Standing on Derby Road, soggy cardboard sign in hands, cheering on some of my
best friends as they ran the 2024 Robin Hood Half Marathon was the moment I
decided I’d sign up for the race the following year.
Luckily, my running journey had already begun, so I didn’t have to start completely
from scratch. I first got into running during my first year of uni, and I’ll be forever
grateful to it for helping me discover parts of Nottingham I might never have seen
otherwise
During my first year, I lived on the University Park campus, and my runs often took
me through the stunning Wollaton Park just next door. Even now, I’m still amazed
that such a beautiful, nature-filled space exists so close to the city centre. I can’t
recommend the Wollaton Parkrun on a Saturday morning enough – especially when
it’s followed by a well-deserved coffee and sweet treat from one of the park’s many
cafes. The resident deer and the grand Wollaton Hall are definitely my favourite parts
of every visit.
Since moving to Lenton in my second year, I’ve been on the lookout for a new
regular running route, as Wollaton became a bit too far away. My friends introduced
me to the canal, just a five-minute run from my house. There’s a ten-kilometre
stretch that takes you from town all the way to the Attenborough Nature Reserve.
The reserve is a peaceful, 150-hectare space filled with birds and walkers – a perfect
escape when uni-life gets a bit too much! You can even reach it by train. When I
wanted to mix things up, I discovered the River Trent. Running along the riverbank,
you’ll pass the Nottingham Forest City Ground, Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, the
Victoria Embankment and much more. The riverside has quite a ‘London feel’, with
its tree-lined roads, wide paths, and grand bridges. On the other side of the river is
West Bridgford, a haven of great charity shops and lovely cafes.
The Victoria Embankment on the river is where the start and finish line for the Robin
Hood Half is. That’s where I found myself on the 28 th of September, shivering, waiting
for the start gun. I was nervous, but also very excited. The race takes you on a full
tour of Nottingham: first along the river, then the past the station, and around the
edge of Nottingham Castle. Running up the grand Park Estate hill is not for the
weak, but then descending Derby Road, lined with friends and other students
cheering you on, makes it all worth it. Then, you find yourself on Jubilee Campus,
through Wollaton Park, back past the crowds on Derby Road, and finally the final
four-mile stretch to the finish line.
Taking part in this race has made me feel more connected to Nottingham than ever
before. Seeing all the city’s beautiful landmarks, with locals lining the route to cheer,
hand out water, and offer sweets, made me feel truly grateful to live somewhere with
such a strong community. Even more inspiring was watching the other runners.
Many were competing to raise money for charity, and each had their own story to tell.
I also witnessed runners helping each other out when some were struggling, and
even received words of encouragement by runners around me when I began to flag
towards the end. The sense of community from start to finish was like none I have
witnessed before.
Although it was the toughest thing I have ever done, I’d 100% recommend taking
part. It pushed me harder than ever, gave me a goal to train for, and proud to call
Nottingham home. And of course, getting the free merch at the end makes it worth it.
Been there, done that, got the t-shirt… literally ;)
Hurry, applications for next year’s race are open now!