GVH Marathon Training Runs

The same routes and venue we used last year based at JFK school

 

Sunday 23rd February 2025

12 / 17 Miles

9:00am start (12min+ per mile)

9.30am main start

Pre-Register HERE on RaceNation

£10 Entry. The event is now pre-pay via the RaceNation link above but we will be taking a limited number of entries on the day.

12 mile course map

17 mile course map

enquiries: mtr@gadevalleyharriers.co.uk

Sunday 23rd March 2025

17 / 20 Miles

9:00am start (12min+ per mile)

9.30am main start

Pre-Register HERE on RaceNation

£10 Entry. The event is now pre-pay via the RaceNation link above but we will be taking a limited number of entries on the day.

17 mile course map

20 mile course map

enquiries: mtr@gadevalleyharriers.co.uk

Open to ALL runners

In February and March we will once again hold our well-renowned marathon training runs, which we have hosted for 25 years now and are open to ALL runners whether you are a member of an affiliated running club or not.

They are aimed at anyone training for a spring marathon and especially for first time marathon runners. This year we are holding 2 events from a new venue with a choice of distances depending on where you are in your training schedule.

The course starts at John F Kennedy RC School  which is on the outskirts of Hemel Hempstead, all the routes head straight out into the Hertfordshire countryside with picturesque views and challenging hills. The course is mainly along quiet country roads through the stunning Ashridge Forest but this year with NO canal sections.

The routes are well sign-posted with mile markers every mile, fully marshalled with water stops and our much-loved jelly baby stop!

At the end there will be well-earned tea, coffee, juice and cake waiting for you as always!

1st Time marathon runners welcome

Whilst we don’t like to set an official “cut-off” time for these runs (they are not official races and are very much catering for first time marathon runners), for the benefit of our marshals out on the course and also due to the time we need to vacate the venue, we do ask that if you expect to be over 12mins per mile pace that you join one of our earlier starting groups. One of our coaches will run with a 12min+ group at 9am for the first few miles of the course with you and we are always happy to set you off even earlier if required.

Please email us prior to the day if you would like to run at our event but are worried about your finish time.

 

 

IMPORTANT INFO

We operate a staggered start to alleviate any congestion in the first two miles of the run, so please line up at the start according to your estimated pace and do take your own timings as this is a training run and not an officially timed race.

We encourage you to sign-up on the Pre-Registration forms for these events. We will ask to see your ticket and QR code that comes with it as proof of payment – either printed off or on your phone screen.

There will be a limited number of pay on the day places.

Please arrive in good time to get ready to run. These runs are always popular and it gets busy in the 30 minutes leading up to the start!  We typically have between 300-500 runners taking part.

There is ample room to leave bags at the venue, it will be supervised but anything left is at your own risk.

Parking

There is a limited amount of parking in the venue car park but please arrive early if you want a space and follow the marshals instructions.

Once the car park is full please use nearby streets and park considerately and respect our neighbours by parking legally and not on grass verges or across private driveways, private parking spaces or entrances.

If you are travelling by train to Hemel Hempstead rail station it is a 2 mile cab ride or run to the venue.

Post-run re-fuelling

After a long run if the cake wasn’t enough to put back those lost calories then we would recommend our local pub, The Steamcoach, in nearby Boxmoor which does a fantastic Sunday lunch.

If you’ve come by train, you also have The Fishery Wharf Cafe, which is just 200 metres from Hemel Hempstead rail station and does excellent food in a very relaxed environment.

Charitable Contributions

The funds raised by the marathon training runs enables Gade Valley Harriers to make a sizeable donation each year to our nominated local charity.  Each year the charity is selected by members at our club Annual General Meeting and for 2025 we are proud to be supporting Charlies Gift

At our AGM in September 2024, we presented a cheque for £1000 to Community Action Dacorum

To everyone at Gade Valley Harriers

Thank you so very much for your continued support for Young Lives vs Cancer and your most recent kind donation of £1000, it really is greatly appreciated.  This could be used to support 10 families with our £100 registration grant to help with additional costs associated with a cancer diagnosis.  I have attached a certificate that perhaps you could share with everyone at the club?

When a child is diagnosed with cancer their whole world (and their family’s) can feel like it’s falling apart. They need special treatment because their cancer is different to an adult’s, they can only be treated in certain hospitals and they often have to travel many miles to get there. The impact on young lives is far more than medical. Their anxieties are deep. Their education, mental health and social lives suffer. Their futures feels very uncertain.

Young Lives vs Cancer is the only charity in the UK with specialist social workers dedicated to providing tailored psychosocial support to children and young people with cancer and their families. We stop at nothing to make sure their voices are heard and their unique needs understood, so they can get the right care and support at the right time.

We can only do this thanks to our incredible supporters like you, ensuring we are there for every family who need us.

Thank you again for your support,

Kim

Previous runner feedback

We’re delighted to welcome back many runners who do our marathon training runs every year, whether as part of their training for a Spring marathon or just because they enjoy the event.

We gathered some feedback from runners after the 20 mile event in March 2019 and from those we spoke to they rated the event a fabulous 4.75 out of 5, with 96% of respondents saying they were very likely to recommend it to others, with the remaining 4% being reasonably likely to do so…

Here is a selection of the feedback people left:

“Well organised, friendly and supportive. You really are a lovely bunch!!”

“Loved doing these runs for the last 10 years, long may they continue”

 “Fabulous, well-organised event. Fantastic, supportive marshals and cake at the end. What’s not to love? Thank you all”

“These runs are incredible for those of us training alone for a marathon irrespective of ability. Well organised and great practice. These runs have inspired me to run harder and better in this years London Marathon

“Marshals were fabulous. 10/10 event for organisation, support and sheer enthusiasm of everyone involved 

Click on the below video to see what some of the runners had to say: