With miles of flat seafront promenade and one of the country’s best-loved road races on its doorstep, Portsmouth is a fine city to run in. The Portsmouth And team has rounded up the big events and the best places to pull on your trainers.
The Great South Run
The Great South Run is the jewel of the city’s running calendar, a 10-mile road race held along the Southsea seafront each October. Often called the world’s favourite 10-miler, it is flat, fast and famous for its sea views, winding past the Historic Dockyard and the naval base before finishing on the seafront.
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It draws tens of thousands of runners and spectators, with shorter family and junior races alongside the main event, which makes it a good target whether you are chasing a personal best or taking on your first proper distance.
The Portsmouth Coastal Marathon
For a sterner test, the Portsmouth Coastal Marathon is run each December, tracing the shoreline east from the city towards Hayling Island and back. It is a tougher, lower-key affair than the Great South Run, often muddy underfoot in midwinter, and there is a half-marathon option for those not ready for the full 26.2 miles.
Free weekly parkruns
You do not need a big event to run here. Several free, timed 5k parkruns take place every Saturday morning, including at Lakeside in the north of the city and along the seafront, and they are open to all abilities, from first-timers walking the course to seasoned club runners.
Where to train
The obvious training ground is the seafront itself. The promenade runs almost unbroken from Clarence Pier past Southsea Castle to Eastney, giving you a flat, traffic-free route of several miles with the Solent for company. Southsea Common adds soft grass for easier days, and the whole stretch is well lit and busy with runners the year round.
Start with a parkrun to find your feet, build up along the prom through the summer, and the Great South Run in October makes a natural goal to aim for.
Few cities hand you a running route like this one, flat, scenic and right beside the sea, so there is little excuse not to make the most of it.
