One race, several names
The Robin Hood half marathon and the Nottingham half marathon are the same annual road-running event in Nottingham. Its names reflect the event’s Robin Hood and city identities, rather than separate races. The programme has included different distances over time, so references to a marathon can describe the meeting’s history as well as its name. The half marathon, former full marathon and short fun run belong to that shared event context.
Robin Hood and Nottingham
The Robin Hood half marathon and the Nottingham half marathon are the same event. The names Robin Hood Marathon and Nottingham Marathon also refer to that one Nottingham meeting, not to additional races. Taken together, the four labels describe one event with a history of different programme distances.
The wording can vary when people discuss the race, look for results or refer to its earlier full-marathon programme. “Robin Hood” identifies the event by its familiar name, while “Nottingham” identifies it with the city. “Half marathon” specifies the distance; “marathon” may refer to the event’s wider identity and history, rather than the distance currently being discussed.
For runners comparing information, the useful distinction is between the event name and the race distance. A reference to the Nottingham half marathon is not a second entry opportunity alongside the Robin Hood half marathon. Likewise, the two marathon names do not point to two separate city meetings. The wording changes, but the reference remains the same annual event in Nottingham.
Half, full and fun run
The full marathon was formerly part of the Robin Hood event’s programme. It was not a separate city marathon running alongside the half: the full and half distances belonged to the same meeting. That distinction matters when older references use “Robin Hood Marathon” or “Nottingham Marathon” as the event name, because the word “marathon” does not by itself tell you which distance a particular programme offered.
The half marathon is the distance identified in the event’s current name, while a short fun run has also featured in the modern programme. These formats serve different purposes within one event: the half marathon is the longer road race, and the fun run offers a shorter participation option. The full marathon belongs to the event’s former programme, not to a separate present-day city race.
In practical terms, the names describe one meeting and its changing mix of races. A reference to the former full distance should not be read as evidence of another marathon event in Nottingham; the short fun run is likewise a programme element, not a separate festival.
A different festival at the racecourse
The Nottingham Running Festival at Nottingham Racecourse is a different multi-distance meeting, not another name for the Robin Hood half marathon. Its racecourse setting and several distance options distinguish its programme from the Robin Hood event. Runners checking an entry, results listing or event notice should match the event name and venue carefully: “Nottingham” appears in both identities, but the festival and the Robin Hood meeting are separate events.
How the race has changed
The Nottingham event’s format shifted between a half marathon, a full marathon and shorter participation races. Its record includes changes to the start and finish, periods when the full distance was absent, and a pandemic-related interruption. Older references to the Robin Hood marathon can describe different race programmes, so the distance and year matter. The chronology below separates those changes.
1981 and 1982
The half marathon began in 1981, and the first edition started and finished in Old Market Square. Richard Milne won that inaugural race in 1:06:55, while Cherry Hanson won in 1:15:26. Those results place the event’s first edition firmly in the half-marathon era: the full distance was not part of the programme that year.
In 1982, organisers added a full marathon and moved the start and finish to Victoria Embankment. The change established a programme that included both half- and full-marathon distances, rather than replacing the original shorter race. These two opening years therefore mark distinct stages in the Robin Hood half marathon’s history: a half-only beginning in the city centre, followed by the addition of the full marathon and a new start and finish location.
The years without a full marathon
The full marathon’s place in the Nottingham running event changed over time, while the half marathon and shorter races featured in the programme. Key points in that timeline include:
- 2012: The full marathon was not held, while the half marathon went ahead on 30 September, keeping the shorter distance in the programme.
- 2013: The full marathon returned, and it continued to be run through 2017, before the programme changed again the following year.
- From 2018: The full marathon was dropped, marking the end of that run of full-distance races in the event’s programme.
- 2011 participation: BBC reporting put the half-marathon field at about 12,000 participants and recorded 1,424 finishers in the full marathon.
- Fun run: A short event of about 1.5 miles has also formed part of the programme, offering a distance well below either road race.
The BBC’s 2011 figures describe participation in that year, not a typical field size for every edition. The 2012 date also shows that the half marathon could proceed in a year without the full distance; the two races did not always share the same schedule.
2020 and the return of the half
The 2020 edition was cancelled because of COVID-19, interrupting the event rather than ending its history. The half marathon returned the following year, in 2021. For anyone planning the Robin Hood half marathon now, training should be based on the half-marathon distance; preparation should not assume a full marathon is part of the event. That distinction keeps a race-specific plan aligned with the distance being run.
The course in outline
The Robin Hood half marathon has a recognisable riverside starting point, while its course has included different parts of Nottingham over the years. The places associated with past editions range from historic landmarks to parks, university grounds and waterside facilities. Together, they give a sense of the city and its surrounding landscape without defining one permanent route. For runners planning a visit, the organiser’s current course information is the source for the streets and arrangements in a particular year.
Start and finish
From 1982, the race has started and finished on Victoria Embankment, beside the River Trent. That shared riverside setting gives the Nottingham half marathon a consistent point of reference across editions, even as the roads used elsewhere have varied. It identifies where participants gather at the beginning and return at the end; it does not mean that every part of the course has remained the same.
The first race, in 1981, began in Old Market Square, Nottingham’s central market square. The move to Victoria Embankment followed for the 1982 event and established the location associated with the race’s start and finish. The contrast is useful when tracing the event’s origins: the first edition started in the city centre, while the Embankment has served as the start-and-finish setting from the following year.
For spectators, the Embankment provides a practical place to orient themselves around race day, but the exact access arrangements and viewing points depend on the edition. Runners should distinguish the familiar start-and-finish location from the course itself: a route can change between years while retaining the same broad endpoint. The Robin Hood half marathon is therefore best understood as an event with a long-standing riverside base, not as a fixed loop defined solely by its start and finish.
Places the route has used
Past routes have brought runners through or near a mix of Nottingham landmarks and open spaces. These locations describe the event’s route history, not a promise that every edition includes them.
- Nottingham Castle: The historic castle has appeared among notable locations on past courses, linking the race with one of the city’s best-known landmarks.
- Wollaton Park: Routes have used this substantial deer park around Wollaton Hall, whose open grounds contrast with the city’s streets.
- University of Nottingham: The university campus has featured on past routes, adding an academic setting among the city’s varied course locations.
- National Watersports Centre at Holme Pierrepont: This waterside venue has also appeared in route history, extending the course’s reach beyond central Nottingham.
The combination shows why a single list of past landmarks should not be treated as a current course map: locations have featured across route variations.
What not to treat as directions
This account is a portrait of places used on past Robin Hood half marathon routes, not navigational directions. It does not provide turn-by-turn instructions, a mile-marker sequence or a course map, and the named landmarks should not be joined into an assumed route. A place appearing in an earlier edition does not establish that runners will pass it in a later one.
Road closures and the exact streets used can change between events. The organiser announces the arrangements for each edition, including the applicable course information; runners and spectators should rely on that current announcement when planning where to go. Do not use an old route description to choose a road, crossing point or viewing position, since temporary closures and access controls are specific to race day.
The half marathon and a 10k
A 10k is a familiar first step towards longer road races, but the Robin Hood half marathon asks runners to cover substantially more ground. The difference is not just a few extra kilometres: it changes how much time is spent running and how training is organised. Comparing the distances helps set realistic expectations before choosing a race or building a plan. A recent 10k finish is useful experience, but it does not make doubling the distance next month a sensible assumption.
The two distances
The half marathon is 21.0975 kilometres, or 13.1094 miles; a 10k is 10 kilometres, or 6.2137 miles. The shorter race is about 47% of the half marathon, not half: half of the half-marathon distance would be 10.55 kilometres.
| Measure | 10k | Half marathon |
|---|---|---|
| Official distance | 10 km / 6.2137 miles | 21.0975 km / 13.1094 miles |
| 10k as a share of the half | About 47% | 100% |
| Distance remaining after a 10k | — | 11.0975 km / about 6.90 miles |
| Half of the half-marathon distance | 10.55 km / about 6.55 miles | 10.55 km / about 6.55 miles |
For many runners, a 10k is a manageable earlier race: it builds experience with pacing and sustained effort without requiring the same long-run preparation. A half marathon typically means spending considerably longer on your feet, so maintaining an even effort and having enough endurance matter more as the kilometres accumulate. The event name does not change the standard distance.
Practical takeaway: use a 10k as a stepping stone, then allow enough training time for the additional 11.0975 kilometres rather than treating the half as simply another 10k.
Who the half suits
A half marathon can suit runners with different goals, provided their current training and recovery allow them to prepare consistently.
- Experienced 10k runners stepping up: Runners who have completed several 10k races and train regularly may be ready to build towards a longer event over a gradual training block.
- Endurance-focused club runners: Club members accustomed to regular weekly mileage and longer steady runs may enjoy a race that rewards sustained pacing more than short bursts.
- Marathoners using it as a tune-up: A half can provide a measured effort or pacing practice during a wider marathon build, when placed sensibly within the training schedule.
- Social distance-goers: Friends or running groups who prefer a shared long-distance goal may find the half a more suitable challenge than a full marathon.
For a Nottingham running event, the right fit depends on recent running consistency and the time available to prepare, not simply on enthusiasm for race day.
Training is a different problem
A 10k plan develops the ability to run a moderate distance at a controlled effort; a half-marathon plan must also prepare the body to keep moving for substantially longer. Many runners allow roughly 10 to 16 weeks for a half-marathon build, while the precise duration depends on their existing weekly mileage and running history. A 10k plan is often shorter, but there is no single schedule that suits every runner.
The long run is one of the clearest differences. A 10k programme may build long runs to around 8 to 12 kilometres, whereas a half-marathon plan often includes progressive runs in the region of 16 to 19 kilometres. Not every plan takes runners to the full race distance in training. Weekly running frequency, easier recovery runs and gradual increases in distance help support that longer effort; trying to add too much mileage at once can leave too little time to adapt.
A recent 10k finisher should not expect to double the race distance after one month. The extra 11.0975 kilometres call for a longer period of consistent preparation, especially if the runner has not already been completing longer runs. Build the long run progressively, keep most training at a comfortable effort, and choose a race date that leaves room for a proper training block rather than rushing from one finish line to another.
For Nottingham half marathon registration, check the event organiser’s own entry information: this site does not take entries for the Robin Hood half marathon and is not its organiser.
Questions about the Robin Hood half marathon
These answers clarify the event’s name, history, distances and distinction from another Nottingham race.
Are the Robin Hood half and the Nottingham half the same race?
Yes, the Robin Hood half and the Nottingham half refer to the same event. The race has been known by both names since it began in 1981, apart from the cancelled 2020 edition. “Robin Hood” reflects the event’s established identity, while “Nottingham half” describes its location and distance. The wording may vary in listings and conversation, but it does not indicate a separate half marathon. For runners comparing event information, the key distinction is the edition year, not whether a reference uses Robin Hood or Nottingham.
When did the Robin Hood Marathon start?
The Robin Hood running event began in 1981, and the full marathon was added in 1982. That means the marathon distance followed the event’s first year rather than featuring in its original edition. The full race was not held in 2012, a gap in its history before it was later dropped from the programme from 2018. The Robin Hood name has therefore covered different race offerings over time; the half marathon and the full marathon have not appeared in every edition together.
Is there still a full marathon?
No, the full marathon was dropped from the Robin Hood event from 2018. The half marathon continued as the event’s central distance, so the Robin Hood name does not mean a 26.2-mile race is currently part of the programme. Whether a full marathon will return in a future year is not known. Runners looking for a marathon race in Nottingham should check the details for the specific event and edition they are considering, rather than assuming the historical full-distance race is still offered.
How far is a half marathon compared with a 10k?
A half marathon is 21.0975 km, while a 10k is 10 km; the 10k is about 47% of a half marathon. In other words, the half is just over twice the 10k distance, with 11.0975 km more to cover. Both are road-race distances, but the difference is substantial: a runner moving from 10k to the half must sustain their effort for considerably longer. The figures describe distance only, not the time or pace a particular runner will need.
Is the Nottingham Running Festival the same event?
No, the Nottingham Running Festival at Nottingham Racecourse is a different event. It is a multi-distance meeting run by RunThrough, rather than another name for the Robin Hood half marathon. The shared Nottingham setting and running terminology can make the two easy to confuse, but the organiser and event identity distinguish them. Check that a listing names the Robin Hood event if you are looking for its half marathon; a race taking place at the racecourse under the Nottingham Running Festival name belongs to a separate programme.