Prepare to do battle next year at Northamptonshire's uniquely distanced road race, the Naseby 1645. The 16.45 mile event weaves its way through stunning countryside, passing seven Battle of Naseby 1645 memorials and viewpoints. The date for your 2025 diary is 16 February.

Organisers suggest: "Being staged in February, as runners are building up their mileage towards the 26.2 miles, this unique distance provides a perfect marathon prep event for those training for spring marathons."

For 2025 the start/finish has moved back to its original location at Naseby Village Hall. This is a challenging and undulating course having a total ascent of 289m. Runners are generally guaranteed a PB for the distance (unless you ran it last year!) as there is nothing like it in the area. It is entirely run on roads, many of which will be closed to traffic during the race.

There will be trophies for the top three male and female finishers and all finishers will receive a specially commissioned Naseby 1645 event medal. Big Bobble Hats will be at the finish of the event with their wares on sale. As with all Race Harborough events – runners don’t pay for race pics. Free digital downloads of your race are available to download soon after the race finishes.

This year's event will be run in aid of the Bruce Green Foundation with a proportion of all entry fees going direct to the charity. Founded in 2018, the foundation works with young people in Northants who face social inequalities as a result of poor access to education, healthcare and mental health support. It enables them to make changes for the betterment of their lives through the provision of long-term interventions, the external delivery of collective entertainment and by supporting partner organisations who share their mission.

If you'd like to know more, visit the Naseby 1645 website.

Image: Naseby 1645/RaceHarborough Facebook