Lightning strikes again! Two weeks after we had a female outright winner of the Round Reading 50K Ultra trail race it happened again in Hermes Running's Thames Meander Marathon at Richmond on Saturday 10 August 2024.

You've got to hand it to Alice Hands (Best Athletics). In less than a decade she has gone from a 31-minute parkrun to 45th in the TCS London Marathon in 2:48:29 in April this year, the springboard for her success in this event.

There were 77 starters and 76 finishers in the Thames Meander Marathon, run on a flat, two-lap course on the Thames Path from Petersham & Ham Sea Cadets, Richmond to the checkpoint opposite Barnes Sports Club and back again...and again!

Alice hands was 1:33 clear at halfway – and would have won the Thames Meander Half Marathon with 1:27:31 at that point – before building her margin to the thick end of nine minutes, finishing in 2:59:08. The winner was the only runner under three hours.

Fabian Kochli (3:07:56) was the first male in second place overall. Anneka French (W35, 3:16:08) was third on a good day for the ladies. Alvaro Salinas (3:17:48) was fourth and the second man to finish as 76 closed within six and a half hours.

The Thames Meander Half Marathon was won by James Dearden (1:27:54) and fourth-placed Rachel Dench (Black Trail Runners, 1:29:58) – the last runner inside 90 minutes as 177 finished in 3:32:43.

The distance races are supported by the Thames Meander 10K that turns at Kew Botanical Gardens car park. This 'sprint' race was won by Giles McCallum (RSCP, 40:59) and another fourth-placed female Heather Napthine (48:57).

Heather left this five-star review after a previous Thames Meander Marathon: "An absolute stunning location with great facilities to prepare for a marathon. A very well organised event and a very friendly Race Crew. Thank you for a lovely few hours on the Thames. I shall return."

Full results are available at the runABC South event listing here. 

Image courtesy Hermes Running/Thames Meander