I run pretty much in the entire local half marathon’s – Wokingham, Reading, Windsor, High Wycombe, Bracknell, White Horse, Bedford and Marlow – and without doubt Henley is my favourite race. The rugby club is an ideal start/finish area, with use of the clubhouse to get out of the cold and prepare for the race. There is always a nice atmosphere here too.  

The race itself is a classic: the run through the town at the start, the nice stretch down to Aston, the beautifully scenic stretch along the Thames, coming back through the town at half way (ideal for the family/friends to see you), the run through Fawley court, the challenging but do-able for most runners climb to Fawley, the scenic drop down to Fawley bottom and then the stretch through Assendon and the file 1 ½ mile down the fairmile is both wide and a welcome relief after Fawley Hill.  

Well done to all the organisers for arranging such a well organised, scenic, and enjoyable race. Shame on those that keep moaning about medals and the lack of supervised baggage storage!  

I will be back next year! Keep up the good work! 

What a great route, great scenery and a great hill aaaaaghhh!!

This was my first half marathon, encouraged to enter by my Brother who lives in Henley

Glad I did it though, what a sense of achievement, especially when I found out that I had come 3rd in the over fifty female category

I will certainly be back next year god willing!! 

Great race – nice atmosphere & well organised. 

Only one suggestion – I think it would make sense to send the 10K race off before the main half marathon race say 10mins before. I realise you need to minimise disruption through Henley so cannot stagger the races significantly but I think the leaders of the 10K race had a real hassle getting through the slower & moderate paced runners in the half mara race. 

On the whole though a great event & opportunity to raise charitable funds. 

In short: A thoroughly enjoyable race
In full: This was my first half marathon so perhaps I'm biased as I was guaranteed a PB! I beat my target time by 1min 18sec, so that can't be bad :-) I can understand the complaints of the 10k runners, and it did make me check my pace having all these folk running past me in the first 5 miles. So I'd agree that perhaps that does need a re-think. But for me it was a really enjoyable run. Running along the river with the mist hanging over it was quite simply beautiful. The hill was no problem (but then I live in hilly countryside so can't avoid training in hills!). And the welcome back at the end was nice. Personally I thought the medal was ok; it's great to have one! So thanks Henley; I'll be back again next year!
Date of review: October 27, 2008

In short: Really great so thanks very much.
In full: The hill was a surprise! but a very good part of the course. We had such a lovely day and the people who were cheering us really helped to motivate us!

In short: Nice race, but more drinks and something other than water would be good

In short: Don't do the 10K!
In full: I think if I had done the half then I would have enjoyed it. But, because of the crazy decision to start the 10k just after the half, we were tripping over the slower half marathon people nearly all the way round. This was especially bad in the narrow lanes section which was like playing frogger! This wasn't good for both sets of runners. Running along the river was better although I had to run entirely on the grass. Thanks to the two guys I used to pace me/snake through the traffic.
I quite liked the medal (and the health club offer) but that's not enough to convince me to return

In short: I ran the 10k...
In full: This was a good race and I only entered the 10k as a marathon warm-up. It dawned on me when I arrived the my race was going to be problematic with the 10k runner starting after the half-marathon runners.

Within the first mile of the race I had already caught the slower runners of the half-marathon (which annoyed me as I got held up and also the other runners that I was passing).

I would propose the 10k runners should start with the half marathon runners. Needless to say this was still a fast course and I managed a 36m run so I will not complain.

I felt the race was very well organised apart from the above and will be back for next years race

In short: Great event, nice challenging hill!
In full: My review may be through rose tinted glasses as the race went very well for me and managed a PB of 1:32:33! Used this race as a training run for the Dublin marathon on October 27th, which fits perfectly in my schedule.

The course is excellent including the hill, which is long and drawn out in the main part with one particularly steep section. Well worth the effort as you can then pretty much coast to the end.

Sporadic support was good in places, mainly along the riverside, town centre and the of course at the finish.

A fairly poor medal and no goody bag makes it on a bit on the stingy side of average - maybe a tshirt would be a better reward for participants efforts.

If you can avoid the cow pats at the start, leave extra time for the car park and get good weather, this is good race to go enter

n short: Whats that coming over the hill? its a sweaty,tired me
In full: Narrow first 10k, good scenery and flat first half helps the miles pass quickly. A bit of swerving in and out of people required as a bit narrow in places. Save some for the hill, this beat me again this year and had to walk it, in my defence I did wake up with a cold and very sore throat so running on maybe 85%.Relitivly happy with 1:49 but could have been so much better.

In short: Loved the profile of the race
In full: I really enjoyed it!!
Yes the hill is steep but not that bad and I found the profile very interesting for PB because you control your pace knowing that mile 8 is gonna be tough, but once the top of the hill is reached you can free your legs until the finish line. My PB so far.

In short: Same hill, still hurts.
In full: An excellent race, fantastic scenery despite the fog and extremely well organised. The new finish route was much better this year. The only thing to change next year is to move the 4 mile marker (about a minute further on at my pace).

In short: Lovin that hill - feel the burn!

In short: Nice, if a little crowded in places. Shame the only goody is a medal saying "fun run". Cheap for a £16 race.
In full: Way too crowded for the lane out after the bridge. I was impressed by a young boy (about 8 years old) dashing past my old bones at 5 miles, though !    Fawley hill was a good filter (reminiscent of the Marlow hill!).
A grand day out, but why try to recycle old milk bottle tops under the guise of a medal ? Tight fists - and you with Boris as an ex-mp!

In short: A beautiful course; a well organised race and a good turnout of competitors and supporters.

In short: great atmosphere and very interesting route with varied scenery

In short: loved it
In full: This is the second time i have done this race, the weather was perfect for running a little foggy but fine.
Loved the hill! nearly got run over by a shirehorse as we came through Henley management collage!!!!
Also i got a PB !!! So really made my weekend...wooohoooo

In short: It's getting a bit crowded
In full: This was my 9th consecutive Henley Half and that hill doesn't get any easier. As always, a good day out. But this race, combining a half and a 10K, is becoming the victim of its own popularity. The 10K started after the half this year, so the faster runners were hampered by the tailenders of the half marathon and much of the first part of the course is on narrow lanes with little scope for overtaking. This needs to be addressed. Otherwise no complaints. Plenty of space on the field for a pre-race pee (could have done without the cowpats at the start though). Unlike many I do like the medal but shame the ribbon doesn't say what year. Plenty of townsfolk around to cheer us on, and there's a bar next to the finish! I'll be back next year.

In short: Loved it!
In full: Really enjoyed it! Beautiful scenery, perfect running conditions, friendly people, a buggar of a hill at 7.5 miles (didn't like that!) Naff medal!! (looked like something out of a kids party bag) Encouraging marshalls and would definately do it again next year! Yummy burger:)

n short: Well marked route and easy to overtake other people because of limitied nr of participantss

In short: Great hill but I could use another water station
In full: Maybe because I am new to this country but I expect a few more hydration stations - especially with all the climbing! Lesson learned - a nice race and good course

n short: Foggy start, but that's perfect running weather. First 10k by the Thames is stunning, that hill from the 7.5 mile mark to 9 miles seems never ending. Great race though

In short: Apart from one hill it was pretty flat. Been to better events, but this was very enjoyable and id reccommend it to others. Bit dissappointed I didnt win it, but I can only blame the 900 odd people in front of me who ran better on the day !!

In short: Good course, the hill is a welcome challengeat mile 8
In full: I had a great race, almost got a pb, 40 seconds off!. Overall it was a great race, I really enjoyed it. The course was good and there was a nice crowd at various points.
I will definately be adding this to my yearly run calander. Nice warm up to Marlow in 3 weeks time.

In short: managed a pb so can't be that bad and finished 11th, glad i wasn't doing the 10k - heard bad reports of this

In short: Gorgeous!!
In full: This was a really lovely run, the scenery was truly stunning - autumnal, misty, very pretty. I really had a great time!

In short: Naff medal but worth the trip...

In short: Its all about the hill!
In full: This was my 6th Henley Half and the hill never gets any easier! The race had perfect wheather this year and the course is still fantastic. To offer some constructive comments though, I would look at a few extra toilets or at least not make some off limits to runners. Starting on the feild has always been the worse part especcially with all the cow pats on there. Marshalling was good but did Knock down a load of cups when taking a cup whilst running, the end was chaotic which is crazy when you have all that space, medal was rubbish and no mars bar or goodies of any kind?

n short: Nice race, very well marshalled, you have to love the hill.
In full: Whose bright idea was it to turn off all the traffic lights in the town before the race started? Traffic was chaos and loads of people almost missed it!

In short: 10K: Lovely scenery great potential but timing of start needs sorting out
In full: This race has great potential the course is great with lots of variety and great scenery. Not pancake flat which great as this makes it interesting to run. HOWEVER, the start for the 10K needs to be sorted out. The 10k started after the half so 10k'ers had to run through the field of people running the half which was a bit ridiculous (esp. in the narrower bits). Even if billed as a fun run many people running the 10K will be a bit quicker that than many people doing the half . There are no real places to pass in the first part of the race and it seems very rude to dodge and weave through people (if not potentially dangerous). If the 10k started first with a few minutes wait then the half next even when the zoomy half people catch the 10k people it would be ok as there were less people doing the 10k so there would be room to pass. Just a bit of tweaking could make this a great race. Chip timing for the 10k would not solve this problem as 10k people would still be blocked in....

In short: nice race, tough hill, naff medal
In full: thanks to the organisers - this was an enjoyable and well run race. The hill hurt me: I was OK on the up, it was the down that bought on the cramp. Parking was fine and entry / exit worked well. The start & finish were a bit chaotic. I ended up stepping in a cow pat in the first 100m. Apologies to the ladies who wanted to give me a medal at the end but I REALLY needed a drink! As for that medal: naff - not even a mention of the year! No other goodies. I'd much prefer a T-shirt, the medal is going in the bin. See you next year at which time I'll know about the hill, how to handle it and then will then lap up the last 2 smooth downhill miles in to the town

In short: A good race, plenty of enthusiastic support in town, very friendly marshals and surprisingly uncrowdeds
In full: A very good race, with some really positive points. A baggage area and a banana or energy bar or recovery drink would have been good at the finish.

In short: Enjoyable race for regular runners.
In full: Ran the half and my girlfriend the 10k. Both ran good PBs so we're happy and both enjoyed the race. Perhaps 10k runners could've left first as I was passed quite frequently in the first 7-8k and she said the first 5k was cramped. Shame about the fog, but what are you going to do... The hill is OK but may scare off a first timer. Overall, an enjoyable race and would recommend it for a pleasant weekend break.

In short: Lovely day, lovely race, not so lovely hill...
In full: Well organized. Scenic route, helped by the weather - the mist along the river with bits of sun coming through was just wonderful. Not much support along the route, but where there were spectators, they were great. The hill was a bit of a killer, also the rather steep descend the other side of it. But then quick and smooth mild downhill for the remainder, which was good. Overall: a nice race, not exactly PB potential, but definitely worthwhile doing.