Thames Meander Spring

Petersham & Ham Sea Scouts HQ, Douglas House Meadow, Richmond, TW10 7AH

Overall Rating

4.5/ 5

636 reviews
Would you recommend it to others? Yes
How did you rate the scenery? 4/5
How did you rate the atmosphere? 4/5
How did you rate the organisation? 4/5
Do you think this was friendly to beginners? Yes

Anonymous

Good early season marathon

Only confusing part was the turn around point, not very clear and people who don’t look associated to the event telling everyone to turn around

Reviewed using Eventrac, Mar 2020
Anonymous

Very well organised, good facilities, flat course, great training marathon I have come back to many times.

Reviewed using Eventrac, Mar 2020
Anonymous

Extremely well organised on the day with good communication pre race.

Loved this run along the Thames tow path. Course was well marked, Plenty of well stocked aid stations and cheerful, encouraging marshals. The path was a bit crowded at the finish area for runners trying to get through for the final section so maybe a marshal here to remind spectators to keep that area clear might be useful in future. Otherwise excellent 10/10!!

Reviewed using Eventrac, Mar 2020
Anonymous

Really enjoyed it. Done it four times now and it doesn't disappoint. Even with the three swims??

Is it a bit long?? I think my GPS is bang on and I always come out at 26.5 ish. I think people go really wide round the turn arounds. Can this be taken into account.

Thanks for another great race

Reviewed using Eventrac, Mar 2020
Anonymous

Excellently organised event along a beautiful river!

Reviewed using Eventrac, Mar 2020
Anonymous

Flat, fast and scenic.

Very good event, good info in the website, big enough to feel busy but small enough to not be crammed onto the narrow course. Good food stations. Only things I'd improve are course signage (a bit small), distance markers would probably help those without GPS watches and the main thing I'd improve is the first turning point. I'd make that turning point a bollard that has to be run around as some people turn before the table. And it's a bit too busy with the table there too. The army dude does a good job of shouting instructions though and the volunteers on the food stations are really good too. Hope that's helpful. These are minor suggestions, cos it's a great event already!

Reviewed using Eventrac, Nov 2019
Anonymous

Really enjoyed it.

Really did not enjoy passing the finishing line to do last loop back on yourself - would be much nicer to just run out further especially as it is such a great run along the thames path.
Would prefer mile markers.

Reviewed using Eventrac, Nov 2019
Anonymous

Beautiful route. Nice relaxed and friendly atmosphere with not many runners or too much fuss. It would be good if there were at least one or two toilet stops along the route.

Reviewed using Eventrac, Nov 2019
Anonymous

Very friendly, enjoyable event.

I had read in the information beforehand that headphones of any kind weren't permitted (so I didn't bring mine), however there were a lot of people wearing headphones during the race (including the lead female runners). I can see from the results that a few people were disqualified (presumably for wearing headphones), however it was a bit frustrating to see so many others clearly wearing them (and getting away with it!).

The only other comment relates to the drinks/feed station by the start/finish. When I had finished the half, a lot of other people who had also finished were around the table trying to get food/drinks, however this often meant they were blocking the people still running from either getting food/drinks, or being able to run through with a clear path. It may therefore be an idea to have a separate table for people once they have finished so they don't get in the way of those who are still running.

Overall though, I really enjoyed myself and will definitely be back!

Reviewed using Eventrac, Nov 2019
Anonymous

A pleasant off road marathon, well organised. I enjoyed the whole experience.

Reviewed using Eventrac, Nov 2019
Anonymous

Excellent Race along the river

Reviewed using Eventrac, Nov 2019
Anonymous

great, new pb

Mile markers would have been useful.

Reviewed using Eventrac, Nov 2019
Anonymous

Lovely scenery - shame about the weather.

Due to the weather conditions some of the track was a little difficult to maneuver with mud, puddles and pedestrians to get around in the middle section. Overall it was a nice route, even only being an out and back track.

Reviewed using Eventrac, Nov 2019
Anonymous

Scenic but lacked support

Why the course passes the finish line where you have to run past and turn around. The weather didnt help but thought the course lacked support and at times held up at the start because the course was too narrow for the number of runners, funnel the start to make it better

Reviewed using Eventrac, Nov 2019
Anonymous

The real London marathon

I stayed to cheer my friends across the line and was disappointed that the DJ stopped before they had all finished. If the music was still playing that would encourage more people to stay at the finish line too.

In previous years I have been able to shower after the race, I was disappointed the changing rooms we were shown to this time had no showers.

Reviewed using Eventrac, Nov 2019
Anonymous

Friendly trail/ path run along the Thames path

The path is narrow in places so you do need to look out for other path users

Reviewed using Eventrac, Nov 2019
Anonymous

Very enjoyable - nice flat run and nt as crowded as I expected

Would be nice to have something to run round at the turns!

Reviewed using Eventrac, Nov 2019
Anonymous

One struggles to find fault in anything that David his crew put on...

David is extremely good at making runners (from all over the world) feel welcome… and his helpers and marshals are among the friendliest on the running scene.

Reviewed using Eventrac, Nov 2019
Anonymous

A good choice for a first half marathon - nice and flat!

The only thing I didn't like was the last 3k or so - going back the other way having just passed the finish line! It would be much better to have the first turnaround a bit further along - at 10k or so, then a much shorter turnaround at the end. All in all really enjoyed it - marshals were lovely, great refreshments at good intervals. Glad I chose it for my first half.

Reviewed using Eventrac, Nov 2019
Anonymous

Friendly race on a nice flat course.

It would be good if the final loop towards Kingston could be replaced with a loop of the parks at the Putney end.

Reviewed using Eventrac, Nov 2019