Best Running Routes in Hampshire to Train for the ABP Southampton Marathon

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Best Running Routes in Hampshire to Train for the ABP Southampton Marathon

Published on December 2, 2024

5 min read

Marathon Training Routes in Hampshire

Ready to kick-start your marathon training? With just under four months until the ABP Southampton Marathon on April 6th 2025, it’s the perfect time to explore new running routes and push your limits. Ordnance Survey and our friends at ABP Southampton Marathon have teamed up to inspire you to lace up and get moving with our selection of the best running routes in Hampshire.

Whether you’re a beginner marathon runner or a seasoned Sweaty Betty (or Bert), OS Maps, Ordnance Survey’s mapping and route planner on mobile and web, is your gateway to incredible marathon training runs across Hampshire. From urban Southampton to the scenic trails of the New Forest, Overton’s gentle roads, and the hills of Queen Elizabeth Country Park—your next adventure awaits!

These marathon training runs start small and lead up to longer runs as you progress with your long distance training programme.

Greenham Common Training Route: 3.3 miles

Matthew Pillinger – OS Finance Manager and member of OS Runners

The Greenham Common Training Route, set on a former World War II airbase and later famous for peace protests, offers a mix of flat terrain and gentle gradients, ideal for building endurance and speed. Spanning open grasslands with wide paths, it’s perfect for interval training or steady runs. Its peaceful environment and historical backdrop provide a refreshing change from your everyday, urban run, making it a terrific addition to marathon prep.

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Queen Elizabeth Country Park, near Petersfield, Training Route: 3 miles

Matthew Pillinger – OS Finance Manager and member of OS Runners

A short but feisty run, hilly is the best word to describe it! The Queen Elizabeth Country Park route near Petersfield, features challenging hills and varied terrain, perfect for building strength and endurance. Set within the South Downs National Park, it offers stunning woodland trails and open views. This historic area, once part of ancient forestland, now provides a dynamic training ground to prepare for marathon day.

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Overton, North Hampshire: 6.5 Miles

Matthew Pillinger – OS Finance Manager

The Overton Training Route is perfect for marathon prep, featuring quiet country roads with rolling hills that challenge stamina and build strength, especially for track runners looking to tackle elevation. Set in the picturesque North Hampshire countryside, Overton boasts a rich agricultural history and scenic landscapes, offering a peaceful yet invigorating backdrop for long-distance training.

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The New Forest: 10 Miles

Matthew Pillinger – OS Finance Manager and member of OS Runners

The New Forest Training Route is perfect for marathon training, offering a mix of undulating trails and flat sections to enhance stamina and endurance. This route winds through the heart of the New Forest, a historic royal hunting ground now known for its ancient woodlands, open heathlands, and roaming ponies, providing an inspiring place to increase that stamina.

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Bramley, North Hampshire: 10 Miles

Matthew Pillinger – OS Finance Manager and member of OS Runners

The Bramley Training Route is a fantastic choice for marathon preparation. It’s all on tarmac and is pretty flat and fast, featuring long, gently undulating roads that help build endurance and pacing skills. Located between Basingstoke and Reading, in the picturesque north Hampshire countryside, this area is steeped in rural charm, with a history of agriculture and small village communities. Its peaceful setting provides an ideal backdrop for focused, long-distance training runs.

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Southampton: Triple OS Training Route: 11.6 miles

Gus McKechnie – OS Champion

Named the Triple OS Route because it takes runners past all three Ordnance Survey bases in Southampton, this urban training route offers a mix of flat roads and light gradients, making it ideal for building endurance. Linking the former HQs at London Road and Romsey Road with the modern Explorer House, it highlights Southampton’s rich, maritime history and bustling streets and, of course, it’s the perfect place to scope out the area and prep for race day!

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Swanwick to Gosport: 13 miles

Sam Taylor – OS Champion and OS Competitive Intelligence Enablement Manager

The Swanwick to Gosport Route is perfect for marathon training, offering a half-marathon distance one way or a full marathon out and back. This scenic route follows the coastline, combining flat stretches and light gradients to enhance stamina. Rich in maritime history, it passes through charming harbors and historic Gosport, home to the Royal Navy Submarine

Museum and centuries-old naval heritage, providing a picturesque and inspiring backdrop for your long-distance runs.

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A latching gate as you would find across public park areas in England, UK. Often found on a bridlepath

North Baddesley and Chandler’s Ford / Eastleigh: 16 miles

Jack Wood – OS Senior Support Engineer

This North Baddesley to Eastleigh Route is ideal for marathon training, offering a flat, versatile 16-mile stretch that follows the National Cycle Network between North Baddesley, Chandler’s Ford, and Eastleigh. You can easily adjust the distance by adding or removing sections. Passing through quiet suburbs and green spaces, it provides a serene backdrop while tracing Hampshire’s evolving transport and trade history, from historic market routes to the development of modern rail and road connections that supported the region’s growth.

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So that’s a taster of the wealth of training routes in OS Maps!. If you’re a regular user, then please upload your favourite training routes, and add photos and useful info (including everything from the killer hills, to the best pub for a post-run pint) for all our users.

Good luck with your marathon training! Stay tuned to Ordnance Survey and ABP Southampton Marathon’s emails and social channels for more inspiration and tips to keep you motivated. Ready to take on the challenge? Don’t wait—sign up for the ABP Southampton Marathon today here!

ABP Southampton Marathon | SIGN UP!

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