The 15th annual Basingstoke Half Marathon and 10k took place on Sunday, October 6, surpassing expectations with participation in incredible numbers.

More than 1,300 runners, including enthusiastic children in the newly added races, participated in the runs, and 1,036 crossed the finish line at the War Memorial Park Race Village. This was a big increase on the 895 who finished last year.

In the Half Marathon, Tom Harding secured an impressive victory with a time of 1:13:07, followed closely by Daniel Quinlan and Ben Nutley. Among the women, Jilly Raw triumphed, crossing the finish line in 1:28:33, with Jitka Hall and Victoria Buck taking second and third places, respectively.

The 10K race also featured standout performances. Michael Stone led the men’s race with a time of 34:07, followed by Stephen Reid and Tony Parker. In the women’s category, Gemma Strudwick claimed the top spot in 40:47, with Lucy Wright and Jo Whitehead rounding out the podium.

Elodie Burdett, 10, from Ashford Hill, won the children's 5-10 years race overall, while Blake Brown, nine, from Old Basing, finished first among boys.
Caleb Proctar, 15, and Emma Jinks, 12, have finished first among boys (also overall) and girls respectively in the children’s 10-15 race. 

This year's event was made possible by the support of headline sponsor Phillips Law, who also brought a strong turnout, with more than 50 runners taking part and raising funds for the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance (HIOWAA), the company's 2024 charity of the year.

The Race Village bustled with activity throughout the day, offering entertainment for all ages, including the free-to-enter children's races for 5-10 and 11-15-year-olds.

Families and supporters gathered to encourage runners, enjoy food and drink from local vendors, and soak up the festive atmosphere.

Organised by Destination Basingstoke, the event has become a beloved fixture in the area’s sporting calendar.

Jonathan Pender, chair of Destination Basingstoke, said: “Congratulations to everyone who took part in the 2024 Phillips Law Half Marathon, 10k and Children’s Races – it was a marvellous and memorable community event, and we are delighted to have seen a big increase in entrants from 2022 and 2023.

“Thank you so much to the wonderful sponsors and event partners, as well as the marshals and other volunteers – this event would not happen without your vital support – and thanks to all the local residents who once again turned out to cheer on the runners.

“We are pleased to be donating £30 for every marshal to Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance – the charity of the year of headline sponsor Phillips Law – and we hope many other local charities will benefit from the fundraising done by runners.”

To view a selection of the best moments from the day—captured by Sean Dillow—check out the image gallery under the headline.