Everything you need to know about Brighton Half Marathon

It brings together both beginners to the distance and seasoned half marathoners for the first major half marathon of the new year.

National Express to put on extra coaches for Brighton Half Marathon as mainline will be closed

Here's all you need to know about the event.

When and where does it take place?

The Grand Brighton Half Marathon takes place on Sunday, February 24 2019. The race starts and finishes on Madeira Drive.

What time does the race start?

The main race starts at 9.30am.

What other races are taking place?

The Wheelchair Race kicks off just minutes before at 9.27am. The Sussex Beacon Corporate Relay is part of the main event at 9.30am, and The Brighton Half Youth Races start at 9am.

What route does the main race take?

The 13.1-mile race starts at Madeira Drive, with runners turning right at the SeaLife Centre towards Blind Veterans UK in Ovingdean. Then runners will make a sharp turn on the road before the Greenways Roundabout, bringing them back west towards Brighton taking in cliff top and panoramic city views.

Back toward the Palace Pier, participants will head north at the Aquarium Roundabout past the Royal Pavilion towards St Peter’s Church. Turning at Gloucester Place, runners will head south back down Grand Parade to the Old Steine before turning right onto Grand Junction Road.

At mile 7, racers will pass The Grand Brighton where there will be a Community Stage with entertainment for spectators. The course heads towards Hove next, past the West Pier and the British Airways i360.

Once past the two piers, runners will head into Hove along the Kings Road to Hove Lagoon before turning left onto the seafront.

A two-mile run past the colourful beach huts on Hove Promenade will bring runners back to the Peace Statue, where the race re-joins the road for the last dash past cheering crowds to the finish on Madeira Drive.

Where's the best spectator spot?

There should be a great atmosphere by The Grand hotel, which is hosting this year’s community stage featuring The Sundaes at 10.45am and 12pm.

Marine Parade is a good spot to see the finish line, although crowds are busiest around race village and Aquarium roundabout, so it's best to head east along Marine Parade for a guaranteed chance to spot runners in the early miles of the race and on their way back towards the Pier.

Hove seafront is also a great place to cheer on runners on Kings Road in miles 7 to 8 then nip across Hove Lawns to see runners on the Promenade for the final stretch in miles 11 to 12.

And at Hove Lagoon spectators can see runners as they make the turn back into the city for the final leg of the race.

Which elite runners should I look out for?

Four-time race winner Paul Martelletti (Race Number #1) is back and look out for Josh Lunn (#128) and local Crawley athlete Paul Navesy (#101 who is in great form at the moment).

In the women's race Steph Davies (#11), Rose Penfold (#13) and Emily Proto (#12) are all in good form, as is Caroline Hoyte (#731) from Arena 80 who is making a return to the half marathon for the first time since 2011.

Race day key timings

7am: Park & Ride sites opens

7.30am: Race village and help-desk tent opens

7.45am: Baggage facility opens

8.15am: Road closures start

9am: Runners proceed to start pens

9am: Brighton Half Youth Races start at Hove Lawns

9.27am: Brighton Half Marathon Wheelchair race starts

9.30am: The Grand Brighton Half Marathon race starts

9.30am: The Sussex Beacon Corporate Relay starts

10am: Youth Race winner presentations in Youth Race marquee

11.30am: Elite winner presentations

11.15am Wheelchair Race presentations

11.30am: Corporate Relay presentations

2.30pm: Race village closes

Road closures on the day

The following roads will be closed (timings are approximations only):

2am to 7pm: Madeira Drive

8.15am to 11.40am: Old Steine, Marlborough Place, Gloucester Place, Grand Parade, Pavilion Parade

8.15am to 11.15am: Marine Parade, Marine Drive

8.15am to 1.30pm: Kings Road to West Street (westbound & eastbound lanes)

8.15am to 1.30pm: Kings Road, Kingsway (westbound lane only)

Race history

This year marks the 29th Brighton Half Marathon. A small group of individuals started the race back in the early 1990s and the money raised from the first race was used to help fund the building of The Sussex Beacon, the charity which organises the race.

Times have changed since the beginning when the race used to start at the Marina car park with 200 runners. Over the years the race has grown to over 12,500 entrants and is a significant fundraising event for many worthy charities and causes.

The Sussex Beacon provides specialist care and support for people living with HIV. Its services promote independence and improve health and wellbeing by providing inpatient and outpatient services. Services are run from the charity’s centre in Brighton where there is a 10-bed inpatient unit, therapy rooms and larger rooms for group work. There is also a landscaped garden for patients and visitors to enjoy all year round. The charity aims to provide high-quality care and support in a friendly and homely environment.

This year local children’s charity, Chestnut Tree House, is the official Youth Race Charity Partner for 2019.

Chestnut Tree House cares for around 300 children and young people with life-shortening conditions across Sussex and South East Hampshire. T

More information

To find out more about The Grand Brighton Half Marathon, visit: www.brightonhalfmarathon.com/

For the official race guide, visit: {https://www.brightonhalfmarathon.com/race-day/download-race-guide/|https://www.brightonhalfmarathon.com/race-day/download-race-guide/