Berkorun - Berkhamsted Rotary Half Marathon and Five Mile Fun Run 2026

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About Berkorun - the Berkhamsted Rotary Half Marathon and 5 Mile Run

The 13.1 mile Half Marathon will be held in accordance with the UK Athletics Associations Rules for Competition (Event Licence No. 30030).  The Half Marathon, which tracks through very attractive Chilterns countryside, is an ideally timed event for runners coming back to competitive running after winter training and is frequently used as a training run ahead of the London Marathon and elsewhere.  There will be signage notifying runners at each mile point along the course and there will be several drinks stations along the route.

The 5 Mile Fun run is a very popular event with local runners, especially family teams, local schools and community groups who raise sponsorship for their own charitable causes. Sharing part of the Half Marathon route through beautiful countryside, finishing the run gives a great sense of achievement. The 5 mile Fun Run follows the first part of the Half Marathon route. Two thirds of the course will be on country roads, with one uphill section. There will be a drinks station at about the half way point.  

This will be the 43rd annual event organised by the Berkhamsted Rotary Club.  Your entry helps Rotary raise funds for various local charities and in particular for Dacorum Emergency Night Shelter (DENS) and two care organisations, the Pepper Foundation and the Hospice of St Francis.

Start and Finish

Both Half Marathon and 5 Mile Run start and finish at Berkhamsted Cricket Club, Castle Hill, Berkhamsted HP4 1HE, a short walk from the railway station and the town.  The Half Marathon starts at 10am and the 5 Mile Run starts at 10.30am.

Arrive in plenty of time, and enjoy our pre-event warm-up.

Registration

Registering for the events is online only.  Registration will close at midnight on the night before the run.

Prices – Half Marathon

'Early Bird' until 11th January 2026: £33 (affiliated) / £35 (unaffiliated) 

'Standard' from 12th January 2026 to 27th February 2026 : £36 (affiliated) / £38 (unaffiliated) 

'Late' All day on 28th February 2026 to 11.59pm on 28th February 2026: £44 (affiliated) / £46 (unaffiliated) 

Prices – Five Mile Run

'Early Bird' until 11th January 2026: £12

'Standard' 12th January 2026 to 27th February 2026: £14

'Late' 28th February 2026 to 11.59pm on 28th February 2026: £18

School Team and Club Entries

We offer generous discounts to School Teams (entering 4 or more runners) and Affiliated Running Clubs (10 or more runners).  Please contact info@berkorun.com for details.

Runner’s Age and Completion Time

Half Marathon: No under 17's are allowed to run (UK Athletics rule).  You MUST be able to run the course in under 3 hours to enter the event.

5 Mile Fun Run: Whilst we do not have any formal age restrictions, we strongly recommend that participants are over 12 years of age. Any entrant under 12 must be accompanied by a responsible person over 18 years of age.

Race Packs

All entrants in the events will receive a race pack containing a chipped bib and baggage label with the same race number. Details on how to obtain your race number will be provided nearer the time.

Making Changes to Your Entry Registration

You can amend many of the items on your online entry form if necessary. 

·        Address and contact details of existing registrations may be changed until 11.59pm on Friday 27th February 2026.

·        Name and date of birth may be changed until 11.59pm on Saturday 28th February 2026.  This allows you to transfer your entry to another runner if necessary.

·        Switch your event from Half Marathon to 5 Mile Run until 11.59pm on Saturday 28th February 2026.  We do not refund the difference in entry price.

·        Switch your event from 5 Mile Run to Half Marathon until 11.59pm on Saturday 28th February 2026.  You will need to pay the difference in entry price.

Refunds

You are entitled to cancel your entry and receive a full refund of the fee (less a service charge), provided you request this by email to info@berkorun.com within 7 days of payment of the fee, or before Friday 20th February 2026, whichever is earlier.

No refunds are given in the event of race cancellation.

Deferral

If you need to defer your entry to the next staging of this event, please email your request to info@berkorun.com stating your reasons.

Maximum Runner Numbers

Our Half Marathon is limited to 1,750 entrants and our 5 Mile Run to 750.  Please register early to be sure of a place.

T-Shirts

Half Marathon finishers will receive a complimentary T-shirt.  When they complete the registration form, they can specify the required size.  The organisers order the T-shirts well in advance, so we cannot guarantee that late entrants will receive their specified size.

Parking

There is pay & display parking in the town within 500 metres of the start. The Police will be very strict with people parking on the route or in NO PARKING areas. Remember that it is for your own safety that we keep the roads clear.

Changing Rooms

There will be limited changing facilities in a marquee with a designated ladies changing room at the Cricket Club. Local competitors are requested to arrive prepared for running to allow those who have travelled a distance to have priority over changing rooms. There are no showers available - sorry!  Secure storage will be available during the race and toilet facilities will be provided.

Baggage Tent

You can leave your things at our baggage tent during the event.  Please remember to bring the official baggage label that we provide in your race pack shows your race number.

Official Race Numbers Must Be Worn

Official numbers must be worn on the chest of each competitor for the duration of the event. Any Competitor not wearing an official number at the finish will be disqualified, as will any competitor swapping numbers. Competitors will be required to wear an electronic chip for official race timing purposes.

Keep Left

Runners must keep to the left of the road or as directed by the lead car, signs, marshals and/or the police. Other people will be using the roads so be safe and obey instructions. Keep left and do not cut corners. Runners ignoring directions will be disqualified.

No Dogs or Bicycles

No dogs or bicycles are allowed. Anyone accompanied by either, or associated with, WILL be disqualified.

Sweep Vehicles

Will be provided for your safety, who are recommended to drop out to the nearest marshal.

Finish, Medals, T-Shirts and Goody Bags

After crossing the finish line, go to collect your medal and goody bag.  If you ran the Half Marathon, collect your event t-shirt too.

Running Prizes

See https://www.berkorun.com/prizes  for details of prizes awarded. There is a range of generous prizes for both events, both team and individual, by age and gender.  All who complete the event will receive a medal. 

Winning Teams

A winning team is a team home first with four runners across the finish line. See https://www.berkorun.com/prizes for details.

Fundraising Prizes

See details of our scheme at https://www.berkorun.com/prizes.

Results

Full details will be available on the website https://www.berkorun.com the following week.

Earphones and Headphones

For runner safety earphone or headphones are not allowed unless approved by England Athletics.  The current rules are that runners are allowed to wear bone conductor headphones.  Our key requirement, for your safety and that of others, is that you can maintain full hearing of sounds in the real environment around you throughout the event.

Privacy Policy

Our privacy policy can be found at https://www.rotarygbi.org/privacy-policy/.

COVID 19

We respectfully ask that all participants adhere to any UK Government and UK Athletics published guidelines that may apply on Sunday 1st March 2026.

UKA Anti-Doping Rules

An entrant to the Half Marathon event shall be deemed to have made him/herself/their self, familiar with, and agreed to be bound by the UKA Anti-Doping Rules.  The UKA Anti-Doping Rules apply to entrants participating in the sport of Athletics, for 12 months from the date of entry, whether or not the licence holder is a citizen of, or resident in, the UK.

Transgender

Our event will comply with the UK Athletics Transgender Eligibility in Athletics in the United Kingdom Principle Statement 31 March 2023. For details refer to https://www.uka.org.uk/news/news-and-features/uka-statement-following-world-athletics-statement-on-transgender-and-dsd-regulations/

Sponsorship and Volunteering Opportunities

We offer attractive sponsorship packages to support our event.  If you’re interested, email sponsors@berkorun.com.  We also need many marshals and other volunteers to help us organise the event.  If you’d like to help, email info@berkorun.com.

Anything else you need to know?

Email info@berkorun.com