Compiled and fact-checked by Tommo, Verus founder · Last verified August 2026 · Spot an error?

Running · Other Distances

Hatfield 5 2026

Race day
Sunday, 29 November 2026
Location
Hatfield, Hertfordshire, UK
Distance
5 mi / 8.0 km

Hatfield 5: 29 November 2026. Entry, one of the UK's fastest 5-mile courses, charity info.

80Days

Hatfield 5 Race Timeline

Training Phase Build Phase Taper Race Week Race Day Race Completed

80 days to go

More than 42 days out — a good window to build a consistent base before 5-mile-specific training ramps up.

Indicative profile — scaled to 39ft total gain

Hatfield 5 2026: quick answers

When is Hatfield 5 2026?

Hatfield 5 2026 takes place on Sunday, 29 November 2026, starting at 10:00am (registration 8:30-9:45am).

What time does Hatfield 5 start?

Hatfield 5 starts at 10:00am (registration 8:30-9:45am) from The Forum, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane Campus, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL10 9AB.

Where does Hatfield 5 start and finish?

Hatfield 5 starts at The Forum, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane Campus, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL10 9AB and finishes at The Forum, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane Campus, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL10 9AB.

How many miles is Hatfield 5?

Hatfield 5 is 5 miles (8km).

How much elevation gain does Hatfield 5 have?

Hatfield 5 has approximately 39ft of total elevation gain. Yes — this is one of the flattest 5-mile courses in the country, with organizer marketing citing "just 3 metres of climbing" and a reported 3rd-fastest UK 5-mile time nationally in 2022 (an organizer claim, not independently verified against official rankings). The official interactive elevation profile on the course-map tool shows a slightly higher figure of 39ft (12m) — either way, this is a genuinely fast, flat course.

How much does Hatfield 5 cost to enter?

Entry is first come, first served via Active Training World. 2026 pricing: £28-£30 (a £2 discount for UKA-affiliated club members).

How can I track a runner at Hatfield 5?

No confirmed live course-tracking — the ATW Hub app is the official companion app for bookings, results and photos.

Key Race Metrics & Overview

Date
Sunday, 29 November 2026
Distance
5 miles / 8.0km
Location
Hatfield, Hertfordshire, UK
Start Point
The Forum, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane Campus, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL10 9AB
Finish Point
The Forum, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane Campus, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL10 9AB
Start time
10:00am (registration 8:30-9:45am)
Elevation gain
39 ft (12m)
Surface
Road/tarmac and shared paths — pavements, the disused-railway Alban Way, and the A414 footpath.
Cut-off time
No official cut-off time is published.
Age requirement
Runners must be 15 or over on race day.
Tracking app
No confirmed live course-tracking — the ATW Hub app is the official companion app for bookings, results and photos.

Direct Entry Summary

Entry is first come, first served via Active Training World. 2026 pricing: £28-£30 (a £2 discount for UKA-affiliated club members).

Ballot Policy

No ballot — entry is first come, first served via Active Training World.

Hatfield 5 Race Day Weather

A real forecast appears here once one exists for race day — usually about a week to ten days out. Nothing is shown until then, because a made-up forecast is worse than none.

Hatfield 5 Route Map & Elevation Profile

Starting at The Forum, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane Campus, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL10 9AB and finishing at The Forum, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane Campus, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL10 9AB. 39 ft of total elevation gain across 5 miles.

Is Hatfield 5 flat?

Yes — this is one of the flattest 5-mile courses in the country, with organizer marketing citing "just 3 metres of climbing" and a reported 3rd-fastest UK 5-mile time nationally in 2022 (an organizer claim, not independently verified against official rankings). The official interactive elevation profile on the course-map tool shows a slightly higher figure of 39ft (12m) — either way, this is a genuinely fast, flat course.

Hatfield 5 Course Profile

39 ft total elevation gain.

Startmi 2.55mi

Tap a point on the course for details.

mi 0.0

The Forum, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane Campus, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL10 9AB

Start line.

Where Hatfield 5 starts and finishes

Hatfield 5 starts at The Forum, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane Campus, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL10 9AB and finishes at The Forum, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane Campus, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL10 9AB. We haven't been able to place those on a map accurately enough to show one — a pin in the wrong place is worse than no pin.

These are the start and finish points, not the route. Verus doesn't hold course files for this race, and drawing a line between two pins would be a guess you might end up training on. The official course map is the one to use: view it on the organiser's site .

Full Hatfield 5 Route Breakdown

A single-lap, AUKCM-measured course: starts at The Forum, follows College Lane pavements, joins the disused-railway Alban Way, runs along Wilkins Green Lane, crosses back over the Alban Way via Smallford Lane and Sleapcross Gardens, follows the flat A414 footpath, then Comet Way, before a final mile back along the Alban Way to the finish.

Hatfield 5 Pace Calculator & Splits

Hatfield 5 Pace Calculator

Enter a target finish time to see your pace and projected splits.

hrs
min
sec
target time

Average pace / mile

48:00

Average pace / km

29:50

5K2:29:08
Finish4:00:00

Hatfield 5 Pace Chart

Split markers calculated for standard checkpoints — no official pacers are confirmed for this event.

Target Pace /mi Pace /km 5KFinish
3:00 36:00 22:22 1:51:513:00:00
3:15 39:00 24:14 2:01:103:15:00
3:30 42:00 26:06 2:10:293:30:00
3:45 45:00 27:58 2:19:493:45:00
4:00 48:00 29:50 2:29:084:00:00
4:15 51:00 31:41 2:38:274:15:00
4:30 54:00 33:33 2:47:464:30:00
4:45 57:00 35:25 2:57:054:45:00
5:00 1:00:00 37:17 3:06:255:00:00
5:30 1:06:00 41:01 3:25:035:30:00
6:00 1:12:00 44:44 3:43:426:00:00
6:30 1:18:00 48:28 4:02:206:30:00
7:00 1:24:00 52:12 4:20:597:00:00

Hatfield 5 Finish Time Estimator

Enter a recent 5K, 10K or Half Marathon time to estimate your Hatfield 5 finish time.

Your 5K time

hrs
min
sec

Estimated Hatfield 5 finish

41:24

An estimate only, based on Pete Riegel's race-time prediction formula. Real marathon performance depends on endurance, training specificity, pacing and race-day conditions — not just your speed over a shorter distance.

Training for a different distance? Try the full pace calculator, race time predictor or pace chart.

Got your target time? Save it to your profile.

Tag Hatfield 5, set your goal pace, and let Verus track your countdown, training and fundraising in one place.

Start Your Verus Journey

Hatfield 5 Race Day Checklist

Tap items to mark off your race-day readiness.

0/6
  • Race number attached per your registration instructions
  • A tear-off tag for the marshalled bag drop
  • Weather-appropriate kit for a late-November race, plus something warm and disposable to discard before the start
  • Your own gels/fuel, since no branded on-course station is confirmed
  • A plan to park via the Broad Way entrance multistorey — there's no access via College Lane
  • A meeting point agreed with family/friends near The Forum for afterwards

Training Strategy for Hatfield 5

Standard Training Window

6-10 weeks is a solid window for a 5-mile race. Combine a weekly long run with threshold work so you can hold pace over the full distance.

Terrain Specificity

This is a largely flat course, so most of your long runs can mirror that — flat and steady, building time on feet rather than hill strength.

The Taper Phase

Ease off mileage in the final week, keeping a couple of short, sharp race-pace efforts to stay fresh. Arrive at The Forum, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane Campus, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL10 9AB fresh, energized, and primed — not fit, fresh.

Pacing Execution

Lock in your target pace using the interactive splits calculator below — no official pacers are confirmed for this event, so a pace band on your watch is the more reliable option.

Fuel & Hydration Prep

Test your race-day fuel and hydration plan on your long training runs, not for the first time on race day — check the Race Day Checklist below for what's actually on this course.

5-Mile Nutrition & Fueling Plan

2-3 Days Prior

For a 5-mile race, a light increase in carbohydrate the day before is enough — no need for a multi-day carb-load.

Race Morning

A small, familiar carb-based breakfast 1.5-2 hours before the 10:00am start works well for most runners.

On-Course Fueling

At this distance and on this flat a course, most runners don't need on-course fuel.

Post-Race Recovery

A mix of carbohydrate and protein afterwards supports recovery.

Hatfield 5 Charity Places 2026

Alzheimer's Research UK is the named charity partner, with entrants able to donate or fundraise via GoFundMe — no fixed fee or fundraising-minimum target is published.

Impactful Storytelling

Lead with your personal story — explain why the charity matters to you. Personal connection generates 3x more support than a generic link broadcast.

Social Campaign Milestones

Share key training milestones on Instagram (first 10-miler, peak week, race week) with your fundraising link in bio. Publicly thanking donors prompts secondary gifts!

Running Hatfield 5 for charity?

Link your JustGiving page to Verus and show up right here alongside other Hatfield 5 fundraisers — goal, progress and story, all in one place.

Add Your Fundraiser to Verus

Where to Stay for Hatfield 5

Hatfield town centre

Pros

Closest to the University of Hertfordshire campus and the start/finish.

Cons

Limited hotel choice for a smaller Hertfordshire town.

St Albans

Pros

A short drive away, with a much wider range of hotels.

Cons

Not walkable — you'll need transport on race morning.

Travel & Logistics

By Train

Hatfield station is about 2 miles away, Welham Green station about 2.4 miles; a UNO Bus inter-campus shuttle also serves the area.

Park & Ride Shuttles

Free on-site parking is available via the Broad Way entrance multistorey only — there's no access via College Lane.

Road closures

Detailed road-closure information isn't published; confirmed by organizers closer to race day.

Spectator & Cheer Guide

Cheer Zones & Hotspots

No mile-by-mile viewing guide is published — organizers point spectators toward the finish funnel.

Course Navigation

No official guidance is published on moving between viewing points.

Live App Tracking

No confirmed live course-tracking — the ATW Hub app is the official companion app for bookings, results and photos.

Hatfield 5 Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know for race weekend.

Race details independently compiled and fact-checked by Tommo against the official Hatfield 5 site , last verified August 2026. Always confirm official timings and policies directly prior to race day.