Welcome to the 34th staging of the Dymock Half Marathon and the 4th running of the Dymock 5 mile race.

Overview

Both courses run through beautiful rural countryside close to the Gloucestershire and Herefordshire borders.

The Half is a road race, through quiet lanes. It would best be described as hilly/undulating, and the ascents are matched with speedy descents. 

Starting together, runners of the 5 mile route travel through the same first 2 miles as the Half, but loop round back to Dymock for a high tempo finish. Both courses are suitable for runners of all abilities.

Both routes are fully marked out and marshalled with several water stations.

·Race Date: Sunday 24th May 2025

·Starting Time: 9am

·Entries: Half Marathon entry fee (Early Bird Prices): £27.50 – Affiliated / £29.50 – Unattached. 

 5 miles entry fee (Early Bird Prices) £16.00 – Affiliated / £18.00 – Unattached.

·Venue: Dymock Cricket Club (Race HQ)  The Pound, Dymock, GL18 2AD

·Facilities/ Parking: Parking is in the field at the back of the cricket club and additional parking opposite the Beauchamp Arms public house in the field. There will also be disabled parking at the Cricket Club

·Distance/ Terrain:  Half Marathon - Road / 5 miles - Road

·Course Details:   Full UK Athletics race licence. See longer descriptions below.

·Prizes/ Medals: Age category prizes, Team prizes and Local runner prizes. As the race is hosted by a cricket club there is also a prize for the first finisher from a local cricket club.  Plus a medal for all participants.

·Website: www.dymockhalfmarathon.com / New Facebook page search racedymock

·Post Race: Race awards presentation

Route information

Both events start off from Dymock Cricket Club on May 24th at 09:00am.

From the field in front of the pavilion, all runners head toward the centre of Dymock.  Runners swing South out of the village along country lanes, until reaching the M50 bridge at Four Oaks, where the Half heads left and the 5m turns right towards Dymock Woods. The Half then powers down Holder's lane and onto the Kempley road heading North into Queen's Wood (the epicentre of the famous Daffodil Walk) and into the pretty village of Kempley. Here there are great views of the Malverns and a nice downward slope at halfway. Once through the village, turning at Kempley New Church, the route tends North on a gradual incline towards Much Marcle, before doubling back past Kempley Old Church and the historic Memorial Oak. A climb to Candle Cottage on the edge of Kempley at the 10 mile mark, leads to an eastward turn for the final few miles back to Dymock and over the old railway bridge, before a descent back to the cricket club.

For the 5m, following the right turn just before the Motorway bridge, runners follow the undulating road through Dymock woods. The route continues on the lane towards Normansland and a pair of fast straights to Dymock. Then the final part takes runners over the old railway bridge, past the Beauchamps Arms and a return to the cricket club to receive your well-earned medal!

Registration, number and micro chip collection will take place at Dymock Cricket Club from 07.30am to 08:40am. Half Marathon race and 5m race start together at 09:00am from the Cricket Club.

All runners will receive an individual micro chip and number at registration which will be required to be attached to the shoe prior to the start. The chip will record times which will be available for all runners at the finish.

Parking, toilets and changing available at the cricket club plus refreshments after the races. We will not be offering a bag drop facility, as we cannot accept responsibility for lost items.