Event FAQs

FAQs

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Event
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Registration
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Finishers
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Spectators
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Charities
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Volunteering
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Event FAQs

Where should I go when I arrive?
  • The race village is in Southampton Guildhall Square and surrounding parks. The start line is on Above Bar St where you can get ready to race!
What time does my race start?

Full Marathon – 09:00
Half Marathon – 09:00
10K – 10:00
5K - 10:00
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Fun Run – 15:00

What time do I need to get there?
  • We recommend you aim to be on site at least 90 minutes before your official start time.
    There will be queues for parking and toilets, so it is best to be prepared!
    We also have interactive areas in our race village, an exciting day lies ahead!
What happens if I am late on the day and miss the start?
  • The races will all start at the following times, sharp:
    Full Marathon – 09:00
    Half Marathon – 09:00
    10K – 10:00
    5K - 10:00

    We advise you aim to be in the Start area a minimum of 90 minutes prior to the start. Also plan to have an extra 30 minutes to your normal journey time due to road closures.

    Once the last runner from the timing pens crosses the start line, that is it, as we have to get the roads re-opened quickly.
Where is the nearest train station?
  • The nearest train station is Southampton Central. Please check in advance with South West Trains before travelling and for updates on any rail works etc. Walking from the station is 0.4 miles from the race village area (approximately 10 minutes).
I want to travel by public transport, how do I do that?
Is parking available near the start?
  • There are lots of car parks in Southampton. Westquay car parks are now open 24 hours a day and the majority of Council Car Parks will be open from 0600. Full details of where to park can be found on our PARKING MAP Here. Please note there may be Sunday charges so bring change with you.
Can I wear earphones or use an iPod etc?
  • If you are not competing for a podium place then you are allowed to wear earphones. If however, you are aiming to be one of the fastest runners in your event then the Race Rules (UKA and BARR) do not allow the use of earphones and you may be disqualified.

    It is VITAL to note that while this is a closed roads race, we strongly recommend that you have 1 earbud out at all times so that you can hear the marshal directions, as well as awareness of other runners around you.
If I am ill, injured, or unable to run, what can I do?
  • If you volunteer to marshal at the event instead we will postpone your entry to next year! If you are interested in volunteering please get in touch with volunteer@reesleisure.co.uk

    Otherwise, contact us as soon as possible on events@reesleisure.co.uk and we will help in whichever way we can.
What do I do if I have a medical issue?
  • Please ensure that you have updated all your medical information on your registration form.

    Please contact us on events@reesleisure.co.uk if this is something we need to be aware of before race day.

    On event day our medical team will be on site to deal with any issues!
Where can I put my bag/and or clothing that I don’t want during the race?
  • We will have a bag drop available in the O2 Southampton Guildhall – you will need your race number to get into this building.
How many pacers are there and where can I find them?
  • We will have pacers for the Half Marathon and 10K only, they will be wearing a bright coloured bib with the time on so you won't miss them!
Is there a cut of time for the Full Marathon?
  • Yes, we need you to complete lap one by 12 noon please (start time 9am) and finish the full route by 3pm. We do have motivators at the back of the race so no-one will be on their own.
Where are the water stations on the route?
  • There will be 5 Water Stations on route (with an extra water station for the marathon). Water will be in Sports Cap bottles.

    These bottles are made from 100% recycled plastic and are 100% recyclable
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    These will be located as follows:
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    WS1 – Central Bridge (All Distances) 3KM / 1.8 miles and 15.5 miles
    WS2 – Cooper’s Lane (10K, Half, Full) 6KM / 5.4 miles and 19 miles
    WS3 – Macnaghten Rd (Half and Full) 7.9 miles and 21.6 miles
    WS4 – Woodmill Ln Car Park (Half and Full) (Gels too!) 9.4 miles and 23.1 miles
    WS5 – University Road (Half and Full) 10.5 miles and 24 miles
    WS6 – Run Company Southampton (Full Only) (Gels and Lucozade) 14.2 miles
Are there toilets/showers on route?
  • There are 100 toilets located around the Race Village area. The bulk of these will be by the Southampton City Art Gallery on Commercial Road near the start, with others in East Park (both in the North and South of the park). There will be further toilets around the course, in Riverside Park.

    Toilets are located at the following places along the route (miles approximate):
    3 miles and 17 miles (Weston Shore) 
    9 miles and 23 miles (Riverside Park) 
    12 miles and 25 miles (Southampton Common) 

    There are no showering facilities available on the route.

Registration FAQs

How do I enter the event?
  • You can sign up to the event here
What is the last date for entries?

Entries for 2023 close on Tuesday 2nd April at Midday! 

When is the last date for a refund of my entry?
  • The last date for event refunds is the 23rd Feb 2024

    If you have any queries or concerns please email us on events@reesleisure.co.uk
What is the last date for deferrals or distance changes?
  • If you signed up before the 23rd of Feb, the last date to change distance or defer is the 23rd of Feb

    If you signed up after the 23rd of Feb, the last date to change distance or defer is the 8th of March

    Any deferrals requested after the deadlines will incur a £10 admin fee.

    No distance transfers from the 2nd of April at Midday
Can I change down a distance?
  • You can!

    If you signed up before the 23rd of Feb, the last date to change distance or defer is the 23rd of Feb

    If you signed up after the 23rd of Feb, the last date to change distance or defer is the 8th of March
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    After these dates you will be charged a £10 admin fee to change distance.

    No distance transfers from the 2nd of April a Midday
Can I change up a distance?
  • You can!

    If you signed up before the 23rd of Feb the last date to change distance is the 23rd of Feb

    If you signed up after the 23rd of Feb  the last date to change distance or defer is the 8th of March

    You will be transferred at the current price of each category (this means there will be a price difference to pay)

    Any distance changes after the above dates will incur an additional £10 admin fee as well as the difference in distance price.
    ‍
    No distance transfers from the 2nd of April at Midday
What if I need to change my address?
  • Please log back into your registration using your email address and password you supplied and amend your details.

    If you signed up before the 23rd of Feb please update your address by the 23rd of Feb

    If you signed up after the 23rd of Feb please update your address by the 8th of March
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    Any changes to address after this date will incur a £10 admin fee to create a new pack.
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    If you have any issues with this please email events@reesleisure.co.uk and our team can help you!
What happens if I have lost my password or can’t log in to ActiveNetwork?
Can I swap my place with a friend?
  • Please email events@reesleisure.co.uk and we will help sort this out for you!  
When will my race pack arrive?
  • If you signed up BEFORE the 23rd of Feb, your race pack will arrive from the 22nd of March

    If you signed up AFTER the 23rd of Feb, your race pack will arrive from the TBC

    Race packs can arrive up to the 1st of April.
    ‍‍
    If you signed up after the 10th of March , you will need to pick up your race pack on race day at the registration desk in Watts Park (registration open from 07:00) or on Saturday 6th between 12:00 and 14:00

    If you live outside of the UK your race pack will be available for collection from our registration desk in Watts Park on Saturday 6th between 12:00 and 14:00 or Sunday 7th 07:00
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    If you have any questions or concerns please email events@reesleisure.co.uk and one of the team can help you! 
What do I do if I haven’t received my race pack?
  • If you have not received your pack a week before race-day please email events@reesleisure.co.uk  with the title RACE PACK and your name and the address you expected the pack to be delivered to and we can arrange for the new pack to be available at the Info/Race Pack desk in the Race Village on the day.

    You will NOT receive your race pack in the post if you signed up after the 10th of March 2023
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    Our registration desk will be in Watts Park and is open for Race Pack collection
    Saturday 6th April 12:00 - 14:00
    Sunday 7th April (Race Day) from 07:00
How do I enter a corporate team?
  • We have Team Packages available if you would like to enter a corporate team.
    Please get in touch with our team on events@reesleisure.co.uk to find out more.
Are there any entries on the day?
  • It is unlikely that there will still be spaces left on the day. Sign up quickly to avoid disappointment.
Where is the chip in the race pack?
  • The chip is fixed to the rear of the race number.
What is the QR code on the front of the race number for?
  • The QR code is to help track all your photos via Sussex Sport Photography which will be available through our website after the race for FREE!

Finishers FAQs

Do I get a medal?
  • Of course! And what a medal it is too! All Finishers across the Finish line will pick up a medal as they go through the Finish Gantry and into the Finish Distribution area in Southampton Guildhall Square. Don’t forget to post your Finishers pic to twitter @ABPMarathon, or Instagram @ABPsouthamptonmarathon. There will also be medal discounts available from many local businesses.
Where do I get my t-shirt from?

If you bought a finisher T-Shirt as part if your entry, when you cross the finish line you will pick up a t-shirt as you go through the Finish Gantry and into the Finish Distribution area in Southampton Guildhall Square. A marshall will then check your bib to see if you have a t-shirt and the hand over the correct size.

Will there be an awards ceremony?
  • Yes! There will be an awards ceremony which will happen on the stage by the Start/Finish gantry at 12:30 for all races. There will be presentations, pictures and prizes awarded by the Mayor and ABP.
Where do I get my results?
  • All the Results will be available via our live results page - this will be live on the website closer to the event.
Will there be pictures of me running?
  • Yes, there will be! Each Race number has a barcode so you should be able to easily spot yourself amongst the 10,000 runners. Photos will be available for FREE on our website: www.southamptonmarathon.co.uk

Spectators FAQs

Where is the best place to watch the race from?
  • Either along the streets to cheer the runners on, or you can watch the runners coming back in through the finish line in Southampton Guildhall Square.
Are there refreshments?

There will be no refreshments in Race Village itself however there are many coffee shops, hotels and restaurants between the station, car parks and bus station to pick up snacks and refreshments before the race. The Race Village is based in the Southampton Guildhall and the surrounding areas are full of fantastic restaurants and cafes, so do make sure you take full advantage of all that Southampton City has to offer!

Will there be entertainment on site?
  • Yes, our partners and local community groups will have various forms of entertainment for spectators in the race village, as well as live music on the stage. Around the route there will be several great entertainment groups.
Is the route suitable for wheelchair spectators?
  • The majority of the route is suitable for wheelchair users to get around using footpaths. For any specific questions, please email events@reesleisure.co.uk so we can help.

Charities FAQs

How do I run for charity?

If you would like to run for one of our Charity partners please get in touch with them through the links on the charity page on the website.

How about running for our Lead National Charity Macmillan or our Lead Local Charity Southampton Hospitals Charity please see charity pages for more information!

I want to run for charity but the charity I am running for isn’t listed on the website?

That is no worries! You will need to enter through the general entry and then create your own fundraising page. If you get in touch with the charity they will be able to provide you with some more information on fundraising.

How does a charity get involved in the event?

Volunteering FAQs

How do I become a volunteer?

We have many volunteer roles available for groups and individuals around the route and in race village! Please get in touch with volunteer@reesleisure.co.uk for more information

I am part of a community group/sports team and would like to volunteer what do I do?

Great news! Please get in touch on volunteer@reesleisure.co.uk and our team can help you. We can offer a donation of £250 from ABP for groups of 20+