As part of his London Marathon training, Julian Oxborough lined up for the Exeter Half Marathon
The Exeter Half Marathon is a popular early-season outing for road runners looking to test their fitness on a fast course, and the 2026 edition offered a slightly unusual twist. With races staged on both the Saturday and Sunday of the same weekend — and a Riverside 5 Miles event taking place on the Sunday as well — competitors had plenty of opportunities to take to the start line.
For Bournemouth AC’s Julian Oxborough, the Saturday race was the preferred option, with the start time fitting in better with his schedule. As it turned out, that decision paid dividends, as he benefited from relatively favourable weather conditions compared with some of the conditions seen in the weeks leading up to the event.
Traditionally the Exeter Half Marathon is contested over a two-lap course, but heavy rainfall in the build-up meant parts of the route were flooded. Organisers therefore switched to a three-lap contingency route, which brought its own psychological challenge. While still completely flat and quick underfoot, the long, seemingly never-ending straight sections made the race feel more daunting than usual.
Starting and finishing at Haven Banks, the route takes runners along the university playing fields before passing landmarks including the Double Locks Inn, Riverside Valley Park, Bridge Road and the industrial surroundings of Marsh Barton, before returning to race headquarters. With zero elevation and long flat stretches, it is widely regarded as an ideal course for those chasing a personal best.
The morning itself produced a mixture of blue skies and rain — conditions that Julian felt suited him perfectly.
“This race was preparation for my 15th London Marathon in 2026,” he explained afterwards. “I’d been training hard with a lot of long runs focusing on a high level of intensity, running two or three days a week. My goal was to go under three hours because it had been such a long time since I’d dipped under that mark, although I’d come close a few times.”
His previous outing had seen him clock 3:10:42 at the Yeovil Half Marathon in 2025, while his quickest time since returning to running was 2:46:34 at the Salisbury Half Marathon back in 2017.
“The weather had been terrible in the weeks leading up to the race which meant the three-lap back-up course had to be used,” he said. “But on the morning itself it was a mixture of blue skies and rain which was perfect for racing.
“I prepared as well as possible, doing the usual drills and a warm-up jog to get the legs moving. It was actually the first time I’d felt so good before a race that I had no nerves at all.”
Julian’s primary goal was to get round in under three hours
Rain greeted the runners at the start, making it important to stay warm early on. Julian settled into a comfortable rhythm, targeting an average pace of around 12:55 per mile.
The opening mile came in at a brisk 10:52, prompting him to rein things back slightly to avoid going off too hard. From there he found a steady groove, ticking off miles of 11:34, 11:16, 11:58 and 11:40 before continuing through halfway with splits of 11:39, 12:00, 12:09 and 12:15.
Despite the relentless nature of the three-lap layout, he remained composed and disciplined with his race plan.
Julian was running well and realised that a quick time was on the cards
“I’ve not felt so relaxed in a race for such a long time,” he said. “I made sure to take my gels and drink enough water and everything went smoothly.”
After reaching mile nine in good shape, a slower tenth mile of 14:22 briefly interrupted the rhythm, but Julian soon got back on track with 12:45, 11:53 and 12:57 over the closing miles.
Sensing the opportunity for something special, he decided to push hard over the closing stages.
“I realised that going under 2:55 was achievable and then decided to step on the gas and go for it,” he said. “I ran flat out towards the finish. The final mile seemed to go on forever but I managed to cross the line in 2:39:02.”
A table of medals awaited at the finish
The result represented his fastest time since returning to running and, crucially, the long-awaited breakthrough below the 2:40 mark.
“I was extremely happy with that,” he added.
Julian earned his Exeter Half Marathon medal with a cracking performance
Julian finished 534th overall and 7th in his age category, with 550 runners completing the Saturday race.
At the sharp end of the field, George Paton (Yeovil Town RRC) claimed victory in 1:12:06, with Michael Wilsmore (Bristol & West) second in 1:12:16 and Alexander Ford (Exeter Harriers) third in 1:13:58. The women’s race was won by Victoria Hill (South West Road Runners) in 1:23:42, which placed her 21st overall.
For Julian, the performance marks another encouraging step on the road towards his next big target.
“The training is paying off,” he said. “Now I can switch my focus to the London Marathon.”