RETFORD HALF MARATHON – Sunday, 8th MARCH, 2020
The 2020 Retford Half Marathon and Fun Run, organised by Retford Athletic & Running Club, will take place on Sunday, 8th March. Over 1,300 runners have signed up to take part in the Half Marathon, which means that the race is now sold out for the fourth year ‘running’. A further 100-200 fun runners are expected to take part in the fun run, which collectively makes the event, Retford’s largest participation sporting event.
Runners of all abilities will be congregating on Retford to take part. Many of the runners are from Retford and surrounding areas, with many others from across Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Yorkshire and much further afield.
Some runners also use the race to raise funds for charities including Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice, the main charity partner for the Half Marathon, and YoungMinds, the main charity partner for the “The Dave Maiden Family Fun Run”.
The Half Marathon, will start and finish at Retford Oaks Academy on Babworth Road in Retford, which is also the venue for the fun run.
There are still around 100 places available on the day for the fun run but organisers are encouraging those wishing to enter to register as early as possible on the day. There is no minimum age for the fun run but under 7s must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.
Race HQ and registration for the fun run opens at 8.00am and close at 9.30am. The Half Marathon starts at 10.00am with the Fun Run starting at approximately 10.15am.
Race Organiser David Corbett says the club are going through final steps leading up-to race day “We have just about everything in place for the event, and it’s set to be a great day with all 1,e00 places selling out.
Staging the event is a massive undertaking for the club and we are grateful for the support of our club members, the many local clubs and groups who help out on the day including volunteers from Bassetlaw Hospice, our event partners including TMS Traffic Management, Retford Oaks Academy and BPL for the use of great facilities at Retford Oaks, and the support from our sponsors including Jones & Co Solicitors, Brown and Co and Vertu Honda”.
Retford AC would also like to thank all local residents and business for their help and co-operation in helping the club to put on the event which has become a popular sporting showpiece for Retford and the surround villages.
Course Route
The Half Marathon course will follow the same route as last year, leaving the school and heading left onto Babworth Road (A620), and left at the Hallcroft Roundabout. From Hallcroft Roundabout the runners will progress along the Great North Road (A638), following the Road beyond Barnby Moor to Torworth and turning left onto Billy Button Lane towards the A634. At the junction of the A634 the runners will turn right heading towards Blyth for approximately 1 mile before looping back down the A634 to Barnby Moor. At the junction of the Great North Road runners will turn right, and then right again onto Old London Road. At the top of Old London Road the runners will then turn left back onto the A620 straight mile (Babworth Road) heading towards Retford to the finish at Retford Oaks Academy.
Road Closures/Traffic Management
Due to Police, Nottinghamshire County Council and Highways England concerns over the safety of the competitors and other road users, the traffic management arrangements, and road closures (to through traffic) included in the table below will be in place on the day of the event. The approximate timings for these traffic management arrangements and road closures are also shown below.
The first three road closures points (a, b and c below) will have a particular impact on residential and business properties on or off Babworth Road / Hospital Road, including Queen Street, Rectory Road, Lime Grove, Lime Tree Avenue and other connecting roads, as well as properties/businesses on Great North Road, or those located on roads connected to Great North Road. An official diversion route will be clearly sign posted to ensure minimum disruption. Other diversion routes will also be available. Please try and plan your journeys accordingly.
| Traffic Management Arrangements / Road Closures | Approx. timing |
| a) TEMPOARY ROAD CLOSURE – Roundabout outside Retford Oaks Academy on Babworth Road (A620). At the start of the event traffic will be held using “stop/go” signs from both directions on Babworth Road, and on West Carr Road to allow runners to leave the start at the Retford Oaks Academy. | 09:50am until 10:10am |
| b) RESTRICTED or NO ACCESS – Roads joining onto Babworth Road / Hospital Road – There will be either restricted or no access onto Hospital Road via all joining roads. Lime Tree Avenue, Lime Grove, Hannam’s Yard and the Cemetery access road will be closed to all traffic movement 10 minutes prior to the start of the race. Rectory Road and Queen Street will have in force a banned right turn onto Hospital Road during the start of the race. | 09:50am until 10:10am |
| c) TEMPOARY ROAD CLOSURE – A638 Great North Road in the direction of Doncaster will be closed from Hallcroft Roundabout through to Billy Button Lane at Torworth. Local residents (e.g. homes on Great North Road, North Road estate etc) and businesses (e.g. Vertu Honda, Co-Op/ Petrol Station) will have ‘right turn only’ access onto the Great North Road (in the direction of Retford) where there are breaks in ‘runner traffic’. Traffic travelling in the direction of Retford on the Great North Road will have right turn access to properties/businesses where there is a break in runner traffic. | 10:00am until 1:30pm (point between Hallcroft Roundabout and Randall Way will only be closed for approx 40 mins from 10:00am-10:40am) |
| d) FULL ROAD CLOSURE – Old London Road (residential access only). Old London Road will be closed in both directions from the junction of the A634 (Great North Road) right through to the A620 (main Worksop-Retford road). Traffic will still have access from the A1 Slip Road but will be ‘right turn’ only onto Old London Road (towards Ranby Prison). | 09:00am until 1:30pm |
| e) ROAD CLOSURE – A634 (Blyth to Barnby Moor Road) will be closed from the junction of the Great North Road at Barnby Moor through to the junction of Graves Moor Lane. A diversion route will be available to Retford/Doncaster via Baulk Lane/Graves Moor Lane or via the B6045 (Blyth Road) | 09:00am until 1:30pm |
| f) ROAD CLOSURE – Billy Button Lane. | 09:00am until 1:30pm |
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