The 44th Buxton Half Marathon 24th May 2026 – by Nigel Poole

Some thoughts from our members who ran it last year.

Don’t make the same mistake as me! Trust me you will be pleasantly surprised.

A place as Beautiful as Buxton but the name for me had me putting off for years running their half marathon, all I do now is ask myself WHY DID I DO THAT!

Finally motivated by club colleagues who had already entered it, I did too and I ran it in 2025. I have to say I loved it so much I have signed up again for 2026, so please join me. 

Why was it so good?

Car parking was easy, there was loads available, and the start and finish is centred around the wonderful Pavilion Gardens, a stone’s throw from the centre of Buxton. The Buzz with some 500 runners mulling around this site before the start created a wonderful atmosphere, but registration inside took literally minutes, I never saw anyone waiting. The start is on the roadside of the Pavilion, again you had literally a few metres to get to it. 

From the start you have a few miles of steady climb (honest it is nowhere near as hard as it looks!), but I had mentally prepared for it, paced myself and got to the top within a few seconds of the time I aimed for and was fine. The big mistake so many make is to hit it too hard, so don’t. From there you are already in the truly wonderful countryside of the peak district, what’s not to like. Yes, it is undulating, but as I always tell myself what goes up must go down, and I loved it. 

The marshalling was amongst the best I have ever witnessed, very supportive, crystal clear in giving instructions and loads of them. I met lots of interesting people on route from far and wide, a gentleman from Bristol (and accent too) who was a Glaswegian! He told me the story of why he changed it (basically no one could understand him!). I ran on another part of the event with two gents from a Birmingham RC (before they ran off !), they waxed lyrically about the scenery and said, “We have nothing like this where we live!” and told me they planned on getting their tea on route home through Congleton later in the day! 

Two ladies caught me towards the end and said they ran it most years (they loved the scenery so much) but waited to see if the weather is ok so enter towards the end! The finish was great through the park (which was alive with people) to the finish line in front of the Pavilion and you get a great be-spoke medal like no other.

I could go on all day, but hope you can see this is a great event, It’s very Important to Buxton AC, as the Cloud 9 is to us which they support, so please support their race and join me on the 24th May 2026 for a day you will remember for all the right reasons!.

Nigel Poole

Below are some quotes from a few other Club members who ran it in 2025

“A great way to test running by feel – this is not event you will be running a steady pace! Forget about your watch, PBs, and focus on how you are feeling and the scenery that is the reward for getting to the top of the hills. Very well organised and supported – even the cattle grids had marshals on them.”
Kevin Hughes

“The Buxton Half is definitely a PB half marathon – Picturesque and Beautiful.  The race takes you right out into the High Peak for unforgettable views.  Ok, it is called High Peak for a reason, there are hills, plenty of hills, but no-pain-no-gain.  The race starts and finishes from the equally stunning Buxton Pavilion and Gardens. 

Race organisation and logistics are exceptional. Parking was right next to the start.  The atmosphere created by enthusiastic local support was marvellous. Finally I opted for the really cool race t-shirt that I actually do wear. I will definitely be doing Buxton again and I would heartily commend the race to all other Harriers”
Nick Wilkins

“The Buxton Half is one of the most picturesque races I’ve ran to date. It’s no secret how stunning the scenery of the Peak District is and the half marathon takes in some absolutely breathtaking views, even when you’re digging deep during the race you can’t help but notice your amazing surroundings. 

To add to that the support from the locals as you come into Buxton is amazing. It’s no doubt easier to slog those final miles with the crowd behind you and the people of Buxton knew exactly how to do it. 

The organisation was fantastic as well. You can’t ask for a nicer race HQ than the Pavilion Gardens or a finish as you weave you way through Buxton’s iconic park.”
Matt Jackson