The Bath Half Marathon (also known as the "BATHALF") is an annual road runninghalf marathon held in Bath, England, normally on the second or third Sunday in March. It has been held almost every year since 1982. The race was first run in the year after the first London Marathon and has remained a popular race for runners preparing for that event. The next race is scheduled for Sunday 16 October 2022.
It is the largest one-day charity fundraising event in South West England, raising over £2.2 million for charity in 2016.[2][3] Since 2000 the race has been organised by Bath-based Running High Events Ltd.
Main group of runners in 2009, on Pulteney Road, Widcombe
The Bath Half is a fast flat course, straddling both sides of the River Avon. The race starts and finishes in Great Pulteney Street, which with its roadway spanning 46 feet (14 m) is one of the widest Georgian boulevards in Europe. The first mile is gently downhill on Pulteney Road to Churchill Bridge, then the route follows two identical laps from Churchill Bridge, rising up past Green Park station, round Queen Square, then down Charlotte Street and westbound out of the city centre along the A4 road (Upper Bristol Road and Newbridge Road) to Newbridge and crossing the 'New Bridge' at the 'Twerton Fork' at the beginning of the dual carriageway. From here the race heads eastbound on the A36 back towards the city centre, along Lower Bristol Road, before crossing over Churchill Bridge and up Green Park again for the beginning of the second lap. At the end of the second lap the runners pass across Churchill Bridge, then up Pulteney Road to the finish back in Great Pulteney Street.
The course route is unchanged since minor modifications in 2006. It was remeasured in 2006 by IAAF official course measurer Hugh Jones, describing the course as 'officially flat, with three undulations'. The assembly area for the race is the Bath Recreation Ground.
Leading runners in 2006, Simon Tonui and Simon Kasimili
Effects of COVID-19 pandemic
The 2020 event faced criticism after it went ahead despite the 2019-20 coronavirus pandemic. A number of organisations pulled out, and local MP Wera Hobhouse called for it to be cancelled, saying "protecting the most vulnerable in our city from a further spread of the infection must be the priority." Organisers denied accusations they were irresponsible, and the event took place with half the usual number of participants.[13] Bath MP Wera Hobhouse later said lives probably would have been saved had the event been cancelled, but the "organiser had no guidance from Government to stop the event." Bath Half race director said "We are not aware of any data or evidence linking outdoor participation events such as the Bath Half with the spread of COVID-19, or with any fatalities from COVID-19 ... In the absence of any such data this type of discussion could be regarded as speculation, even scaremongering."[14]
The 2021 event was first postponed to September, and then cancelled in April 2021 owing to uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 restrictions, combined with planned road closures for improvement works.[15]
References
^ abc, Bath Chronicle, 1 March 2015, archived from the original on 2 April 2015, retrieved 12 March 2015
^"Bath Half Marathon". Bath Half. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
^"Bath Half Marathon". Visit Bath. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
^ abBath Half Marathon 2006, Running High/Sports Systems, 19 March 2006, retrieved 6 December 2014
^ ab"Thousands compete in 30th Bath half marathon". BBC Somerset. 6 March 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
^ abEllis, Rachel (4 March 2013). "Runners Praise Best Ever Bath Half". Bath Half Marathon. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
^Organisers say Bath Half Marathon 2013 is best ever, This is Bath, 3 March 2012, retrieved 7 March 2012
^ abEllis, Rachel (3 March 2014). "Record attendance and high spirits at the 2014 BATHALF". Bath Half Marathon. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
^ ab"2014 results". Bath Half Marathon. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
^ abEllis, Rachel (14 March 2016). "VITALITY BATH HALF MARATHON 2016 EVENT REVIEW: RUN-FAST ATHLETES ROBERT MBITHI AND LENAH JEROTICH CLAIM TITLES". Bath Half Marathon. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
^"More than 700 Bath Half runners left without medals". BBC Somerset. BBC. 13 March 2017. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
^"Runners turn out for cancelled Bath Half Marathon". BBC Somerset. BBC. 4 March 2018. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
^Sumner, Stephen (13 May 2020). "MP says cancelling mass gatherings "probably would have saved many lives"". Bath Echo. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
^"Bath Half Marathon postponed until 2022 due to uncertainty over COVID-19". Bath Echo. 27 April 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
External links
Official website
Bath Half Marathon on the ARRS website
Media related to Bath Half Marathon at Wikimedia Commons
March 12, 2023
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The Bath Half Marathon also known as the BATHALF is an annual road running half marathon held in Bath England normally on the second or third Sunday in March It has been held almost every year since 1982 The race was first run in the year after the first London Marathon and has remained a popular race for runners preparing for that event The next race is scheduled for Sunday 16 October 2022 Bath Half MarathonDateMarchLocationBath United KingdomEvent typeRoadDistanceHalf marathonEstablished1981 42 years ago 1981 Course recordsMen s 1 01 45 2016 Robert Wambua Mbithi Women s 1 09 27 2007 Liz YellingOfficial sitebathhalf wbr co wbr ukParticipants11 693 in 2015 1 It is the largest one day charity fundraising event in South West England raising over 2 2 million for charity in 2016 2 3 Since 2000 the race has been organised by Bath based Running High Events Ltd Contents 1 Course 2 Results 3 Effects of COVID 19 pandemic 4 References 5 External linksCourse Edit Main group of runners in 2009 on Pulteney Road Widcombe The Bath Half is a fast flat course straddling both sides of the River Avon The race starts and finishes in Great Pulteney Street which with its roadway spanning 46 feet 14 m is one of the widest Georgian boulevards in Europe The first mile is gently downhill on Pulteney Road to Churchill Bridge then the route follows two identical laps from Churchill Bridge rising up past Green Park station round Queen Square then down Charlotte Street and westbound out of the city centre along the A4 road Upper Bristol Road and Newbridge Road to Newbridge and crossing the New Bridge at the Twerton Fork at the beginning of the dual carriageway From here the race heads eastbound on the A36 back towards the city centre along Lower Bristol Road before crossing over Churchill Bridge and up Green Park again for the beginning of the second lap At the end of the second lap the runners pass across Churchill Bridge then up Pulteney Road to the finish back in Great Pulteney Street The course route is unchanged since minor modifications in 2006 It was remeasured in 2006 by IAAF official course measurer Hugh Jones describing the course as officially flat with three undulations The assembly area for the race is the Bath Recreation Ground Results EditYear Competitors Men s winner Women s winnerAthlete Nationality Time h m s Athlete Nationality Time h m s 1982 Nigel Gates United Kingdom 1 03 01 Joyce Smith United Kingdom 1 11 451983 Nigel Gates United Kingdom 1 04 24 Annette Roberts United Kingdom 1 15 351984 Maurice Cowman United Kingdom 1 04 13 Priscilla Welch United Kingdom 1 12 131985 Steve Anders United Kingdom 1 03 29 Veronique Marot United Kingdom 1 11 101986 Steve Anders United Kingdom 1 02 35 Veronique Marot United Kingdom 1 10 231987 John Wheway United Kingdom 1 03 02 Veronique Marot United Kingdom 1 11 531988 John Wheway United Kingdom 1 04 11 Sally Ellis United Kingdom 1 11 381989 John Wheway United Kingdom 1 04 26 Bronwen Cardy Wise United Kingdom 1 15 201990 Steve Brace United Kingdom 1 05 11 Veronique Marot United Kingdom 1 13 461991 Chris Buckley United Kingdom 1 04 41 Karen MacLeod United Kingdom 1 13 311992 Colin Walker United Kingdom 1 03 59 Ann Roden United Kingdom 1 15 261993 Steve Brace United Kingdom 1 04 05 Andrea Wallace United Kingdom 1 09 391994 Chris Buckley United Kingdom 1 03 44 Hayley Nash United Kingdom 1 13 151995 David Taylor United Kingdom 1 04 22 Karen MacLeod United Kingdom 1 14 171996 Phil Makepeace United Kingdom 1 05 15 Hayley Nash United Kingdom 1 16 101997 Gareth Davies United Kingdom 1 06 55 Hayley Nash United Kingdom 1 18 371998 Stuart Hall United Kingdom 1 06 52 Melanie Ellis United Kingdom 1 15 341999 Tony Graham United Kingdom 1 06 58 Debbie Gunning United Kingdom 1 18 362000 Alan Sheppard United Kingdom 1 05 48 Helen Purdy United Kingdom 1 15 552001 Paul Green United Kingdom 1 04 57 Annie Emmerson United Kingdom 1 11 132002 William Musyoki Kenya 1 04 14 Jo Lodge United Kingdom 1 14 012003 Huw Lobb United Kingdom 1 04 51 Debbie Robinson United Kingdom 1 11 572004 Joseph Riri Kenya 1 02 20 Miriam Wangari Kenya 1 14 372005 Simon Tonui Kenya 1 02 53 Susan Partridge United Kingdom 1 13 102006 6 000 Simon Kasimili 4 Kenya 1 04 08 Cathy Mutwa 4 Kenya 1 12 432007 8 165 Tewodros Shiferaw Ethiopia 1 02 09 Liz Yelling United Kingdom 1 09 272008 10 054 Raymond Tonui Kenya 1 05 21 Roman Gebresse Kenya 1 13 092009 10 700 Simon Tonui Kenya 1 03 09 Joyce Kandia Kenya 1 11 492010 10 800 Ezekiel Cherop Kenya 1 03 03 Michelle Ross Cope United Kingdom 1 12 072011 12 000 Edwin Kipkorir 5 Kenya 1 04 00 Edith Chelimo 5 Kenya 1 11 252012 Edwin Kiptoo Kenya 1 02 01 Jane Muia Kenya 1 11 192013 12 000 Tewodros Shiferaw 6 7 Ethiopia 1 03 26 Polline Wanjiru 6 Kenya 1 10 282014 11 300 Nicholas Kirui 8 Kenya 1 03 13 9 Perendis Lekapana 8 Kenya 1 10 53 9 2015 11 693 Paul Martelletti 1 United Kingdom 1 05 27 Emma Stepto 1 United Kingdom 1 13 482016 11 352 Robert Mbithi 10 Kenya 1 01 45 Lenah Jerotich 10 Kenya 1 12 242017 12 748 11 Ben Fish United Kingdom 1 05 16 Ruth Barnes United Kingdom 1 15 322018 Cancelled due to snow 12 2019 11 348 Chris Thompson United Kingdom 1 03 09 Kate Reed United Kingdom 1 12 442020 6 827 Paul Pollock Ireland 1 04 14 Becky Briggs United Kingdom 1 14 342022 Kadar Omar Ethiopia 1 05 04 Atsede Gidey United Kingdom 1 11 54 Leading runners in 2006 Simon Tonui and Simon KasimiliEffects of COVID 19 pandemic EditThe 2020 event faced criticism after it went ahead despite the 2019 20 coronavirus pandemic A number of organisations pulled out and local MP Wera Hobhouse called for it to be cancelled saying protecting the most vulnerable in our city from a further spread of the infection must be the priority Organisers denied accusations they were irresponsible and the event took place with half the usual number of participants 13 Bath MP Wera Hobhouse later said lives probably would have been saved had the event been cancelled but the organiser had no guidance from Government to stop the event Bath Half race director said We are not aware of any data or evidence linking outdoor participation events such as the Bath Half with the spread of COVID 19 or with any fatalities from COVID 19 In the absence of any such data this type of discussion could be regarded as speculation even scaremongering 14 The 2021 event was first postponed to September and then cancelled in April 2021 owing to uncertainty surrounding COVID 19 restrictions combined with planned road closures for improvement works 15 References Edit a b c Bath Half 2015 Paul Martelletti is first British winner since 2003 after recording fourth half marathon success in a month Bath Chronicle 1 March 2015 archived from the original on 2 April 2015 retrieved 12 March 2015 Bath Half Marathon Bath Half Retrieved 6 December 2014 Bath Half Marathon Visit Bath Retrieved 1 November 2016 a b Bath Half Marathon 2006 Running High Sports Systems 19 March 2006 retrieved 6 December 2014 a b Thousands compete in 30th Bath half marathon BBC Somerset 6 March 2011 Retrieved 6 December 2014 a b Ellis Rachel 4 March 2013 Runners Praise Best Ever Bath Half Bath Half Marathon Retrieved 6 December 2014 Organisers say Bath Half Marathon 2013 is best ever This is Bath 3 March 2012 retrieved 7 March 2012 a b Ellis Rachel 3 March 2014 Record attendance and high spirits at the 2014 BATHALF Bath Half Marathon Retrieved 6 December 2014 a b 2014 results Bath Half Marathon Retrieved 6 December 2014 a b Ellis Rachel 14 March 2016 VITALITY BATH HALF MARATHON 2016 EVENT REVIEW RUN FAST ATHLETES ROBERT MBITHI AND LENAH JEROTICH CLAIM TITLES Bath Half Marathon Retrieved 27 March 2016 More than 700 Bath Half runners left without medals BBC Somerset BBC 13 March 2017 Retrieved 18 March 2017 Runners turn out for cancelled Bath Half Marathon BBC Somerset BBC 4 March 2018 Retrieved 16 April 2018 Coronavirus Bath half marathon goes ahead despite backlash BBC Retrieved 15 March 2020 Sumner Stephen 13 May 2020 MP says cancelling mass gatherings probably would have saved many lives Bath Echo Retrieved 13 May 2020 Bath Half Marathon postponed until 2022 due to uncertainty over COVID 19 Bath Echo 27 April 2021 Retrieved 28 April 2021 External links EditOfficial website Bath Half Marathon on the ARRS website Media related to Bath Half Marathon at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bath Half Marathon amp oldid 1139609025, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
