FLATTEST & FASTEST Running Races in the UK for a PERSONAL BEST

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If you're planning your 2024 race calendar and want to know where the fastest and flattest races are for setting new PBs then this one's for you! There's a section on each distance (5k, 10k, half marathon & marathon). Enjoy!
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Chapters
0:00 Intro
0:40 Things to look out for when choosing a fast race
1:39 Fastest 5Ks
3:29 Fastest 10Ks
5:26 Fastest half marathons
7:56 Fastest marathons

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Опубликовано:

5 июл 2024

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Комментарии : 119

@bh4560 7 месяцев назад

Signed up for Edinburgh. Hope the winds are calm and I can smash the 3.30.. 🤞

@MattClarry 7 месяцев назад

I've run the last 6 Yorkshire Marathons, it is a great race, very well supported, there are a few hills, most are long and gradual, but there is a bit of a mean one, right at the end before it drops down to the finish! PB'd this year with a 3:23.39 !

@pauljennings2425 6 месяцев назад

Just did my first marathon in York in October. Found it flat and friendly and I achieved my goal time so what’s not to like 😊

@rizron95 7 месяцев назад

Special mention to the Great South run in Portsmouth. Very quick and flat 10 miler! Good atmosphere in places too!

@vickyshaw1709 7 месяцев назад

Few other fast 10ks around Yorkshire area.....Dewsbury (February), Gainsborough Morton (November), Doncaster (November). York 5k series (February to November) is 5 laps around a cycle track.

@paulhoughton5266 7 месяцев назад

Checkout the half and full marathon in Budapest held in October. Very flat and beautiful city to run through.

@mrk4018 7 месяцев назад

Yes Bath is mostly flat but the course changed after COVID and there now is a short but absurdly steep hill at the end. Still a beautiful city though.

@TheFODRunner 7 месяцев назад

Thanks Ben 🤝 totally agree with Bourton… crazy fast… Newport marathon is possibly the flattest in the county?! But minimal support so very much feels like a solo run. Only other one I can think of is Speedway 10k in January… 50ish sub 32 runners last time, 6 went sub 30!

@elliottchard 6 месяцев назад

Can't wait for Speedway this year! Fingers crossed I make the cut off

@61js 7 месяцев назад

Give Boston uk in Lincolnshire some love. Supposed flattest half and full marathon course in the country. It's in April so favourable temperature and almost a parkrun vibe. Really accessible and hassle free.

@petraalma29 7 месяцев назад

Dewsbury 10k always first Sunday in February. Real PB course! Out and back, slightly up on the way out, thus slightly down on the return.

@cesarborges8672 6 месяцев назад

Nice video, once that I am from Brazil and international marathons are expensive, to get this kind of information really help us to choose the right race toward our goals! Regards!

@user-ky6to4uq5m 7 месяцев назад

Cheers for giving the Abbey Dash 10k some love Ben. It’s one of my favourite events and have done it for years. It’s really well organised, has a really good vibe and it’s a great out and back to the city centre and always PB potential. And as 10ks go, if you get an early bird it’s pretty cheap too. Can’t recommend it enough!

@AndyCliffMTB 6 месяцев назад

Hi Ben, I always do the Manchester 10K, flat and fantastic support, especially in the city centre. Ran it for Macmillan in ‘23 and raised over £1200. Doing Tatton 10K this Sat and then Prom Classic Nice 10K in Jan-24😀

@jackwentrunning 6 месяцев назад

Just a shame of the cost of the Manchester big races!

@LaithMarathonMajors 7 месяцев назад

Hi Ben, love the summary - great insight - thank you. Will be doing the Reading Half (live here!) and always wanted to do Cardiff too, and of course London marathon. Just back from Valencia (what an awesome marathon!). Wondering if you'll post a Valencia review from your run ? Thanks again

@mrk4018 7 месяцев назад

Not in the UK but need to mention - I've signed up for my first marathon and chosen Amsterdam because it's so flat...

@MarkSmith_Best-Athletics 7 месяцев назад

Good luck. It's a quick course with a slight net downhill I think. Ensure you go in with a bit of leg strength,.pace it well and the course definitely has high PB potential. I ran a PB there this October and have a 14 minute 29 secs Boston Qualifier.

@sparten85 6 месяцев назад

Great video Ben! Yorkshire Marathon was great this year! I really want to do a race at Battersea sometime. Did Telford 10k last week and got a massive PB, so inspiring running these fast courses with fast runners. I did some fell races this year and the small village feel to many of the races and support and the after party is priceless 🍻 😊

@almckinnon1753 7 месяцев назад

I’m doing Telford 10K this Sunday, hoping for a PB 🤞🏻. Trying to get an Army place for London marathon, if that doesn’t happen then I’ll look at Edinburgh, thanks for this rundown on fast courses. Hopefully I can get a good for age spot for London 25 if I don’t get in next year.

@lazzaboyman8003 7 месяцев назад

This year I PB’d 5k, 10k, 10 miles, half marathon but due to a serious medical issue I didn’t get to run a marathon. In 2024 I’m going to break them all!

@MBellis1710 7 месяцев назад

Signed up for my first marathon at Newport next year! Got injured 2 years ago which stopped me from doing it then so hopefully get it done this time!

@zxRaMSaY 7 месяцев назад

Fastest marathon in the UK I would argue is the Boston Lincs marathon, elevation gain of 6m over the entire route… not a massive event but if you can run without the crowds, this is the PB one, but also like Edinburgh, the weather/wind could play a part as it’s so barren

@James-Henderson 7 месяцев назад

I got to marathon PBs this year at Newport and Chester (my first sub 4) I have Bideford 1/2 and Brighton marathon booked for next year,

@Peanut.Butter.Runner 7 месяцев назад

Europe edition would be great. Can’t be the only person disappointed by Berlin Ballot results yesterday. Thinking Valencia or Amsterdam instead (or Athens if I PB at Rome in March).

@MarkSmith_Best-Athletics 7 месяцев назад

Rome is a tough course and could be hot too. I ran my PB at Amsterdam this year. That's a quick course if you don't go out too quick and make sure that your legs are strong enough. Valencia is supposed to be very quick too.

@Peanut.Butter.Runner 7 месяцев назад

@@MarkSmith_Best-Athletics Thanks! Tough in terms of elevation or the cobbles? I have heard mixed reviews on Amsterdam (too congested) but definitely one I want to tick off so maybe that’s my fall race! My Pb was in Barcelona which I cannot recommend enough.

@ollie1317 6 месяцев назад

Nice to see Abingdon included. I have only done 1 marathon which was the North Dorset villages marathon round the corner from me(definately not flat!) earlier this year which is on open roads and its no problem,no one closes the roads for my training so its what i am used too! I reckon more chance getting injured by being tripped in a closed road event with thousands of peeps packed like sardines than any traffic accident.

@LARKRunningUK 6 месяцев назад

Great video! Thanks for all the effort in putting this together…..👍🏻

@professorpeck 7 месяцев назад

Did my first race a couple of weeks ago, the Conwy Half Marathon. Definitely not flat though but completed it after following your Beginner's HM Plan. Next race is the London Marathon. Was totally surprised I got in through the ballot on my first attempt. Currently following the L2 In Between Plan and will be following the L2 Marathon Plan in January. Will definitely come and check your stall at the Expo next year. N.B. this is the best running RU-vid channel by far

@davidhigginbottom371 7 месяцев назад

Conwy half was tough conditions

@ians3983 7 месяцев назад

Strathclyde park park run in Scotland is very flat and fast. I've entered my first marathon next April in Elgin, starting training for it soon at 67 I know it's going to be a toughie but if it was easy everybody would be doing it. Another enjoyable video Ben, did you ever put out a video covering Sarah,s MTB race for this year? Hope all's well with you.

@philipwood7673 7 месяцев назад

A couple of good races I've done repeatedly for their PB potential: Little Bromley 10k in Essex (April) and Lydd half marathon in Kent (March), though Lydd is in some very open countryside, so can be affected by the weather. Both pretty inexpensive to enter too!

@jonedwards8115 6 месяцев назад

Oxford Half is unbelievably flat and fast. A slightly twisty finish through the park near the end, but it makes up for it with two long straight out and back sections. A nice amount of crowd support too

@BenParkes 6 месяцев назад

I was going to include it, but there have been some of uncertainties about the future of the race. The people that run it, or use to have a 1.9 review score on google and it seems like a bit of a mess. Think they sold the race maybe. I'm not sure. But this and Hackney I couldn't include because of it.

@jonedwards8115 6 месяцев назад

Wow, I had no idea. Their events have always seemed well run but it looks like they are hard to deal with if things don't go to plan. Hopefully Hackney still happens as I'm signed up for that in 2024

@user-dt3hr5sk1m 6 месяцев назад

It would be nice if you could do one for the whole of the EU. THANKS BEN

@Dannyner6 7 месяцев назад

exhibiting at the london marathon expo! congratulations, ben! that's so cool :D

@jamesrowntree 7 месяцев назад

I'm running Paris in April as my debut with my sights on a September marathon to try and get a good for age time. Currently looking at Morecambe, Richmond, and Brussels (maybe considering Oslo).

@celinedeldel 6 месяцев назад

Helpful content! Thanks!

@macau.friend 7 месяцев назад

The Asics 10K London is pretty fast and awesome, although there is a bit of a hill between the 4K and 5K.

@briansmyth1502 6 месяцев назад

I'm doing Manchester, my second marathon after London.

@ingles24h 7 месяцев назад

Incredible content, although I am not from the UK... It would be awesome that worldwide version that you mentioned at the start of the video. Also I couldn't help laughing out loud here 9:18, with that poor guy missing his easy target passing by a few centimetres away from the skip, and there comes Sarah throwing her bottle from a far away galaxy and whoosh!!!! right into the skip brilliant stuff !!!😂😂

@ashleymoore7610 7 месяцев назад

Telford is the only 10k race Ive managed a sub 40 in to this day

@jackwentrunning 6 месяцев назад

Did Chester Marathon this year and the heat nearly killed me! Saw loads of people faint 😳, also, that hill at the end is seriously horrible! And that’s from someone who’s ran the Windermere marathon 😂😂😂 (and is running it again in 24…as well as Manchester and Chester again 😂)

@aidanoc19 6 месяцев назад

Kudos for the Welsh race mentions. Worth noting Cardiff has an amazing atmosphere, 10,000s of fans on the route, but unfortunately the Newport marathon lacks a crowd for most of the route, told it can be a bit lonesome as it's mainly run on rural roads.

@user-kq3jm7dy9g 7 месяцев назад

Loved this one, defo keen for a Europe version! And you have to do Cardiff half !! It’s unreal! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

@elliottchard 6 месяцев назад

Speedway 10k in Wales definitely one of the fastest in the SW! I agree about Reading, feels strangely fast despite the few hills with great crowds. Cardiff also another super fast well organised one.

@runner_russ 7 месяцев назад

Agree re: Chester marathon and ran the same year Sarah did it. Why not venture West further into North Wales one November and check out the Conwy half marathon. Great scenic route thats on my race calendar every year. A bit of a hill at mile 7 but still a PBable course because the downhill is so quick

@finbarallan 7 месяцев назад

Would love a European version of this especially for half/full marathon

@micheldirkx5583 7 месяцев назад

Everything set for Manchester on 14/04! And hoping for a close to 3h marathon PB 👍😎

@mikehobbs624 7 месяцев назад

Bourton is my local 10k. Very fast course. Bath is a great half to do, also the woking half marathon, both quick courses. I absolutely love London, running my 9th next year 😀.

@SharaRuns 7 месяцев назад

Great Eastern Run (half marathon) is super flat and very fast.

@Weegie_in_Spain 7 месяцев назад

Round The Houses in Grangemouth in April and Tilli 10k just after Xmas are the 2 quickest 10k's in Scotland

@owenmcgh 7 месяцев назад

I think I commented on a previous video that I'm planning on running my first half mara in about six months time. It won't be flat being in Sydney, but whatever time it'll be will be a PB! I doubt many, or any, races in Sydney could be considered flat or fast. Hills everywhere!

@JackD87 7 месяцев назад

My tip is Cabbage Patch 10 (ten miles). Stood as the UK record course for ages.

@bryanmcgill752 7 месяцев назад

Antrim looks great, I’ll see you in London!

@JackD87 7 месяцев назад

Love this idea!

@petey3598 6 месяцев назад

Down for the Lisbon half marathon in March next year, whilst Lisbon is hilly apparently the course isn't so phew!! I doubt I'll get a pb as these 53 year old knees are starting to give up on me😂

@alfdickinson1971 7 месяцев назад

Want to give The Yorkshire Double ago this coming year(Leeds&York marathons) and some of these 10ks too.

@marymcgrath4542 7 месяцев назад

Wilmslow 10k in July and Nov is fantastic, seems to be downhill all the way except a short climb after a dip about 9k

@gregjohnson5791 7 месяцев назад

Wilmslow 10k is a great one for a PB, I’d say it’s better than Manchester. Net downhill with one short, sharp hill. They also have pacers every 2 and a half minutes, which is a nice touch.

@theallstarbid 6 месяцев назад

South West PB Series at Odd Down near Bath is a great fast 5k

@garydover2680 7 месяцев назад

Missed the 10 milers Ben, recommend the Brampton to Carlisle in November. Hope to see you both at London, normally avoid the expo to save the legs👍

@DavidMorris-yw8jg 7 месяцев назад

10 miles isn’t a traditional race distance.

@ianhearn9655 6 месяцев назад

You need to enter the Blaydon Race in Newcastle, its on June 9th every year

@lorrainecowan7288 7 месяцев назад

Hi Ben I did amserdam marathon it was amazing I going to do chester marathon 24 done it be for

@andycharles1332 7 месяцев назад

Newport marathon for me attempting to go sub 3. Missed it by 1minute 34 seconds last year, vet 60 age group.

@daveoly6947 7 месяцев назад

Nice to do one for the U.S. Chicago was very fast

@stevecolders 7 месяцев назад

Wilne 10k near Derby is very fast, good field and ripe for a PB. Well worth a look.

@Feanaro5503 7 месяцев назад

Love a late start. 8am starts for 5Ks and 10ks should only be in the heat of summer

@cesarborges8672 6 месяцев назад

I just ran Valencia Marathon and got a PB, so now I am looking for a flat race in April and considering to run Manchester Marathon. It is flat as Valencia? Or at least flatter then London Marathon? Regards

@Ninja-Cake 7 месяцев назад

Which race are you using to qualify for comrades Ben ?

@jh230377 6 месяцев назад

Love the York Marathon, the Leeds 10K & Leeds Abbey Dash 10K. Would love to run London Marathon.👍

@andrewnewell128 6 месяцев назад

MUSA Cookstown is an acronym for Mid Ulster Sports Arena (pronounced Moosa) - a fast course that goes under the radar!

@JaymeJay 7 месяцев назад

Don't go to Pegwell Bay parkrun if you want a 5km PB!!!!

@Anthony.462 Месяц назад

Why?

@benmartin-dye9476 7 месяцев назад

Love the content as ever. You've done Wokingham Ben. Much faster than Reading 🤷

@TonyC23 6 месяцев назад

Can’t go wrong with Blackpool illuminations 10k in August. Very flat and something different, starts at 8pm!

@tipy959 7 месяцев назад

For fast 5K or 10K it doesn't get much better than Battersea Park!

@racedayrunning 7 месяцев назад

Brass Monkey in York in January is flat and fast. Very popular club run. Great North Run is a terrible course, definitely not flat but the support / atmosphere is great

@tthornton3312 7 месяцев назад

Anyone ever run the Wokingham Half? Be interested to know if that's a fast course, signed up for the one in Feb

@JasonCliftJones 7 месяцев назад

3:12 - Note for Pegwell Bay, it is known to be short, it's nearer to 4.7km than 5km. 10K's; if you want something a little more affordable up north, Run North West's Trafford 10K is pretty notoriously quick up here too. 29:03 / 30:55 winning times this year.

@JaymeJay 7 месяцев назад

Was just coming to comment about Pegwell Bay also, my PB is there but my watch recorded it 200 meters short. It wasn't a good surface for fast running at all either

@jdpjamesp 7 месяцев назад

Finding fast races is great but sometimes you just need to be amped up and relaxed. Certainly for us mere mortals at the more average end of the spectrum anyway!! :) I set myself a 2023 target of getting sub 50 for the 10k. My current PB was about 52 minutes. 1st Jan I ran 51 something on a tricky course with a 2 mile hill in the middle. 8th Jan I went into a race that everyone said was tricky. Lumpy and with it being January there was a section about 75m long which was over ankle deep water. It's not a PB course everyone said. So I went in for a laugh and was relaxed. I finished 47 something which was insane. Couldn't feel my feet though... lol

@davidhigginbottom371 7 месяцев назад

1st marathon at Manchester next year

@kingofdeath5600 6 месяцев назад

Have you run Basingstoke half marathon before?

@physio4me 6 месяцев назад

Yes please for Europe edition please

@Dan-77 7 месяцев назад

I’m training for my first marathon in manchester

@luke123death 7 месяцев назад

Ben your TV looks massive 👌

@dalekirkwood6496 5 месяцев назад

Armagh 5k/3k in a week and a half, did you get signed up to either?

@kd-wk8nd 7 месяцев назад

Good vid and tips but Chester marathon whilst moderately flat has twice the elevation of London

@mikecocks162 7 месяцев назад

Bourton 10k entries in for me and my running buddy!👍

@TumoRuns 7 месяцев назад

Fastest 5k races in the country are probably Mid Cheshire 5k, Christleton 5k, and Capenhurst 5k in the northwest. Absolutely stacked!

@henryaxon4873 7 месяцев назад

Pegwell Bay needs to lengthen their course. 300m long. Don't even run it anymore as it just feels like cheating. Can easily be sorted but they have never adressed it for some reason

@Alex.1739 6 месяцев назад

How did valencia go dude?

@echrbax 7 месяцев назад

Never knew Abingdon had a marathon, it goes right past the house I grew up in. Definitely one for the list

@simonlarge3053 7 месяцев назад

I’ve done it the last 2 years, its only been going for 40years 😂

@tipy959 7 месяцев назад

Did it this year, brilliant course if you're looking to run fast!

@jensmith3719 7 месяцев назад

@@simonlarge3053 i ran the first one in 1982 !!!, bonked at 20 miles at 2.40 and sat down, then managed to shuffle in, 3.51, just recovered from kidney infection, oh what you get away with when young, 😊, might have to revisit,

@simonlarge3053 7 месяцев назад

@@tipy959 yea I think it’s a great event , brilliantly organised by the volunteers and fantastic support and the course is good too.

@oldmanoutdoors6382 7 месяцев назад

Would love a US edition

@rutznbutzn9541 6 месяцев назад

when will sarah upload new videos?

@sophiebennettdiplcm8236 6 месяцев назад

My first ever half didn't measure the course properly! It was a fast run for me but 100m short of a HM :(

@stevehogg2103 7 месяцев назад

Stubbington 10K in early Jan flat as a pancake,burn off those Christmas calories 🎄

@christopherbarnes4882 6 месяцев назад

Always selks out in hours

@BenMoore1 7 месяцев назад

Boston UK marathon claims to be the flattest course, my Strava activity has it at 19 ft total elevation gain over the 26.2! There's a pretty lethal hill at the end of Yorkshire too but I haven't done Chester - wonder which is worse!

@MarkSmith_Best-Athletics 7 месяцев назад

Chester looks worse than Yorkshire for elevation. Boston is too early in the year for me. I am looking for an autumn Marathon and possibly sticking UK based as I need to save for Boston 2025. Wondering how Chelmsford Marathon compares to Yorkshire.

@hahaheslop 7 месяцев назад

The "Fat" marathons are the best! 😅

@Elmgreen81 7 месяцев назад

Manchester Marathon 👍 London Marathon 👍

@briankerr2989 7 месяцев назад

Manchester marathon is not flat ... No way. 😂

@DavidMorris-yw8jg 7 месяцев назад

I hate to disagree with you Ben but Chester Marathon is not flat and is very undulating at best. It makes me think that your other recommendations are rubbish too.

@jensmith3719 7 месяцев назад

just check them out, and flat is relative,

@DavidMorris-yw8jg 7 месяцев назад

@@jensmith3719 I’ve run marathons, plenty of them (including all the 6 majors) and Chester doesn’t come in the top 50% of fastest marathons.

@jensmith3719 6 месяцев назад

@@DavidMorris-yw8jg i guess i meant that for some that level of undulation would not impact a possible pb, i find totally flat races harder than those with some undulations, i understand at elite level that flat is best

@AMTMM 7 месяцев назад

No mention for 2 of the 3 quickest 10K’s in the country: Trafford 10K & Ribble Valley. Mentioned Big Half and Landmarks Half(?!) but not Oxford or Cambridge Half’s. Also missed Mid-Cheshire 5K which hosts the National Champs. All this stuff is easy to find on RunBritain’s Rankings page Also worth pointing out PUTL isn’t an organiser it was a one off event; youve confused Podium (Barrowford & Leicester) and FNUTL (Battersea) I never normally comment on these videos but if you’re going to make money off of people watching this stuff, at least give them the right information 👍🏼