19th March 2017 will mark the 36th year of the Brooks Fleet Half Marathon, one of the biggest community events in the area, involving 3,500 runners and thousands of supporters.

The race is organised by local athletics club Fleet & Crookham AC, but relies on the help of many other voluntary groups who provide the 300+ people needed to stage the event. The race will, as it has for many years, support the work of Bloodwise (formally known as Leukaemia & Lymphona Research) and this year will feature Fleet Pond Society as its chosen local charity. 

Entries are now open via the race website www.fleethalfmarathon.com and are expected to be sold out by Christmas. An event tee shirt is available to buy with race entry and all finishers will receive a medal and re-usable kitbag plus other gifts. 

The event is fully licensed, certified and accurately measured. Chip timing will give all runners their own individual time and with a full road closure there is room to run. With plenty going on in the race village too you won’t want to rush off.

This year there are some minor changes to the course, which will provide a flatter faster finish over the final two miles. The revision to the course will run past the new EveryOne Active Hart Leisure Centre due to open in early March and back into Calthorpe Park via Fitzroy Road and the top end of Tavistock Road. Full details of the revised route and the road closures on race day will be available nearer the day via the website.

The Fleet Half has a reputation for great support by local residents all around the route – this really does make a huge difference to the experience for the runners especially when they are feeling tired. Our marshals are second to none – smiling and cheering the runners along too. 

We know the event does cause some disruption to local residents on the day so extensive signage and available information on road closures is there for all to plan their day so to keep traffic problems to a minimum.

The race is great value at just £21 for attached runners (£23 unattached) – Fleet is the “Small town race, with the big race feel”. All monies from the event go to supporting grass roots athletics/road running (inc. F&C AC “new home” project) and donations to our local and national charities as well as donating to all the other groups involved in the day.

Fleet & Crookham AC welcomes new members interested in training for the event, just come along to one of their club evenings - every Tuesday and Thursday, 7pm at the Peter Driver clubhouse on the playing fields behind the Tweseldown pub in Church Crookham. Visit www.fleetandcrookhamac.org.uk for more information