The Race
| Next Race Date | 13 September 2026, part of the Richmond RUN-FEST weekend running 12-13 September 2026 |
|---|---|
| Course type | Point-to-point: starts inside the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, next to the Orangery, and finishes in the Richmond upon Thames / Old Deer Park festival area |
| Registration | Public entry for 2026 sold out; charity places available. Entry includes free Kew Gardens admission for up to 2 adults and 2 children, valid 7am-9am on race day only |
| Ballot Opens | Not applicable: charity/sold-out entry rather than a ballot |
| Total finishers | ~1,376 |
| Avg race-day temp | Not confirmed. A 2023 heatwave thread reported serious water and medical issues, course diversions and late-race curtailment, a specific hot-year warning given the mid-September date |
| Cutoff time | 6 hours 30 minutes |
| Free race-day transport | Not confirmed |
| Course certification | Certified marathon distance; certifying body not confirmed |
A marathon that starts inside a botanic garden
Richmond Marathon opens inside the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, next to the Orangery, a genuinely unusual start venue for a UK marathon and one that requires runners and spectators alike to plan for garden-gate security and entry timing rather than a standard road-race assembly. From there the course threads along the Thames past Richmond Riverside, Ham House, Hampton Court Palace, Teddington Lock and Kingston Riverside, before finishing across the river in Richmond upon Thames’ Old Deer Park. Reddit reports describe a smaller, more local field than London’s bigger marathons, without the heavy weaving of a mass-participation city race. A 2023 heatwave thread reported serious water and medical problems and late-race disruption, a specific hot-year warning worth checking against current heat-contingency planning rather than a standing concern about the event.
History
Richmond Marathon runs as part of the Richmond RUN-FEST weekend, alongside a half marathon, 10K and family and kids events, based around the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and Richmond upon Thames. Reddit race reports describe a small-ish marathon field with a genuine local feel and less big-city weaving than larger London marathons, a positive point of difference for runners who find the biggest UK marathons overwhelming. No confirmed founding year, or year-on-year field-size history, has been sourced.
The course
Richmond Marathon starts at 08:00 inside the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, next to the Orangery, before passing Richmond Riverside, Hampton Court Palace, Ham House, Richmond Green, Teddington Lock and Kingston Riverside along the River Thames, finishing in the Richmond upon Thames / Old Deer Park festival area. This route is confirmed by the official event page and by the organiser’s own downloadable GPX file, which traces a route running out from Kew as far as Hampton Court Palace before returning along the river to Old Deer Park. The GPX carries no elevation data, but the organiser’s own course-map page states a total climb and descent of roughly 160m across the full distance, a modest but real figure rather than the pan-flat course the start-and-finish riverside setting might suggest. A detailed mile-by-mile narrative was not available in official materials reviewed for this guide. Reddit runner reports are genuinely mixed: positive accounts praise the smaller field size and local feel, while a 2023 heatwave thread reported serious water and medical issues, course diversions and cancellation or curtailment late in the race. This is presented as a specific hot-year operational warning tied to that edition, not a permanent verdict on the race’s organisation.
Logistics Map
The map below shows the course: point-to-point from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, out along the Thames toward Hampton Court Palace, and back to the finish at Old Deer Park, Richmond upon Thames. Tap a marker for details.
An 08:00 start inside the gardens, next to the Orangery.
Scenic Thames-side running past two of the course’s most recognisable landmarks.
Further along the Thames Path toward Teddington Lock and Kingston Riverside.
A different location from the Kew Gardens start, in the festival area.
Pacers
Not confirmed. No pacer programme has been sourced for this race.
What to wear
No confirmed race-day temperature average exists for this race. A 2023 heatwave thread reported serious water and medical issues, course diversions and cancellation or curtailment late in the race, a specific hot-year operational warning worth flagging given the race’s mid-September date and exposed riverside sections.
Entry
Public entry for 2026 has sold out; charity places remain available through Richmond RUN-FEST’s partner charities. Entry includes free Kew Gardens admission for up to 2 adults and 2 children, valid 7am to 9am on race day only. Specific entry pricing, closing dates and refund policy have not been sourced for this guide; check the official Richmond RUN-FEST event page directly, since entry status for this race can change quickly.
Fast Runner / GFA Standards
Not confirmed. No Good for Age, elite or fast-runner entry pathway has been sourced for this race.
Race Weekend
Expo
Not confirmed. No expo information has been sourced for this race; many UK races of this scale use posted numbers or race-day collection instead. Check the official Richmond RUN-FEST event page closer to race day for current-year registration and collection details.
Race Morning
The race starts inside the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, entered via Elizabeth Gate, Kew Green, TW9 3AA. This is a destination-style start inside a park and garden venue, so runners and spectators should build in extra time for security and gate entry rather than treating it like a standard road-race start. Spectators must enter before 09:00 according to the official page. The race finishes in the Richmond upon Thames / Old Deer Park festival area, a different location from the start, roughly 2 km away in a straight line. No confirmed race-day parking, public-transport advice, or bag-drop arrangement has been sourced for this guide.
Nutrition on Course
No confirmed aid-station locations have been sourced for this race. A 2023 heatwave thread reported serious water and medical issues along the course; current-year aid-station planning and heat-contingency improvements should be checked directly against the current race guide before race day.
Spectating
No official spectator points along the course have been sourced. Spectators wishing to see the start must enter the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, via Elizabeth Gate, Kew Green, TW9 3AA, before 09:00 per the official page. Given the course’s riverside route through Richmond, Hampton Court and Kingston, natural viewing points likely exist along the Thames Path, but none are confirmed by official sources.
Itinerary: Enter the Royal Botanic Gardens via Elizabeth Gate before 09:00 to see the start. No confirmed mid-course or finish-area spectator route has been sourced.
Post-Race Food
Richmond upon Thames and the surrounding riverside area have a genuine concentration of pubs and restaurants near the finish, but no specific named venues have been sourced with confidence for this guide.
Where to Stay
Richmond Marathon’s start, at Kew Gardens, and finish, at Old Deer Park in Richmond upon Thames, sit close together, about 2 km apart, so accommodation choice can reasonably prioritise the finish area given the marathon’s own logic of staying near the finish rather than the start.
Richmond and Kew
The best base for race-morning simplicity and post-race convenience given proximity to both the start and finish, genuinely expensive, and should be booked with that trade-off in mind.
Hammersmith and Chiswick
Both well connected by District Line and rail, offering a more affordable alternative within easy reach of the course.
Earl’s Court and central London
Earl’s Court, well served by London Underground, balances cost against convenience. Waterloo, Victoria and central London offer the widest hotel choice and strongest onward transport links, but require the most planning around District Line or rail connections to reach the start and finish areas on race morning.
Recommended areas
A two-minute walk from Kew Gardens station and around ten minutes from the Victoria Gate entrance near the start, the closest practical base to the race’s own opening venue.
A 17th-century coaching inn directly on Kew Green with rooms above the pub, the closest thing to an on-site option for the Kew Gardens start.
On the Thames in Richmond, close to the finish area, with some rooms overlooking the river.
A 4-star hotel above the river with genuine Thames views, a short journey from both Richmond town centre and the Old Deer Park finish.
A more affordable alternative near Ravenscourt Park Underground station, reached from Richmond or Kew by District Line.
Booking timeline
Book accommodation once entry is confirmed, and re-check race-weekend prices closer to the date, consistent with standard practice for city races rather than rural or sell-out events requiring earlier booking. Richmond and Kew accommodation is genuinely expensive and should be weighed against the more affordable Hammersmith, Chiswick or Earl’s Court options if budget is a priority.
See & Do
These attractions sit at the start venue, directly on the course itself, or a short journey from the finish area.
Kew Gardens
At the start itself. The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, form the marathon’s own start venue, a genuine destination in their own right worth a slower visit either side of race day.
Richmond Park
One of London’s largest royal parks, a good option for a gentle recovery walk, though it does not sit directly on the marathon’s own route.
Ham House
Directly on the marathon’s own course. A 17th-century house, a strong wet-weather or low-effort option for a slower look at a landmark seen only briefly on race day.
Hampton Court Palace
The course’s furthest point from the start, and one of its most recognisable landmarks, worth returning to properly given runners only pass it at speed on race day.
Thames Path river pubs
Along the course itself. The riverside pubs along the course’s own Thames Path route offer an easy, low-effort way to retrace the route on foot at a slower pace after the race.
Read Before you Run
Three Men in a Boat
Jerome K. Jerome
Jerome’s comic account of a Thames boating trip passes through much of the same riverside stretch between Kingston and Hampton Court that the marathon’s own course covers, a lighter, wry companion for a race built entirely around this section of the river.
After the Race
Richmond Marathon runs in September. These itineraries stay close to Hampton Court and Kingston, or extend into central London or Windsor, suited to runners recovering from a riverside course.
A slower, properly paced look at two landmarks the marathon’s own course only passes at speed.
A straightforward day of museums and sightseeing in central London, an easy extension given Richmond’s strong transport links.
A castle-town day trip, a scenic and straightforward rail journey from the race base.
Frequently asked questions
Should I stay near the start or the finish?
The finish, in the Richmond upon Thames / Old Deer Park area. The start at Kew Gardens and the finish sit close together, about 2 km apart, but the marathon’s own logic favours proximity to the finish for post-race convenience.
How far in advance should I book a hotel?
Once entry is confirmed, then re-check race-weekend prices closer to the date, consistent with standard city-race booking timing.
Is there free transport to the start?
Not confirmed. No official race-day parking or public-transport advice has been sourced.
What is the best area to stay?
Richmond or Kew for the closest proximity to the start and finish, though genuinely expensive, or Hammersmith and Chiswick for a more affordable alternative well connected by District Line and rail.
When does the expo open?
Not confirmed. No expo information has been sourced; many UK races of this scale use posted numbers or race-day collection instead.
What is the weather typically like?
Not confirmed for a specific average. A 2023 heatwave thread reported serious water and medical issues along the course, a specific hot-year warning worth noting given the race’s mid-September date.
How do I get from the airport?
Not confirmed. No specific airport transfer route has been sourced for this race.
Is there a bag drop?
Not confirmed. No bag-drop arrangement has been sourced.
Should I bring a throwaway layer?
A mid-September start suggests a light layer is a reasonable precaution, though no confirmed temperature average has been sourced.
How do I get back to my hotel after finishing?
Not confirmed for specific post-race transport arrangements. Richmond upon Thames has strong rail and Underground links for runners staying further afield.