Thousands of running are expected to take to the streets of Oxford for this year’s Oxford Half Marathon, which is set to return on Sunday, 15 October.
Founded in 2010 to celebrate running, movement, and the Oxford community, the Oxford Half Marathon will kick off at 9.30am on Oxford’s iconic Broad Street in the city centre.
The race will take runners on a flat 13.1-mile route that passes through Old Marston, down the River Cherwell, through the University of Oxford’s Lady Margaret Hall, before finishing in Parks Road.
Alongside cheering on the runners, there will be plenty for friends and family to do in the Race Village in Oxford University Parks, which opens from 7.30am.
There will also be different activities across the city centre, including live entertainment and street food and drinks from local vendors.
Although registration is closed, people can still join the race by either running for charity – Headway Oxfordshire, Helen & Douglas House, Oxfordshire Mind, Sobell House SSNAP SpecialEffect, Restore or Oxford Food Hub – or by becoming a LimeLight Sports Club member.
Runners who have opted to pick up their race pack from the event village can do this on Saturday, 14 October, between 10.00am to 5.00pm. Race packs cannot be collected on the morning of Sunday, 15 October.
See the event listing everything you need to know about the Oxford Half Marathon 2023.
Expect road closures
On the race weekend – Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 October – there will be changes to usual traffic routes in Oxford due to the Oxford Half Marathon.
The complete list of roads to be closed can be found below, along with their latest reopening times. Access for emergency vehicles will always be maintained on all roads.
On Saturday, 14 October, Broad Street (between Turl Street and Magdalen St East) will close at 8.00. At 6.00am, the remainder of Broad Street, along with Parks Road (between Holywell Street and South Parks Road) and a small section of Museum Road, will close.
These roads will remain closed on Sunday, 15 October, and reopen no later than 6.00pm. Parking suspensions will be in place throughout this period on Broad Street, Parks Road and Museum Road.
All additional roads listed below close at 8.00am on Sunday, 15 October, except for Holywell Street, which closes at 6.00am. Parking suspensions will be in place on all roads.
Reopening no later than 11.00am
Magdalen Street East and St Giles (southbound carriageway)
Reopening no later than noon
Banbury Road (between Marston Ferry Road and A40/Elsfield Way)
Reopening no later than 1.00pm
A40 westbound off-slip (Marston Junction), Cherwell Drive, Elms Drive, Elsfield Road, Marsh Lane, Marston Ferry Road and Cycle Path, and Oxford Road (between Cherwell Drive and ElsfieldRoad).
Reopening no later than 1.30pm
Banbury Road (between St Giles and Marston Ferry Road), Bardwell Road, Belbroughton Road, Chadlington Road, Charlbury Road (between Belbroughton Road and Linton Road), Fyfield Road, Linton Road (between Charlbury Road and Chadlington Road), Norham Gardens, and Norham Road.
Reopening no later than 2.30pm
Brasenose Lane, Catte Street, Holywell Street (between Parks Road and Mansfield Road), Jowett Walk, Longwall Street (Access Only), Magdalen Bridge/High Street (between Longwall Street and the Plain Roundabout), Mansfield Road, Radcliffe Square, South Parks Road, St Cross Road, Turl Street (between Broad Street and Market Street), and Parks Road (between South Parks Road and Banbury Road).
Reopening no later than 6.00pm
Broad Street*, Museum Road, and Parks Road
Residents in the Norham Manor (NM) CPZ will be permitted to park their vehicles on roads on the west side of Banbury Road, in the North Oxford (NX) CPZ, from Saturday 14 evening to Sunday 15 evening. This will enable vehicle access out of the area during the road closure period.
In addition to the above closures, some roads adjoining the race route will experience restricted access.
For any additional queries, kindly contact the organisers directly via email to hello@oxfordhalf.com. If you have any issues on event day, please call 0845 680 8838, but note that this number is only live on Sunday, 15 October, between 5.00pm and 3.00pm.
