The ABP staff took part in the event
Thousands of runners took on the infamous ABP Southampton Marathon challenge on Sunday 7th April. The event offers a race for everyone, from a full marathon, half marathon, and 10k to a 5k and even a family fun run, making the event accessible to runners of all ages.
Congratulations to Joe Beaton for completing the full marathon in 2 hours and 33 minutes, followed by Hannah Treylen, the quickest female marathon runner, with a time of 3 hours and 8 minutes. The fastest time for the half marathon was 1 hour and 14 minutes; the 10k was 36 minutes, and 17 minutes for the 5k.
Associated British Ports (ABP) has been a headline sponsor for the event, organised by Rees Leisure, since 2015. The races start and finish at Southampton Guildhall and include landmarks across the City. Some runners have to take on the Itchen Bridge twice or even four times when running the full marathon.
Chris Rees, Rees Leisure, said: “We were thrilled to see so many runners this year in Southampton, which retains its position as an exciting fixture on the running calendar. The event is building year after year, and we always receive positive feedback on the half marathon and shorter routes. Running through the Southampton Football Stadium is a big attraction.”
Paul Reeves, Head of Commercial at ABP Southampton, said: “The ABP Southampton Marathon is a great community event, and this year’s event was no different. The atmosphere on the start line was lively as friends, families, and residents cheered when the runners set off. The celebratory atmosphere continued throughout the route, with plenty of supporters encouraging runners from the sidelines. We had a fantastic team of mile makers and volunteers who selflessly gave their time to ensure the day is a success – a big thank you to those people.”
Hundreds of charity runners participated in the race to represent and raise money for local and national charities. ABP’s runners were supporting ANDYSMANCLUB, ABP Southampton’s charity of the year for 2024.
ABP’s ongoing sponsorship of the Southampton Marathon is a key part of the ABP series, a programme of support for mass participation wellness events close to its port locations in 2024. These include Cleethorpes (near ABP’s Port of Grimsby), Newport, Cardiff, and Ipswich. Events which are open to all, and include two marathons, four half-marathons, three 10K runs and two 5K runs.
