Chiswick Half Marathon

West London's Chiswick House and Gardens provided the start and finish for the inaugural RocketSports Half Marathon which was held on Sunday 7th April. Clear skies, sunshine and temperatures of 8 degrees welcomed runners to the picturesque grounds of this Palladian villa which dates from 1729.

Winner James Savage covered the distance in 1:12:30, leading home a field of 106. Trim's Robert Tobin - a newcomer to the distance - completed the course in a time of 1:41:00, placing 34th.

Robert Tobin of Trim Athletic Club, with Barnes Railway Bridge in the background

Starting out east alongside the River Thames, the route passes local landmarks such as Fullers Brewery and Chiswick Eyot, circumnavigating Craven Cottage before turning against the river at Putney Bridge.

From Putney Bridge the Surrey bank takes the pancake-flat course by several boat houses before underfoot conditions deteriorate from solid paving to loose gravel. Gravel even gave way to mud in some places although recent dry weather meant that most runners came home relatively clean. This part of the course passes the London Wetland Centre and Harrods Depository, passing beneath Barnes Railway Bridge.

The final few miles take runners across Chiswick Bridge and onto the Middlesex bank, with a final turn at the Eyot leading them home to Chiswick House and Gardens.

Course overview (Images courtesy RunKeeper, Google)