UK Ekiden

The UK Ekiden is a 112 km team relay race, run from Windsor to Reading and back. It is divided into 10 legs with nine handover points. The race adheres to the Japanese ekiden format: each runner completes one section between stations, then passes a cloth sash, known as a tasuki, to the next teammate. The start and finish are at Brocas Field in Eton, Windsor, with King’s Meadow in Reading serving as the halfway point. The route traces the River Thames, passing through Maidenhead, Bisham Abbey, Henley-on-Thames, Sonning, and Reading before returning via the same handovers. Leg lengths vary, from 5.1 km sections near Reading to 14.4 km sections between Maidenhead and Bisham Abbey, requiring teams to possess both speed and endurance. Runners navigate paved riverside paths, gravel tracks, grassy trails, open fields, bridges, and winding sections, introducing unpredictability to pacing compared to a standard road relay. This format originates from Japan, where ekiden evolved from an old station-to-station courier concept and became a significant running tradition centered on the sash handover.