Sunday 3rd March 2024 - Postponed to 2025

12.4km (7.7 mile) run or cycle from St Alphege Church, Whitstable to Canterbury Cathedral

Race registration opens at 11am for an 11.30am race start

This is a free-to-enter fundraising event with a recommended donation option (£15) if you would like to support keeping the doors open at our Church in the heart of the town.

Please look out for updates to our next event in 2025. Follow us on Instagram @StAlphegeChurchWhitstable for details of this and other events.

Route

The route starts at St. Alphege Church, Whitstable, takes in the Crab and Winkle (through Clowes Wood) between Whitstable and Canterbury, through the University of Kent grounds and into Canterbury city center near Canterbury West Station, ending inside the Canterbury Cathedral’s ChristChurch Gate.

View and download the race route on Strava.

Marshals and first aiders are on the route.

Timing

We will record times but please note this is not a 'chipped' event.

Register for 2024 - POSTPONED TO 2025

We have big goals for the St Alphege Fundraising Race in 2024. We want to make this event the best it's ever been.

In 2023, we put improved signage and increased marshalling support in place and received very positive feedback from participants. We aim to achieve a similar level of positive feedback for our 2024 run.

Just as before - our race is a free-to-enter event. We encourage as many race participants as possible make a recommended donation of £15 (less for concessions) in order to help us continue to keep the doors open at our church in the heart of the town. Please let us know of your intention to run or cycle through this Eventbrite page.

There will be on the day registration, but time is limited, so online registrations (and donations!) are recommended. 

Results 2023

Winston Waller was the first to cycle over the finish line in 44:44, shortly followed by the first woman, Catherine Chapman at 47:39.

Martin Turner breezed across the line with a running time of 55:22. Grace Gibbens led the women with a time of 1:00:13. In case you think it a shame that Grace missed the hour, please note that she had already run the route once after parking the car in Canterbury in readiness for the journey home.

To see results from previous races, please visit our results page.

Fundraising

This is a fundraising event and we would be delighted if you choose to make a donation to St Alphege Church in Whitstable. We recommend a donation of £15 per participant. 
Donations can be made in the online registration process - simply add a donation 'ticket' to your Eventbrite registration. You can also donate at any time on the St Alphege Church website and via the donation point in the Church itself. 

Gift Aid

In the registration process, if you are a tax payer, we will invite you to apply Gift Aid to your donation in order for us to increase the value of your donation by 25%.

Under 16s

Children are welcome to take part in the St Alphege Race, as long as they are accompanied by a parent, guardian or other responsible adult (designated by parent or guardian). Under 11's must run or cycle with an accompanying adult throughout the race.

Volunteers

If you would like to support the event with marshalling, refreshment stands, registration etc, please let us know. Send us your details to Lorna Payne, our Race Director & Church Warden at lornawarden@stalphege.org.uk - we will be very happy to hear from you.

Spread the word

Remember to make good use of your social media to invite your friends and family to join you running or cycling and support you with sponsorship, marshalling or other volunteer support. There are sharing buttons at the bottom of this page. Please let people know you’ll be taking part.

Whitstable parking
Free parking may available in Nelson Road, Cornwallis Circle, Cromwell Road and Regent Street. The nearest car parks on Middle Wall and Gladstone Road will also be available, but will not be free of charge.

Getting Home

Alternatives to parking a car in Canterbury in advance are to run, cycle or walk back to Whitstable as part of a longer route.or take the bus from Westgate Towers to Whitstable.

Preparations

Refreshments and toilets will be available at the church before the start.

Please carry a mobile phone for your own safety and any drinks/food you will need on route.

Please make sure you have warm clothes/ a change of clothes to put on after the race.