8am – Event Village opens

8.50am - Junior 3k warm-up

9.05am - Junior 3k runners walk to start on South Parks Road

9.15am – Junior 3k start

9.35am - 10k warm-up

9.45am - 10k runners walk to start on South Parks Road

10am – 10k start

1pm – Event Village closes

Please note that the races themselves start on South Parks Road, a short walk from the Event Village in University Parks. It is therefore imperative that 10k runners arrive at University Parks in time for the warm-up at 9.35am and Junior 3k runners arrive for their warm-up by 8.50am. Our Compere will instruct runners to make their way to the start after the warm-up, seeding themselves according to their expected finish time as they do so.

The Event Village is in the University Parks, OX1 3RF, near the cricket pavilion. The exact location can be seen using What3Words ///sounds.title.scout 

You'll find everything you need pre- and post-race in the Event Village: Information and Baggage Tents, Registration Tent for on-the-day entries, food stalls, and toilets.

The Event Village is where the pre-race warm-ups and prize presentations take place. Please note that the races themselves start on South Parks Road, a short walk from the Event Village in University Parks. It is therefore imperative that 10k runners arrive at University Parks in time for the warm-up at 9.35am and Junior 3k runners arrive for their warm-up by 8.50am. Our Compere will instruct runners to make their way to the start after the warm-up, seeding themselves according to their expected finish time as they do so.

The 10k is open to everyone over the age of 16.

The 3k is open to 9-15 year olds.

It’s a race that attracts local runners, including university students, club runners and fun runners. If you are a wheelchair user or have any accessibility requirements and would like to take part, contact us on townandgown10k@musculardystrophyuk.org and we’ll make the necessary arrangements.

The Town and Gown 10k raises vital funds for Muscular Dystrophy UK. So while fundraising is not compulsory (unless you have opted for one of our fundraiser tickets), we encourage all runners to fundraise what they can to help beat muscle-wasting conditions sooner.

Upon entering the race, you will be given the option to make a donation and set up a fundraising page with our partners at Sport Giving. With the click of a button your page will be created as soon as your entry is complete and you'll be able to share your fundraising to your networks to help raise vital funds for Muscular Dystrophy UK.

This year we have added an option to purchase a 'fundraiser ticket'.

All entrants purchasing a fundraising ticket will commit to a £50 minimum fundraising target for MDUK. Upon entering you will be set up with a Sports Giving fundraising page to share with your network and also add any donations or offline fundraising to. If the minimum £50 target is raised by 10th April, you will be sent a free MDUK running vest in the post with your race number. £50 must be raised by 31st May 2023.

Race packs will be sent in the post before the event to the address provided on registration as long as you entered on or before April 24th. For all entries on and after 25th April you will need to collect your race pack on the day from the Registration Marquee in the Event Village from 8am.

Your Race Pack will include your running bib, which will have the timing chip fixed onto it.

If you provided your mobile number on entry, you’ll get an SMS with your chip-time shortly after you finish the race. All chip-timed results will be available on www.chiptiming.co.uk after the event.

If you find you are unable to race, you can transfer your place to someone else, or else defer your entry to a future Town and Gown event. The deadline for transfers and deferrals is Monday the 10th April 2023. Please contact townandgown10k@musculardystrophyuk.org.

Yes we have a large baggage marquee in the event village. Please write your race number on your tag provided and attach this to your bag. Race numbers will be checked when collecting your bag.

We will have a number of food and drink options within the Event Village.

There will be a water station on route and at the finish line.

In our efforts to reduce and plastic waste, water on route and the finish line will be handed in recyclable cups. Water bowsers will also be available to fill your own water bottles in the Event Village.

Once you’ve finished the race, you'll receive your medal along with a goody bag containing some free product samples. We no longer give a free t-shirt. Town and Gown t-shirts can be purchased from the Town and Gown shop.

We're delighted to partner with the Coopah Run app who provide an affordable, personalised, running training plan. All of our runners receive an exclusive one month free trail after signing up with any Town and Gown 10k running event. Contact townandgown10k@musculardystrophyuk.org for your code.

We will have a trophy presentation on the stage in the Event Village at approximately 11am.

There’ll be trophies for the following

Categories, based on chip-time on the day:

• first, second and third male and female
• first male and female in age groups.

Should a runner qualify for an overall winner prize and an age group prize, they’ll get the overall prize and we’ll offer the age group prize to the next finisher.

Availability of parking in the centre of Oxford is extremely limited, and there are no parking facilities in the vicinity of the race. All the roads in the immediate area are closed, with parking restrictions enforced.

Local Buses

Please visit the Oxford Bus Company and Stagecoach websites for up to date travel and bus routes to Oxford City Centre on race day.

The start and event village is a maximum 10 minutes walk from the City Centre so any bus reaching near into the City Centre will be a walkable distance.

Trains

The start and event village is a maximum 20 minute walk from Oxford Railway Station. Please factor this walk when planning to get to Oxford by Train. For up to date train information visit the national rail website.

Parking

Please visit the Oxford City Council website for a list of car parks within the City Centre.

Road closures will start to come into force from 8.00am on the Sunday morning and remain in operation until 12.00 noon.  The majority of the affected roads will be on a rolling closure system (i.e. will reopen as soon as the last runner has passed and it is safe to do so) apart from Parks Road, which will remain closed for the duration of the event.

The roads affected are listed below.

Bradmore Road, Blackhall Road, Broad Street, Catte Street, Cornmarket Street, Crick Road, Keble Road, Fyfield Road, High Street (except buses and taxis allowed in both directions using Stop/Go Traffic Management), Holywell Street, Jowett Walk, Longwall Street, Magdalen Street East, Mansfield Road, Market Street, Museum Road, New College Lane, Norham Gardens, Norham Road, Parks Road, Queens Lane, South Parks Road, St. Cross Road, Ship Street, Turl Street.

To coincide with these closures, parking in the certain residential parking bays will also be suspended.

Parking bays suspended from 00:00-12:30 on Sunday 14 May.

• Longwall Street
• Parks Road
• High Street
• Broad Street
• Mansfield Road
• Jowett Walk
• Norham Gardens
• Fyfield Road
• Norham Road
• Bradmore Road

Parking bays suspended from 18:00 Saturday 7 May until 12:30 on Sunday 8 May

• Mansfield Road

If you require further information please contact us.

The Junior 3k race takes part at 9.15am ahead of the main 10k. It is open for anyone aged 9-15 years old.

Our current 2023 Oxford Partners are at the bottom of this page we are always interested in forming more new partnerships with businesses.

For more information about our sponsorship packages fill out the short form on our sponsors page.

Muscular Dystrophy UK’s Town and Gown 10k series is professional, chip-timed and serious fun. Popular events in the Oxford and Cambridge runners’ calendars, this is the runner’s run, raising funds for people living with muscle-wasting conditions.

We believe in:

• excellence – our award-winning runs are the only closed-road city centre 10k races in Oxford and Cambridge, and they take in beautiful, historic sights.
• community – we bring students, graduates, club runners and novices together to compete for personal bests or simply to enjoy the bespoke routes.
• ambition – we give our runners a first-rate experience and involve them in our drive to achieve a fully accessible and sustainable event, and they’re helping achieve our goal of beating muscle-wasting conditions.