Local legend Jane Hammonds is pictured above, sporting the green colours of her club Redway Runners in a rather different way at the Milton Keynes Winter Half Marathon. Jane layered up festively for one of her recent outings, having finished in 3:11:17 in 2023; 3:02:24 in 2024, and 3:18:21 this year.

The Milton Keynes Winter Half Marathon was held from scenic Willen Lake on Sunday 7th December 2025, with another sold-out 3,000 entries, and 2,409 finishers in 3:43:11. The route is described as: "A stunning, single-lap, traffic-free course that guides you anti-clockwise around the very best of Milton Keynes. You’ll feel miles from the city as you glide along the peaceful Grand Union Canal and through the beautifully maintained linear parks."

Big Cow Sports is in charge of the race, which they claim is: "Probably the best last race of the year!" The race features a combination of paved surfaces on the famous Redway paths and some short unpaved sections of footpaths and the Grand Union Canal towpath, with gentle climbs totalling 127m of ascent in the 13.1 miles.

This one-minute video from 2023 gives a good idea of the course and atmosphere......

The Winter Half Marathon champion this year was Samuel Winters, of Bedford & County AC, who completed the course in a brisk 18.5kph pace for 1:08:27. Winters was joined on the rostrum by James Davis (Vale of Aylesbury AC, 1:10:34) and Thomas James (unattached, 1:14:03).

Catherine Kandie (W35 Kent AC, 1:22:40) took the honours in a much closer women's race. Keeping her honest to the finish line were the runners-up Emma Mears (Milton Keynes Distance Project, 1:23:17) and Helen Gibbs (W45 Shenley Striders, 1:24:51).

The Milton Keynes Winter Half Marathon starts are in waves of athletes of similar ability, beginning with the fastest. Over 100 runners beat the 90-minute mark, and more than 1,000 were back within two hours.

Results and previous reports are available via the runABC race listing here.

Image and video courtesy of the Milton Keynes Winter Half Marathon website