & 5K	The Judd School, Tonbridge

About the area

Figures obtained from Run Kent Activator, Lucy Tomlinson, indicate the green shoots of enthusiasm for running have been firmly planted in approximately 7,000 men and women over four years well ahead of Run England targets for new runners' registrations, resulting in the England Athletics Run England Project of the Year Award for 2013-14.

History and mystery form part of the folklore in this county of more than 30 ancient castles, secret underground bunkers and the Cinque Ports that were originally grouped together for defence purposes almost 1,000 years ago.

28% of the county forms part of two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty: the North Downs and The Weald of Kent. France can often be seen on a clear day from the cliffs at Folkestone and Dover. The 350 miles of glorious coastline features in a number of running events with no shortage of off-road challenges available in nine large country parks, several of which host popular 5k parkruns.

With 1.4 million residents and an estimated one million tourist visits annually it can get congested on the roads, especially on arterial routes to the ports, but there is still plenty of space and fresh air available for the dedicated runner.

The county has its own history of success in mainstream athletics. There are around 50 clubs catering for all events from triathlon to decathlon affiliated to Kent County AA. The oldest clubs are Blackheath Harriers, founded in 1869, and Cambridge Harriers, formed in 1890 both are still large and thriving clubs that have produced many international athletes.

KCAA was formed and the first county championships held at Eltham in 1920 and current events are hosted at the high quality Julie Rose Stadium, Ashford. The County has won National Inter-Counties team titles in track and field and cross-country, most recently claiming the Gemini Trophy for UK men's and women's athletics in 2010 and Bedford Shield won by the women's track and field team in 2013.

Kent's most famous runners include the 'Mighty Atom' Sydney Wooderson (Blackheath Harriers), who held the world mile record (4min 6.4sec) for nearly five years from 1937.

Double Olympian long-distance legend, Frank Sando (Aylesford Paper Mills), competed in the International Cross Country nine times from 1952 to 1960 and was champion in '55 and '57. Frank also won the Kent cross-country title eight times, a feat equalled by Medway AC's Barry Royden in 2003.

One year later, in the cauldron of the Athens Olympic Stadium, it was the wide-eyed disbelief on the face of Dame Kelly Holmes that will be etched on the memory forever as she achieved double gold at 800m and 1500m.

The World and European Masters Athlete of the Year 2015 is David Heath (Blackheath and Bromley Harriers) who won World M50 gold at 800m and 1500m and set world bests at both distances before winning the exhibition M50 800m at the Beijing World Championships â€“ despite suffering a heart attack in 2002 aged 37 years.

No review of Kent athletics could be complete without reference to the continuing success of Tonbridge AC, with a production line of talented young athletes who are now bringing home awards at senior level. In the National Road Relays in Birmingham this year the club won their first senior men's trophy and added the under-17 men's award for good measure.

Perhaps it is this stellar running history, combined with the inspiring landscape that has motivated so many men, women and children to get active in Kent but whatever the secret, this is the fastest growing area in the south of England and there are no signs of any slowing down at the front, middle or back of the pack.

Lucy Tomlinson offers this advice:

With the right frame of mind and some help from your local running group, anyone can give running a go. So grab those trainers, join a group or go along to your nearest parkrun and find out for yourself why so many people are taking up running in Kent.

Maidstone Harriers

Running clubs in Kent

There are numerous well-established running clubs throughout Kent providing those who take their running seriously an opportunity to join like-minded people for training session and race competitions.

Club Focus: Rebel Yell

It is rare to find a race in Kent without Rebel Runners Medway being seen and heard. runABC South has been finding out about the noisy neighbours

Rebel Yell

When and how did the club form?

A few running friends met on a freezing January morning in 2014 and decided that Facebook would be a good way to plan training and races. We called our page Rebel Runners. Within four months the response had encouraged us to register with Run England and Jenny Baldock was our first qualified leader. Six months later we were UK Athletics affiliated and now have more than a dozen Leaders in Running Fitness and 300 plus members!

Why Rebel Runners?

The name is a bit tongue in cheek but gets us noticed. We are unlike most clubs in that we truly embrace all runners from ‘couch to 5k’ up to elite. While we were known as Rebel Runners a photo appeared in the local paper after the Paddock Wood Half Marathon. We added Medway so people would know where we were from.

Tell us about your membership …

We offer membership from 83p a month! Members pay £10 for social membership (option to add £12 for UKA registration). We hold our well attended ‘couch to 5k’ courses twice a year and membership fees fund Run Leader courses, equipment, affiliation fees and track hire. At the end of 2014 we had 85 competing members – we now have 170. Our youngest is 12-years-old and we have 18 junior members.

What about the training?

We meet for evening runs all over the Medway towns and support our local parkrun at Great Lines Heritage Park on Saturday mornings. This is where we met the charismatic run director, Tony Giles, one of our keenest members. Once a month we use Medway Park track at Gillingham for speed/endurance. Run routes, ability levels and other details are posted on Facebook and the club website.

Club’s best achievements …

We had 80 at the Medway 10K this year and our ladies were first and second individuals, won three age categories and first team prize – our first such success and in our ‘home’ race, too. We won the Demelza Club Shield at the Leeds Castle 10K in September with 61 runners present and were able to make dreams come true for two lucky members in the club ballot for London Marathon places in 2016.

And you are a sociable club?

We certainly have a sense of fun. We run a #RebelSpotted game each month. Rebels can get spotted whilst out running (but only if in club kit and not at a club run) and the winner gets a bottle of fizz.

‘Rebels on Tour’ is another favourite. We have had Rebels in club colours photographed at The Great Wall of China, The Kremlin and the Golden Gate Bridge. Many of our runners run for charity so there is always a quiz night or raffle tickets to buy.

When our local parkrun was closed one weekend we deployed Rebels to parkruns far and wide. We covered every age category in the results as 76 members and two dogs visited 34 parkruns, ran 380kms and clocked 7,480 road miles, plus two boat trips.

Rebels on tour?

The club regularly goes on road trips. The 2014 Brighton Marathon saw 28 Rebels competing, with 20 running their first marathon. Looking ahead we will be present at the Las Vegas Half Marathon, Paris Marathon and there are 10 with places in London Marathon next year.

Any unusual incidents along the way …

Perhaps the wardrobe malfunction suffered by Sara who arrived at the Brands Hatch 10K with two odd shoes – different makes, colour and sizes! She did not manage a PB that day in the shoes she had to borrow.

The club in three words ...

‘One big family’.

The Retailer Network

Sweatshop Bluewater Image

A key resource for runners in Kent is the network of specialist retailers that serves the county from Canterbury in the east to the metropolitan fringes on the other side of the M25. While they each have a unique approach (even the running chain stores) they all share a commitment to providing their customers with great product advice (specially in the key area of footwear) and information about all those extra things that offer an added dimension to your running - GPS watches, energy drinks and bars, compression clothing, etc.

They also are happy to let you know all about the local running scene - the races, the clubs, the groups, services like physio and massage and even good running routes. Some organise weekly runs for customers and often double as a 'pop-in' centre for the local running community.

Over the last couple of years runABC South has spoken in detail to a couple of these 'local heroes'. Dominic O'Mahoney at the Running Outlet in Canterbury has added a modern twist to the staple running store offering, with an emphasis on their online presence and social media to extend their customer reach. But Dominic has kept his eye on the basics and in-store he provides a great product range, a respected 'physio-endorsed fitting service' and great interaction with local clubs and groups.

Allan Cheek of Running Hub

Meanwhile 40 miles away in Tunbridge Wells in the south-west corner of Kent, local stalwart, Allan Cheek - he's the club president at TW Harriers - provides a hugely personal approach. All visitors to the town's Running Hub can be assured of service from the man himself - Allan is there all day - everyday, ready to offer advice, and help you find what you are looking for. The store can be busy at times, but Allan is sure that it is this personal touch that brings people back: "The shop is decorated with personal items from my years of running such as race numbers and other bits of memorabilia, anyone who comes to Running Hub will be taken care of by myself."

The scene changes once again and on a busy thoroughfare in south-east London 17 year retail veteran David Bennett at the Runners Shop is looking ahead to 2013 with optimism: "We've just had a major upgrading at our Beckenham Road store which means we're now even better placed to cater for a loyal customer base that includes occasional park runners (the store is half-way between the Bromley and Crystal Palace weekly 5ks), the track and field fraternity and many cross-country and trail runners who head out east to the big open spaces like Biggin Hill or the West Kent Downs.

"Our suburban location means we attract lots of people who just want to keep fit and, surprisingly, we get very busy around the time of the Moonwalk. However GB international or someone thinking about one of the Race for Life 5ks, they get the same quality of service. Although staff member Abdi Amare Madar once beat Mo Farah in a cross country race so expect some good stories too!"

The knowledgeable enthusiasm of Dominic O'Mahoney, Allan Cheek and David Bennett is replicated by Kate Austen at Podplus Sports in Ashford and Tim Smith at Bat and Ball Sports in Sevenoaks. Also in Sevenoaks is the popular Up and Running store where manager Alan Pope and his all-runners team offer a great service but watch out they'll be keen to tempt you to enter the Sevenoaks 10K (March) and the Orpington 10K (June) - events that the store supports.

Sweatshop is the other big name and they have a major presence across Kent with stores at Bluewater (Chris Wright), Maidstone (Lee Kitney) and Dartford (Richard Leahy). There is a regular Wednesday evening group that runs from Bluewater - contact them directly for more details.

Check out our Retailers Page to find more places to purchase your running kit in Kent.

Running groups in Kent

Ashford Walk/Jog 4 Life, Julie Rose Stadium, Ashford
Ashford Group, Ashford and surrounding areas
Balance-Running, Ridgeway playing fields, Southborough
Bedgebury Belles Running Group, Bedgebury Forest and Pinetum car park
Born to Run Faversham Rec. Ground, Park Rd, Faversham
Building 510 runners, Sandwich Discovery Park, Sandwich
Cranbrook Joggers, The Ball Field, Cranbrook
David Lloyd Maidstone Runners (DLMR)
Deal Running Buddies
Fido Fitt Jogging Club, Fido Fitt, Upchurch, Sittingbourne
Get Back On Track, Deangate Ridge Golf & Sports Complex, Hoo
Get On Track, Deangate Ridge Golf & Sports Complex, Hoo
GoRids Runners (Maidstone)
Hamstreet Beginners / Hamstreet 10K Runners, Hamstreet Garden Centre, Hamstreet
Maidstone Run England Group, Various points around Maidstone
Meopham & Malling Ladies Joggers, Camer Park, Meopham & Wrotham Church
MoorEnergy Runners, MoorEnery Fitness Club, Westerham
Oaks Blokes, Hollybush Recreation Ground, Sevenoaks
Paddock Wood A.C., Mascall School Maidstone Rd, Paddock Wood
Pomphrey's Pacers, Various points around Maidstone
RTW Runners, Tunbridge Wells
Run Off Your Feet, Various locations, Southborough, Tunbridge Wells
Run Ramsgate, Ramsgate Sports Centre
RunFit, Green Lane Park, Paddock Wood
Sandhurst Striders, Recreation Field, Sandhurst
Sarah's Runners, Nevill Cricket Pav, Warwick Pk, Tunbridge Wells
Sebastian Coe Running Club, Sebastian Coe Health Club @The Mercure Maidstone
Sevenoaks Ladies Joggers, Hollybush Recreation Ground, Sevenoaks
South East Striders, Thanet, Herne Bay, Ramsgate
Take A Step Running Group - West Kent, Paddock Wood
The Heath Joggers, Penenden Heath main car park, Maidstone
The Natural Running Project, Mote Park, Maidstone
Tonbridge Ladies Joggers, Tonbridge School
Tonbridge Runners Group, Tonbridge Swimming Pool
Wajog!!, Acacia Hall, High Street, Dartford
Yoga Nut, Brenchley War Memorial Hall & Grounds

Go to the Run Together website for more information.

Let's start at the beginning

Four years ago Steve Grantham was worried about his fitness for work. Now fitness is his work as the MD of Beginners2Runners in Kent.

Beginners2Runners

Former policeman Steve Grantham, admits he was an unhealthy, overweight smoker before deciding something had to be done, so he tried running – on his own after dark, hoping that no one would spot him! Two years later and four stones lighter he wanted to inspire others and B2R was created when 70 turned up for the inaugural session in Coxheath.

Now there are nine B2R clubs in Kent with around 2,000 members and up to 1,000 out training each week for their particular goals. Steve wanted to create a group that was fun, social and community-based so people of all shapes, sizes and abilities could have a go, without feeling embarrassed. He wanted others to feel like he did – proud to be doing something great for yourself!

runABC South sent Alan Newman along to one of the groups to see what all the fuss was about and this is his report.

I joined Leyborne B2R for an evening run as they were about to celebrate their first anniversary. The unlikely venue was KHR Recruitment Specialists, an office in a small shopping parade.

I met the local B2R club manager, a senior consultant in the recruitment business, which explains the venue but not her nickname of ‘Jinx’ Buckley. Introductions were over quickly and with around 60 members present there was just time for a few words of encouragement before we were divided into groups and set off with our leaders.

My group was the 5k to 10k improvers and Frankie Boylan led a brief but dynamic warm-up, part of which was with a partner. I found myself paired with spry septuagenarian Bernadette, who told me about her recovery from a spiral fracture of the femur while umpiring a netball match 12 years ago and her Sweatshop parkrunner of the month award for September. It seems that not even broken bones can stand in the way of a determined runner

Frankie assembled us and gave a minute for a bewildering array of apps to be sorted before we set off like a chattering mobile disco of lights, music and pace notes; head-torches creating a strobe effect in the hedgerows. It won’t be like this on my next session on the track at Paddock Wood, I mused, as we maintained a steady 7min/km, stopping for a minute walk every kilometre.

Halfway round we tackled ‘chip shop hill’ before regrouping for a welfare check, with the enticing aroma of salt and vinegar in the air. Just before the temptation to beg a bag of scraps became irresistible, we were unleashed by Frankie to set our own pace for the final 3k dash to the finish. The session was well organised, fun and friendly and there is no doubt that everyone present was well catered for, according to their ability and ambition. While stretching, I met Sam from nearby Larkfield, who joined the group in January as a complete beginner. Sam is a mum of two energetic girls who was persuaded by a friend to join. She has since dropped three dress sizes, improved her energy levels and overcome shin splints in her quest to run 5k.

Sam is not quite there yet and is the only member still in the 5k starter programme but as she says, “I get to make new friends every ten weeks”. Sam confided that, “Beginners2Runners saved me from health problems. I was stuck in a rut, unable to play with my kids and I had no idea how to change things. Now I have none of those worries and can call myself a runner. I may be the slowest but no-one cares about that, least of all me.”

After training, I met Steve on his way back from launching his latest group in Ashford. He told me: “It makes me really proud to be part of something so incredible. Running really can change people’s lives. The difference with our approach is that we don’t just train runners, we make them.”

If you’d like to join Beginners2Runners contact Steve Grantham at steve@beginners2runners.co.uk or visit beginners2runners.co.uk

For more information about running in Kent or to find your local running group, please visit: kentsport.org/run

Leisure facilities in Kent

The UK has an abundance of leisure facilities, from gyms, to running tracks, studios providing classes to sports halls and team games. For runners, it is important to have a balance in your training and have the spaces to do this. Medway Park is a new development in Kent, which has indoor and outdoor facilities for all types of sport and training, including a running track. It's also home to the University of Kent's sports science and sports therapy suite.

Medway Park
Address	Mill Rd, Gillingham, Kent, ME7 1EF
Opening Hours	Mon-Fri 6.30am-10.30pm, Sat 7.30am-8pm, Sun 7.30am-10.30pm
Tel.	01634 336655
Facilities Available	Fitness Suite, Swimming Pool, Sports Hall, Athletics Track and Field, Dance Studio, Judo Centre, Trampoline Centre
Services	Sports Therapy Clinic, Sports Science Lab, Rehabilitation Gym, Seminar Room, CafeÌ and Bar
Classes	Spinning, Aerobics, Circuits, Body Conditioning, Pilates, Yoga, Aquafit, Kick Box- ing, Zumba, Bums, Legs and Tums
Club based at the facility	Medway and Maidstone Athletic Club

Other leisure facilities in Kent

Ashford

Bexley

Bromley

Canterbury

Dartford

Dover

Gravesham

Maidstone

Medway

Sevenoaks

Shepway

Swale

Thanet

Tonbridge and Malling

Tunbridge Wells

Kent

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Kickstart The New Year

Race Listing for Kent

About the area