Havens Hospices is excited to be hosting our flagship event, the Southend Half Marathon on 9th June 2024. Now in its 28th year, the race has raised over £1.5million for Havens Hospices. Being a regular fixture in the South East running calendar, the race regularly attracts over 2,000 runners each year as well as numerous spectators who line the seafront route and start/finish area at East Beach, Shoeburyness. Runners take part from across the South East of England as well as the rest of the UK and as far afield as Europe, Hong Kong and the USA
The two-lap course takes runners along the scenic coast with views over the Thames Estuary. The flat route is closed to traffic, which makes it ideal for experienced runners looking to achieve a personal best time as well as runners who are taking on their first half marathon. Wheelchair athletes are also welcome.
Pacers will be supporting runners to finish times of 1hr 30m, 1hr 45m, 2hrs, 2hrs 15m, 2hrs 30m.
The race is chip-timed, and all finishers will receive a bespoke medal. Trophies are also awarded for individuals and teams.
This is a UK Athletics approved event.
Regardless of your experience and capability, training for a half marathon is a serious undertaking. We thought it would be great to share 10 training tips from 651 Running Head Coach, Jim Dodsworth, to help you with your preparation available here.
Whilst we wouldn’t recommend that a new runner attempts a half marathon after only 8 weeks of training, 651 Running has put together a training plan designed for the newer / less experienced runner. Attempting a half marathon with less than 8 weeks of training can cause injury, so if you haven’t already started, it’s now time to spring into action so take a look at the training plan and ensure you allow enough time to prepare. The plan has three runs a week, including one easy run, one longer run and one harder session (speed or hills or fartlek). It also recommends some supplemental training such as yoga, the gym or Pilates to help prevent injury. The runs are in time rather than distance as this tends to work better for less experienced people, rather than worrying about the distance. Note that undertaking a half marathon without sufficient training can cause injury, so it’s really important that you prepare for the big day.
