On Sunday, October 13, Oxford was electric with excitement as more than 13,000 runners filled the streets for the cherished Oxford Half Marathon.
And it was as if the entire city had turned out in full force, with thousands of enthusiastic supporters lining the course, cheering loudly and encouraging every participant.
It was a day where community spirit truly shone, with everyone coming together to celebrate the incredible effort of each runner pushing towards that final mile.
But it wasn’t just about the race—it was the unbeatable atmosphere, the strong sense of community, and the sheer determination from every runner pushing themselves to reach that finish line.
This year, the Oxford Half sold out quicker than ever. By May, every general entry spot had been snapped up, and the charity places went fast too.
Runners weren’t just aiming for personal bests, they were raising money for some seriously good causes.
Between them, they’ve already raised over £950,000 for charities like Cancer Research UK, Macmillan Cancer Support, and the Alzheimer’s Society, as well as local groups like Oxfordshire Mind and Thames Valley Air Ambulance.
The route itself? A beauty. Winding through Oxford’s historic streets, runners got a real taste of the city’s famous architecture.
From Old Marston village to the River Cherwell and past Oxford University’s Lady Margaret Hall, it was a tour of all the best bits.
There was even live music along the way to help runners push through the 13.1 miles, with the finish line waiting on Parks Road.
At the front of the pack, the elite runners were blazing through. Harriet Freeman was the first female finisher, crossing the line in 1:14:35, with Alex Eykelbosch and Grace Baker right behind her. In the men’s race, Mark Pearce smashed it in 1:05:18, with Hugo Fry and Chris Davies close on his heels. For the non-binary category, Rattee Hensirisakul led the charge with a time of 1:49:32.
But it wasn’t just about the grown-ups. The Oxford Schools’ Challenge had local school kids clocking up miles over the past few weeks, with their final 1.1 miles taking them across the same finish line as the adults.
The cheers for the kids were just as loud, if not louder, as they completed their very own version of the Oxford Half.
It was a massive community effort all round, and the support was phenomenal. Ian Allerton, Operations Director at Motiv Sports, summed it up perfectly: “Today we saw once again why this is one of the most popular half marathons in the UK.
The support was excellent, it is always great to see such an iconic city come together to celebrate our runners.”
For anyone already itching to sign up for next year’s race, you’ll want to be quick. With the way places went this year, the 2025 Oxford Half Marathon is bound to be another sell-out.
To secure the lowest possible price for the 2025 Oxford Half marathon, which is expected to be another sell-out, visit: https://www.oxfordhalf.com/