2026 Clarendon Marathon - Oct 4 Countdown

Q: What is the Clarendon Marathon route?

The Clarendon Marathon is a point-to-point off-road race from Salisbury to Winchester that follows the historic Clarendon Way, the ancient route between the two cathedral cities. It starts at the Laverstock &amp; Ford Sports Club in Salisbury and runs through the Clarendon Estate, Pitton, Winterslow and Broughton (the halfway point), then crosses the River Test to Kings Somborne, climbs over Farley Mount and finishes at Kings' School, Winchester. With a few extra loops added to make up the full 26.2 miles, more than 90% of the course is off-road on country tracks and downland paths.

Q: Is the Clarendon Marathon flat? How hard is it?

It is not flat - it is a genuinely undulating, challenging trail marathon. The course rolls over open chalk downland with steady climbs through the Clarendon Estate, around Winterslow and over Farley Mount, totalling roughly 610m of ascent. Combined with the mostly off-road surface, most runners finish well outside their road-marathon time. The organizers describe it as 'tough, but you'll love it'. Plan your effort with our pace calculator and preview the climbs with our elevation profile tool.

Q: What time does the Clarendon Marathon start, and how do the staggered starts work?

The Clarendon uses a self-staggered start window rather than one mass start. There are two organized mass starts at 9:30am and 10:30am, but you may set off any time from around 8:00am (the timing gate opens by 8:00am and closes about 10:35am). Slower runners and walkers start early; faster runners start later - anyone chasing a fast time is advised to start as close to 10:30am as possible. The system is timed so that no one reaches the finish before 1:30pm, and the organizers ask everyone to be back before 4:00pm.

Q: What surface is the Clarendon Marathon and what shoes should I wear?

The course is more than 90% off-road on grass, field edges, byways and woodland tracks along the Clarendon Way, with only short connecting sections of lane. Most runners wear trail shoes or sturdy off-road trainers, which give useful grip on chalk and grass that turns slick after October rain. Road shoes can work in a dry year, but the downland tracks and a few narrow, muddy pinch-points reward proper trail grip.

Q: How do I enter the Clarendon Marathon 2026, and how much is it?

Entry is open to the public online via the official site (clarendon-marathon.co.uk), with no ballot. The full marathon costs 45 GBP, inclusive of a t-shirt, finisher's medal, bus pass and souvenir programme. Online entries close on 13 September 2026; you can still book on the day for a 10 GBP late fee (a donation to Rotary charities). The same event also offers a half marathon, a four-person relay and a 5-mile 'Mini'.

Q: Is the Clarendon Marathon a Boston Qualifier?

No. Because the Clarendon is a point-to-point off-road trail course with self-staggered start times rather than a UK Athletics road-certified, accurately measured road race, a finish here is not valid for Boston qualifying (BQ) or a London Good For Age (GFA) entry. It is a charity 'experience' event run by Rotary - come for the scenery and the challenge, not a PB. If a qualifying time is your goal, check the standards with our Good For Age tool and pick a certified road race instead.

Q: How do I get to the start, and where do I stay?

The race starts at the Laverstock &amp; Ford Sports Club just outside Salisbury and finishes 26.2 miles away at Kings' School, Winchester - so plan a point-to-point logistics. Salisbury has a mainline railway station (around 90 minutes from London Waterloo), with the sports club a short taxi ride away; an event bus also links the two finish areas. Most overseas runners drive, park in Salisbury and take an organized afternoon bus back from Winchester. Both Salisbury and Winchester offer plenty of hotels and B&amp;Bs - book early, as these are popular cathedral cities.

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Race Information

Race	2026 Clarendon Marathon - Oct 4
City	Salisbury
Date	2026-10-04 at 10:30
Time Limit	8 hours
Cutoff pace	11:23/km
Timezone	Europe/London
Official Site	Rotary Clubs of Winchester and Salisbury
Registration	Register · 45 GBP

Race Day Weather

Average Temperature	12.9°C / 55°F
Humidity	86%
Wind	25.9 km/h
Rain Chance	44%
Typical Conditions	Cool, often damp early-autumn morning across the Wiltshire and Hampshire chalk downland. Expect around 11-13C (52-55F) at the late-morning starts, climbing only into the mid-teens by early afternoon, with high humidity near 84% and a real chance of showers - October is one of the wetter months on this stretch of southern England.

What to Prepare: Dress for low-double-digit Celsius that warms slightly, and pack a light waterproof - exposed downland sections catch the wind and rain. Most runners choose trail or sturdy off-road shoes for the grass, field-edge and woodland tracks, which can be slick after autumn rain. Run by effort, not pace: more than 90% off-road plus roughly 610m of total climb will slow you well below your road-marathon time.

Based on historical averages for race week. Use our Weather Score Calculator and What to Wear Guide for personalized advice.

Wind Impact on Race Day

Wind at 25.9 km/h can affect your marathon pace by 5-15 seconds per kilometer. Headwinds slow you down exponentially — a 20 km/h wind costs more than twice a 10 km/h wind.

Calculate your wind-adjusted pace →

Race-Week Climate

Based on 20 years of race-week weather (2005-2024), MERRA-2 reanalysis

	Cooler	Typical	Warmer
Temperature	10.2°C	12.8°C	15.9°C
Dew point	6.9°C	10.5°C	13.9°C

Wet-day chance: 44% Runnability: 69/100

Data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis), NASA Langley Research Center

Course Profile

Course Type	Point-to-point off-road route from Salisbury to Winchester along the Clarendon Way
Elevation Gain	610m
Terrain	Trail
Profile	A genuinely undulating point-to-point course, not flat. From the Laverstock & Ford Sports Club in Salisbury the route climbs through the Clarendon Estate and rolls over open chalk downland through Pitton, Winterslow and Broughton, then on across the River Test to Kings Somborne and over Farley Mount before dropping to the finish at Kings' School, Winchester. Roughly 610m of total ascent over country tracks, field edges and woodland paths, so expect to run well outside your road-marathon time.

Prepare for 2026 Clarendon Marathon - Oct 4

Use our free training tools to get race-ready:

Running Pace Calculator — Min/km, Finish Time & Pace Chart

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Free Pace Band Generator — Printable Race Day Wristband

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Marathon Wake-Up Time Calculator — Race Morning Timeline

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Dew Point Running Calculator — Pace Adjustment Chart

Enter temperature and humidity to calculate dew point and its impact on your running pace. 7-zone ch...

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Elevation Gain/Loss Impact Calculator

How much will hills slow you down? Enter elevation gain, loss, and distance to see adjusted pace, di...

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Grade Adjusted Pace (GAP) Calculator — Hills & Strava

Convert uphill or downhill running pace to flat-equivalent GAP in one click. Free grade adjusted pac...

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Clarendon Marathon route?

The Clarendon Marathon is a point-to-point off-road race from Salisbury to Winchester that follows the historic Clarendon Way, the ancient route between the two cathedral cities. It starts at the Laverstock & Ford Sports Club in Salisbury and runs through the Clarendon Estate, Pitton, Winterslow and Broughton (the halfway point), then crosses the River Test to Kings Somborne, climbs over Farley Mount and finishes at Kings' School, Winchester. With a few extra loops added to make up the full 26.2 miles, more than 90% of the course is off-road on country tracks and downland paths.

Is the Clarendon Marathon flat? How hard is it?

It is not flat - it is a genuinely undulating, challenging trail marathon. The course rolls over open chalk downland with steady climbs through the Clarendon Estate, around Winterslow and over Farley Mount, totalling roughly 610m of ascent. Combined with the mostly off-road surface, most runners finish well outside their road-marathon time. The organizers describe it as 'tough, but you'll love it'. Plan your effort with our pace calculator and preview the climbs with our elevation profile tool.

What time does the Clarendon Marathon start, and how do the staggered starts work?

The Clarendon uses a self-staggered start window rather than one mass start. There are two organized mass starts at 9:30am and 10:30am, but you may set off any time from around 8:00am (the timing gate opens by 8:00am and closes about 10:35am). Slower runners and walkers start early; faster runners start later - anyone chasing a fast time is advised to start as close to 10:30am as possible. The system is timed so that no one reaches the finish before 1:30pm, and the organizers ask everyone to be back before 4:00pm.

What surface is the Clarendon Marathon and what shoes should I wear?

The course is more than 90% off-road on grass, field edges, byways and woodland tracks along the Clarendon Way, with only short connecting sections of lane. Most runners wear trail shoes or sturdy off-road trainers, which give useful grip on chalk and grass that turns slick after October rain. Road shoes can work in a dry year, but the downland tracks and a few narrow, muddy pinch-points reward proper trail grip.

How do I enter the Clarendon Marathon 2026, and how much is it?

Entry is open to the public online via the official site (clarendon-marathon.co.uk), with no ballot. The full marathon costs 45 GBP, inclusive of a t-shirt, finisher's medal, bus pass and souvenir programme. Online entries close on 13 September 2026; you can still book on the day for a 10 GBP late fee (a donation to Rotary charities). The same event also offers a half marathon, a four-person relay and a 5-mile 'Mini'.

Is the Clarendon Marathon a Boston Qualifier?

No. Because the Clarendon is a point-to-point off-road trail course with self-staggered start times rather than a UK Athletics road-certified, accurately measured road race, a finish here is not valid for Boston qualifying (BQ) or a London Good For Age (GFA) entry. It is a charity 'experience' event run by Rotary - come for the scenery and the challenge, not a PB. If a qualifying time is your goal, check the standards with our Good For Age tool and pick a certified road race instead.

How do I get to the start, and where do I stay?

The race starts at the Laverstock & Ford Sports Club just outside Salisbury and finishes 26.2 miles away at Kings' School, Winchester - so plan a point-to-point logistics. Salisbury has a mainline railway station (around 90 minutes from London Waterloo), with the sports club a short taxi ride away; an event bus also links the two finish areas. Most overseas runners drive, park in Salisbury and take an organized afternoon bus back from Winchester. Both Salisbury and Winchester offer plenty of hotels and B&Bs - book early, as these are popular cathedral cities.