Thames Towpath Half Marathon
This is an annual event that switches direction every year the route is along the Thames Towpath and is very narrow (single file stuff) in a lot of places, but the scenery is wonderful.
The towpath was very narrow and single file along the majority of the route. The towpath was hard, dry and gravely in places but was a decent surface and there were plenty of walkers and cyclists about . We followed the river under the M4, through Bray and up to Maidenhead. Maidenhead was halfway.
As we neared Cookham the path got much more rutted underfoot with lots of tree roots etc. Just outside Cookham the towpath ended so we detoured along a bit of a woodland trail and then on road through Cookham Village before going across a field and joining back up with the river. It was much more open along this stretch and totally exposed to the sun, the temperature was now 29c.
At Bourne End we had to cross a bridge to the other side which involved some steep steps which weren't too popular with the runners.
The rest of the route was really hard work - the last 2 miles or so was mostly on grass fields along the riverside, with kissing gates to get through every quarter mile or so. It was hard to keep stopping to negotiate the gates. One field was full of cows - and a large bull which required a diversion!
I finished in 1.51.35 (which was only 2 minutes off my pb and excellent considering the weather) 10th Senior Woman and 54th overall. 280 runners finished.