096 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK MAY 2019WORDS:^ KERRYMCCARTHY.^*BASEDON^ANRW^ONLINEPOLL^ WITH509RESPONSESTHE START LIST
Our selection of the best, fastest,
toughest, quirkiest and most
enjoyable UK races this month
RW POLL*When stuck next to
a ridiculous breather
in a race, I...54%
Speed up a bit2%
Slow down a bit19%
Curse them silently25%
Ignore themIsle of Wight Challenge
While the distance of the full challenge is a whimper-inducing 106km, may
we quickly point out that there are also half- and quarter-distance options
available, which explains why 2,000 people turned up last year to trek along
coastal paths on the splendid Isle of Wight. The famous chalk columns at
Needles, the regatta town of Cowes and the ‘English Mediterranean’ resort
of Ventnor feature along the way.
Chale, Isle of Wight, May 4, ultrachallenge.comON THE UP AND UP. AND UPBrighton Music Half Marathon
If you’re hunting about for your first race or simply want
something a bit more fun than just a run, give this colourful
event a go. As well as the half marathon, there are 5K and
10K options. The seafront course features plenty of live
performers, runners are encouraged to dress as their
favourite musical artist (with prizes for the best) and you
can dip your aching legs in the sea afterwards to recover.
East Sussex, May 11, brightonrun2music.comSPOILT FOR CHOICEMid Sussex
Marathon Weekend
Depending on how fit you’re feeling,
you can take on one, two or all three
events being run over the course of
this spring weekend. There are two
10-milers (one on the Saturday and
Sunday), as well as a 10K on the
Monday. The races are run around
the streets of Haywards Heath,
Burgess Hill and East Grinstead
and the total, should you do all three,
adds up to a marathon.
Haywards Heath, West Sussex, May 4-6,
nice-work.org.ukOVERCOMING OBSTACLESSpartan Race UK
One of the biggest and baddest
obstacle-race series in the world
parks its tanks on the manicured
lawns of the garden county for
a weekend, offering the slightly
more unhinged among you the
opportunity to tackle 29 obstacles
(some natural, most dreamt up by
deeply evil – but, we concede,
inventive – minds) over a muddy
13km course in St Clere.
Wrotham, Kent, May 4, spartanrace.ukShobdon Wood Race
If you love races where there are
just enough people to add a buzz to
your weekend run without being so
many that you can’t relax and enjoy
yourself, this is a prime candidate foryour attention. You can expect
a small field of about 140 fellow
runners all gamboling through
Shobdon Wood, in a sleepy corner
of Herefordshire, with the occasional
view of Shropshire and Mid Wales in
the distance. It’s the kind of event that
reminds you why you took up the
sport in the first place.
Leominster, Herefordshire, May 5,
entrycentral.comNORTHERN EXPOSUREStornoway Half Marathon
For almost all entrants in this race,
getting there is going to be a bit of a
production – you can’t travel much
further north in the UK than this
Hebrides town – but we think it’ll be
well worth your while if you’re the
adventurous type. The route is a mixBEGINNER FRIENDLY