Jane's Midlife Journey

Run Bournemouth consists of a weekend of running races over a range of distances, which takes place annually on Bournemouth sea front in October. On Saturday, there are children’s races in the afternoon with distances from 1 kilometre to 2 kilometres, depending on age. This is followed by the Supernova 5k at dusk. On Sunday, the Supersonic 10k and the Half Marathon take place.

Dates

• In 2025, it was held on 11th/12th October.
• In 2026, it will be held on 10th/11th October.

How to get to Run Bournemouth (Saturday)

Saturday’s races all start and finish in the same place – Bournemouth Pier Approach – which makes transport logistics simple.

By Bus

There is a bus stop at Bournemouth Pier (services 1,5,6,11,12,13,21,22). Most buses stop nearby in Bournemouth Square. From here, it is a 5 minute walk through the Lower Gardens, via the bag drop, to the start.

How to get to Run Bournemouth (Sunday)

Sunday’s races start 5 miles from Bournemouth at Hengistbury Head. To be honest, I found starting and finishing in two different places a pain. You could drive to the start, but leave ample time because road closures make access difficult and it becomes very congested. Also, there’s not really anywhere to park, because the car park is closed to house the race toilets. In addition, there’s no public transport to Hengistbury Head to return you to your car afterwards. There is an event shuttle bus which will take you between Bournemouth and Hengistbury Head for a rather steep £7.50 (regular buses in Bournemouth are capped at £3). In summary – probably best not to drive.

By Bus

As mentioned above, there is no public transport to Hengistbury Head at this time of year. The shuttle bus between the start and finish is useful if you are (a) made of money and (b) near the start or finish to begin with. But if, like me, you live in between the start and finish, you need to get a bus to and from the bus, which isn’t ideal.

We opted to get a lift to the start but got stuck in traffic. Even though we allowed what we thought was more than sufficient time, we ended up having to get out of the car and run to the start. Subsequently, when the gun went off, we were still in the queues for the toilets. My advice: Get a lift to the start, but leave in plenty of time and be prepared to walk/run the last part when the inevitable traffic chaos ensues. Note: If you opt for the event shuttle bus, this too is likely to get stuck in traffic and take ages.

Parking

There are four Pay & Display car parks close to the finish (also Saturday’s start). Bath Road South, Bath Road North, Westover Gardens and Pavilion are all just a few minutes walk away. In all these venues, parking costs £3.60 per hour – an incentive to run faster?!

Parking near Sunday’s start is more problematic. The nearest car park (Hengistbury Head) is closed. The next nearest is Solent Beach. If you manage to find a space, parking costs £3 per hour.

Races

Supernova 5k

The Supernova 5k starts at 7 pm on Bournemouth Prom, just as the sun is setting over the bay, which is always a sight to behold as you stand nervously in the toilet queue before the start.

Runners are all issued with head torches. Many also opt to dress up with neon clothing and flashing lights. As darkness descends, the race starts and runners set off along the Promenade. The course consists of a 2 km stretch from Bournemouth Pier to Boscombe Pier, then turns and heads back to Bournemouth. The route culminates with a lap of Bournemouth Pier, before finishing on Pier Approach.

The Pier and Big Wheel are illuminated with purple lights for the event, which adds to the spectacle.

Note: Toilets are located under the pier or next to Harry Ramsden’s.

Supersonic 10k

The Supersonic 10k starts at 9 am at Hengistbury Head, 5 miles east of Bournemouth. After a short road section, you descend onto to the Prom and head for Bournemouth, taking in both Boscombe Pier and Bournemouth Pier along the way. This is a scenic route, with the majority of the race along the seafront. However, it can involve running the majority of the race into a headwind. Perfect for kite surfers, less so for runners.

Note: Portaloos are located next to the start in Hengistbury Head Car Park.

Half Marathon

The Half Marathon starts and finishes in the same place as the 10k, but goes up and down the clifftop and the prom a bit more along the way. It also includes both piers. I found the sections where you turned and ran in the opposite direction to the finish rather demoralising. Note: At Boscombe, you must run up through Boscombe Chine, which is quite steep.

Run Bournemouth for Children

On Saturday afternoon, there is a series of races for children. These are all out and back routes, starting and finishing on Pier Approach in Bournemouth. In addition, children can enter the Supernova 5k, but must be supervised (not necessarily accompanied) by an adult.

Junior 2 km

For runners aged 9 to 12, the Junior 2 km starts at 2 pm.

Junior 1.5 km

For runners aged 6 to 8 starts, the Junior 1.5 km starts at 2.45 pm.

Kids’ Kilometre

For runners aged 3 to 6, the Kids’ Kilometre starts at 3.30 pm and runs along the pier. For this event, children must be accompanied by an adult.

I hope you found this information useful. For more inspiration on things to do in and around Bournemouth, check out my 101 Things to do in Bournemouth here.

• Updated October 2025