Lace Up: Three Races Coming to West Kent This Autumn and Winter

If the nights are drawing in but you're after a reason to keep running through them, West Kent has three organised races lined up between now and Christmas - starting in the forest at Bedgebury and finishing on the North Downs above Maidstone.

First up is the Bedgebury Forest Half Marathon and 10k, run by Nice Work on Forestry England's trails at Bedgebury National Pinetum and Forest, Goudhurst. Both distances start at 9am and wind through the Pinetum's narrow woodland trails rather than road, so it suits off-road shoes over road ones. Advance entry is £32 for the half marathon and £27 for the 10k (£35/£30 on the day), and everyone who finishes gets a medal. Entries and full details are on the Nice Work booking page.

Four weeks later it's Marden's turn, where the Marden 10K and Half Marathon sends runners out on a country-lane loop from Marden Memorial Hall. The half marathon sets off at 9am and the 10k follows at 9.25am, giving slower starters in the shorter race a bit of breathing room on the course. Entry is £20-£30 depending on distance and how early you book.

The calendar closes with something considerably longer: the Winter Wanderlust 50km, an Embrace Ultra trail race that starts and finishes at Detling at 9am and climbs onto the North Downs Way, passing Boxley Warren and the ruins of Thurnham Castle before heading out towards Wye. There's a 10-hour cut-off, three checkpoints with hot food and drinks, and entry is £70-£72 - a step up in both distance and price from the other two, aimed at the ultra crowd rather than a first-timer.

All three are open to runners of every ability, not just club regulars - between a woodland trail race, a country-lane loop and a winter ultra, West Kent's autumn and winter calendar has a fairly different race for whatever you're training for. Worth flagging: we couldn't find anything organised in Sevenoaks or Tonbridge & Malling in this window. Tonbridge's own Run Kent half marathon, 10k and 5k already took place on 4 October, and the next Tonbridge 10k isn't until April 2027. Sevenoaks's own running club has nothing scheduled until its Spring Run and Sevenoaks 7 return next year. Anyone after something free and weekly in the meantime has parkrun options covered in our earlier round-up, New Year, New Runners.