Weather Southampton: More than 10,000 start Dock Gate 8 Sunday
Weather Southampton will see more than 10,000 runners set off from Dock Gate 8 at 09:00 on Sunday, with the Southampton Marathon moving to a new start line at the City Cruise Terminal. The race finishes in Guildhall Square, and the route will take in the Bargate, The Common and Itchen Bridge.
Dock Gate 8 Start
Mahamed Mahamed, a Southampton runner and British marathon finisher, will be at the start podium and finish line to cheer on runners. The day includes a full marathon, a half marathon, a 10K and a 5K, all starting from the same area.
Supermarine Spitfire RR232 is expected to put on a display near the start line at about 08:30 before the races begin. The South Coast event will therefore begin with a crowd at the terminal before the first wave heads out through the city routes.
Southampton Road Closures
Extensive temporary road closures will be in place across large parts of the city centre. The docks Town Quay area, Bitterne, Portswood and Woolston are included in the closure areas, and the Itchen Bridge will be closed between 08:00 and 14:00 on Sunday.
Above Bar Street and surrounding roads alongside the ABP Southampton Marathon Festival will close from Friday to Sunday for pre-marathon activities and post-race celebrations in Guildhall Square. The Mile Fun Run will be held at the finish gantry on Above Bar Street.
Races And Cut-Offs
The shorter races have tighter finish windows than the marathon itself. Runners in the 5K and 10K have two hours to finish, the half marathon has a three-hour limit and the full marathon has six hours.
Last year’s race marked its 10th anniversary. Dan Gaffney was the first runner across the line in just over two hours and 35 minutes, Jenny Badger won the women’s race in two hours and 58 minutes, and Mahamed finished Sunday’s London Marathon in two hours six minutes 14 seconds and was tenth overall.
For anyone moving through Southampton on Sunday, the practical issue is timing: the bridge closure, the central road restrictions and the 09:00 start will shape travel long before the first finishers reach Guildhall Square.
