OXFORD HALF 2026 REVIEW
ON SUNDAY 11TH OCTOBER 2026, A GROUP OF US TOOK THE STREETS OF OXFORD TO TAKE PART IN THIS YEARS OXFORD HALF.
WHILE RUNNING THE OXFORD HALF, WE WERE ALSO FUNDRAISING FOR THE LUCY RAYNER FOUNDATION.
THIS WILL BE OUR 5TH OXFORD HALF AS A CHARITY WITH MYSELF AS CHARITY LEAD ON RACE DAY.
OUT OF THE 5 YEARS, I HAVE TAKEN PART IN 4 OF THEM AND EVEN THOUGH LAST YEAR I DECIDED TO TAKE A BREAK, IT MAKES ME SO PROUD BRINGING AWARENESS BUT ALSO RAISING IMPORTANT FUNDS FOR THOSE WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH MENTAL HEALTH.
THIS YEAR, MYSELF AND 4 OTHER RUNNERS TOOK PART AND IT WAS A MASSIVE SUCCESS.
THE WEATHER, THE ATMOSPHERE AND THE PARTICIPANTS WAS JUST AMAZING.
ON THE DAY, WE WERE ALSO JOINED WITH A STAGGERING 15000 OTHER PEOPLE ON THE ROADS TRYING TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR THEIR OWN CHARITIES BUT ALSO THEIR PERSONAL GOALS
ON TOP OF THAT, THE SPECTATORS ON THE SIDELINES WAS JUST IN FULL FORCE.
EVERY WHERE YOU TURNED, THERE WAS PEOPLE LINING THE STREETS CHEERING AND SUPPORTING EVERYONE ON.
THERE MUST HAVE BEEN ABOUT 25000 PEOPLE GETTING INVOLVED BOTH ON AND OFF THE ROAD WITH THIS EVENT.
FOR THOSE WHO KNOW ME, KNOWS THAT I AM JUST A BEGINNER WHEN IT COMES TO RUNNING BUT GETTING OVER THAT FINISH LINE IS WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT.
EVEN IF MY LEGS ACHE FOR A COUPLE DAYS AFTERWARDS.
WHILE THE DAY WAS ABOUT THE OXFORD HALF, IT WAS ALSO LUCY RAYNER'S BIRTHDAY SO RUNNING FOR HER ON SUNDAY MADE IT EVEN MORE SPECIAL.
LAST YEAR THEY CHANGED THE ROUTE SLIGHTLY AND TO BE HONEST, I ACTUALLY PREFERRED IT WHEN DOING IT THIS YEAR.
THERE WERE OCCASIONS WHERE YOU HAD INCLINES BUT FOR THE FIRST 3 MILES OR SO, IT WAS MAINLY FLAT SO WHEN IT CAME TO THE INCLINES, I HAD DONE MOST OF THE WORK.
ALONG THE WAY THERE WERE OCCASIONS FROM MARSTON FERRY ROAD WHERE I WALKED AND THEN OTHERS STARTED TO DO THE SAME, THE SUPPORT YOU HAD FROM OTHER RUNNERS JUST BY EVEN GIVING YOU A PAT ON THE BACK WAS SO LOVELY TO SEE.
YOU WEREN'T ON YOUR OWN.
THE BEST PART OF THE DAY WAS THE WEATHER. EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE MOMENTS OF SUN, IT KEPT COOL AND THAT IS WHAT YOU WANT AS A RUNNER. NOT TOO HOT OR TOO COLD.
AT THE END OF THE RACE THIS YEAR, WE GOT BAGS AND INSIDE WAS OUR TSHIRTS, A DRINK AND A CHOCOLATE BAR. THIS WAS ONE OF THE BEST GIFT BAGS THAT I HAVE SEEN IN THE 5 YEARS OF DOING IT.
OH AND OF COURSE YOU GET HANDED YOUR MEDAL.
NOW FOR THE IMPORTANT BIT...
WHILE TAKING PART, ALL 5 OF US WAS RAISING MONEY IN THE PROCESS AND I AM PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE RAISED AS A TEAM
THAT IS JUST AMAZING AND I CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR ALL THE MONEY YOU HAVE HELPED TO RAISE.
THIS MONEY WILL GO TOWARDS COUNSELLING SESSIONS AND CHARITY PROJECTS FOR THOSE WHO REALLY NEED SUPPORT.
HERE IS A MESSAGE FROM THE LUCY RAYNER TEAM:
The LRF Team would like to thank all the runners who participated and gave their all at the Oxford Half Marathon 2026! Well done to each and every one of you for running and supporting our charity! We appreciate your dedication and fundraising hugely!!
FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW, BUT NEXT YEAR THE CHARITY WILL BE STARTING THE BUILDING WORK FOR A WELLBEING CENTRE IN HORLEY. PLEASE KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR ALL THE INFO THAT COMES WITH THAT ACROSS OUR SOCIALS AND THIS WEBSITE.
THIS WILL HOPEFULLY BE COMPLETED IN EARLY 2028.
I WANT TO PERSONALLY SAY A MASSIVE THANK YOU TO MY 4 RUNNERS WHO SUPPPORTED ME IN TAKING PART BUT ALSO I WANT T SAY THANK YOU TO BARRY AND SON FROM NOODLE KING OXFORD FOR WEARING OUR TSHIRTS AND CHEERING US ON IN SUMMERTOWN.
IF YOU WANT TO CHECK OUT OUR PHOTOS FROM RACE DAY AND PREVIOUS YEARS, CLICK HERE
IF YOU WANT TO TAKE PART WITH US IN 2027 THEN PLEASE GET IN TOUCH BY EMAIL
STEVE AT CKMOXFORD@OUTLOOK.COM OR MICHELLE AT EVENTS@THELUCYRAYNERFOUNDATION.COM
COMMENT BELOW IF YOU TOOK PART THIS YEAR OR SUPPORTED FROM THE SIDE LINES AND HOW YOU FOUND IT, WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS OF THE DAY👇👇👇
SEE YOU IN 2027
LOVE
STEVE
