The Maypole Project Chislehurst Half Marathon

Race Description

Starting from Glebe Football Club on the edge of Chislehurst, this half marathon takes runners through a corner of south-east London that feels far greener and more rural than its postcode suggests - across Chislehurst Common's open heathland, a space local residents fought to save from development back in the Victorian era, and through the wooded commons and lanes that surround the town, not far from the tunnels of Chislehurst Caves.

The multi-terrain course is genuinely undulating, climbing around 300 metres over the distance, so it suits runners who enjoy varied footing and a bit of a leg-testing challenge over a pure road PB attempt. What sets this half marathon apart from the many others in the capital's outer boroughs is its charitable purpose: every pound of profit goes to the Maypole Project, a charity that provides psychological support to families across Kent and south London coping with a child's serious illness or disability - a smaller, more specific cause than the big national names that back most city races, and one with deep local roots.

The result is an event that feels more like a community fundraiser than a mass-participation product, with parking arranged locally around the football club and a genuinely supportive atmosphere on the common and surrounding roads. For runners who want their entry fee to visibly matter, who enjoy commons and woodland over closed dual carriageways, and who don't mind earning their finish on undulating ground, this is a half marathon worth seeking out.