2:09 Events

Organising the finest travel packages to the Worlds best marathons, from New York to the Great Wall,

Guaranteed race entry to the New York Marathon and other major events with back-up coaching advice from a group of high achieveing athletes such as Mike Gratton and Chicago Marathon and Olympic 10,000m finalist Paul Evans.

19/12/2025

You are likely on your Christmas countdown, we are on our GRIM Challenge countdown. Usually we would be done with the GRIM Challenge by now as it is traditionally an early December event. This year with the military taking priority on the land the course runs over, we were forced to move the 2025 event back to January 11, 2026.
It's hard to know whether that's a good thing. Is it better to beast yourself before the holidays or take it as penance after the break for over indulgence?
What is certain is that the weather isn't going to be any better in January that it is in early December but's the point, the tougher the conditions the bigger the challenge. And although the distances - 4 miles or 8 miles - are not excessive, it will feel longer after running mile upon mile on muddy hills, along forest trails and through chest high water pools. But that is why it's called the GRIM Challenge.
There is still time to put that entry in and if like us you are counting down, it's now 23 sleeps before the big day.

18/12/2025

Can I just buy the entry? It's a common question for all of our trips and the answer is always NO. It is especially the case in Bhutan in the Himalayas where we organise the Thunder Dragon Marathon and Half Marathon every year in May.
Not only is entry-only out of the question, in most cases you can't even travel to Bhutan on your own. Tourist numbers are limited to minimise the impact of foreign visitors on the enivornment and generally you need a Bhutanese travel company - in our case our long term partner is Blue Poppy Tours and Treks - to make your local arrangements, arrange the visa, provide a guide and driver and to access any cultural sites or attractions you want to visit while in the country.
Far from being a restriction the Bhutanese guides and drivers are universally wonderful and will become a major part of your experience in Bhutan. You are always free to do what you want, but your guides and driver are always there to provide insight into this mysterious mountain kingdom while facilitating anything you need while you are in the country. It is not uncommon for the guides to sign up the Marathon or Half Marathon at the end of the trip to run with you, even though most of almost no running experience at all.

16/12/2025

We are just over five weeks away from our annual Longleat 10K. The race, which takes place on Sunday January 25, 2026 is the one day in the year when you can actually race through the grounds of the famous safari park. In case you are worried, most of the animals will be tucked away in their enclosures during the winter months so sighting a stray lion, or any of the 120 species in the park, is unlikely.
If you are running the race, what you will see for the first time next year, is a big group of pacers, courtesy of Weston Athletic Club, who will be helping you try to run evenly around the course. That's no easy feat on a course that is quite hilly with one significant climb that you have to go up twice. Nevertheless the pace teams will be trying their best to run the distance at an even effort to get groups around in under 40, 42, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70 and 75 minutes.

15/12/2025

Great to see so many Santas turning out at Denbies Vineyard in Dorking yesterday for our annual Santa 5K Fun Run. Also great to see so many families taking part on what was a glorious day to be out running. If you took part and you are looking for the race images, you can find them here:
https://clicksports.photohawk.com/galleries/denbies-santa-run-2025
Here are a few of those shots from yesterday.

11/12/2025

We were hoping for snow but sadly none is forecast for Sunday in Dorking. Even without the snow or a frost, it should still be a festive scene with a couple of hundred Santas running, jogging or walking through Denbies Vineyard.
And if you want to be part of it, this is your last chance to enter if our annual Santa Run hosted by Denbies Vineyards. We provide the red suits - one size for adults, one for young children - as well as a very nice medal and the post-race mince pies, mulled wine and soft drinks. It all starts at 10.30am and as it's only 5K you could be home by midday.
If you are looking for some last minute Christmas shopping, Denbies has a wonderful gift shop and wine store on site.

10/12/2025

The TCS Sydney Marathon joined the Abbott World Marathon Majors as the 7th Major earlier this year. Demand for the 2026 race, which is scheduled for Sunday August 30, has been unprecedented. The public lottery turned away more than 50,000 potential runners and our packages, which include guaranteed race entry, sold out in days.
Fortunately we've managed to obtain another small batch of entries that are available with a minimum five-night hotel package. We are selling on a first-come basis.
Go to our website www.209events.com for full details of the available packages. These will be among the last places available for the 2026 race.

09/12/2025

One of things that helps get you through a cold and wet winter's day in the UK, is planning a holiday. You don't need to wait until next summer to do it, we have plenty of options waiting for you in the spring.
How about a long weekend in Paris in April for the marathon? Or perhaps a week running on the beach or over the cliff tops in Portugal during our spring training camp in the Algarve? And if you really want to dream of something special how about our Dragon Double, the Great Wall Marathon in China one weekend quickly followed by the Thunder Dragon Marathon in Bhutan a week later?
There are countless possibilities. So bite the bullet and book, put your deposit down and walk around with a smile on your face.

08/12/2025

If the GRIM Challenge had taken place yesterday, as originally planned, this is the medal you would be showing off today. You now have to wait until Sunday January 11, 2026 to receive your medal, which due to military orders is the rescheduled date.
It is always a medal to cherish. The course in Aldershot is where the army likes to test its tanks and other off-road vehicles, so the route presents a number of natural mud and water obstacles. The distances - there is an eight mile and four mile option - may not seem excessive but when you are cold, wet and covered in mud, which you will be, it will feel a lot further.
Don't forget a spare set of clothes. You can put your wet stuff in this GRIM shoe bag which we'll be handing out with the medal and the traditional GRIM beanie at the finish.

07/12/2025

We were away last week in China looking over the Shanghai Marathon, which took place last Sunday. It was a fabulous race in a fabulous city that is certain to attract a hoard of international runners if, or more likely, when it becomes the ninth Abbott World Marathon Major in 2027.
That is assuming that Cape Town passes its final test in May 2026 to be the 8th WMM. It should have passed in October 2025, but terrible weather the night before this year's race forced its cancellation and put everything back a year. Abbott has softened the blow of that cancellation by making the 2026 race a provisional 'major' meaning you will receive a star for running 2026 if Cape Town joins the series from 2027.
We already have a good group signed up for the 2026 Sanlam Cape Town Marathon in May 2026 but we still have a few places and packages available if you want to run it. It is the closest you are to likely to get to running a spring 'Major' in 2026. Our trips to Tokyo and Boston sold out some months ago just after London drew its ballot.
After those trips our next available Abbott World Marathon Major is the 2026 BMW Berlin Marathon, which went on sale last week and are selling quickly. Packages for the 2026 Bank of America Chicago Marathon will be available from the end of next week but we won't be open for the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon until January 2026.

Address

63 Osborne Road
Farnborough
GU146AP

Website

http://www.209events.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when 2:09 Events posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to 2:09 Events:

Shortcuts

Want your business to be the top-listed Event Planning Service in Farnborough?

Our Story

Many people ask what the 2:09 in 2:09 Events means and are surprised to find out that is the best marathon time of the company founder, Mike Gratton, when winning the London Marthon in 1983.

Now 2:09 Events are one of the leading running specialist travel companies in the World and have membership to TOURS, a group of travel agencies specialising in running travel from 32 different countries. This status has allowed the company to become the International Travel Partner for 5 of the 6 Abbott World Marathon Majors; Tokyo, Boston, Berlin, Chicago and New York.

Having organised events for his running club Invicta East Kent AC back in the day it was inevitable that putting on running events would feature and now 2;09 Events have organised events in Cuba and Uganda, and continue to organise in Bhutan, Cyprus and the Azores.

In the UK the portfolio now includes; South Downs Marathon and Half, Farnborough Winter Half, Longleat 10km and Bacchus Wine Marathon, 3 Santa Runs and a host of charity events throughout the year.