Sunday 29 April 2018
The half marathon race starts at 9am

To enter please click the "Enter Now" button.

To enter the half marathon, you must be 17 or over on race day.

If you live in the UK, and entered more than 4 weeks before the race, your race pack will be posted out to you two weeks before the race.  For those living outside the UK and those entering later, race packs will be available for collection on the day before or on the morning of the race.  Please see the race information for full details.

Our race charity for 2018 is Claire House Children's Hospice. You can of course run for any charity of your choosing.  

Running is a very strenuous activity, and running if you are ill could seriously threaten your health. We recommend that you do not run if you feel ill on race day. If in doubt, consult your doctor.

As the race is run on fully closed roads, headphones are permitted under UK Athletics rules. It's still important to be able to hear your fellow runners, and instructions from marshals, therefore we recommend "open ear" bone conduction headphones for enjoyment and safety. 

If you do wear in ear headphones, please leave one out so you can hear the sounds around you.

No, it is not possible to run with a buggy, or with a dog.

The races are run under UK Athletics rules.

Details of sports drinks and gels will be updated nearer the time of the race.

There will be mile markers, every mile.

Yes there will be a baggage store at the racecourse.  One bag per runner.  Open for bag drop off 07:30 - 09:00. Open for bag reclaim 10:15 - 13:00.  

There are ample toilets at the start all clearly signed.  There will also be toilets at every drink station and at the finish. 

As a result of the growth of the race over the last couple of years and delays for cars leaving the Racecourse, parking on the Racecourse for the Chester Half Marathon will close at 7:30am.  There is city centre parking available. Further information will be available in the race day information pack which will be posted out and available on the website, closer to race day.

Hard standing parking is available in the disabled bays within the hotel car park; access this via the main racecourse car parking entrance. Alternatively you can park on the main car park, which is on grass and nearer to the start and finish. There is no charge for parking for Blue Badge holders and you don't need to book in advance, just show the car park volunteers your Blue Badge when you arrive.

There is no public transport to this location in time for race start. The Park and Ride buses have wheelchair access. The Park and Ride drop off point is on Grosvenor Road, which is about half a mile from the flat, accessible entrance on New Crane Street. The return to the pickup point is uphill.

The start area is on grass in the centre of the racecourse and there is step-free access from the hotel car park and the main car park. For people who wish to view the race start there is flat level viewing on the grass at the start.

The finish is about half a mile from the start in Chester City Centre at the Town Hall. Disabled spectators may prefer to park closer to the finish area in the City Centre. Details of free parking are available on the Cheshire West and Chester Council website.

The finish area has reasonable viewing access and there are areas to park and access the City. Please note the route from the start to the City is a steep hill and a busy road crossing. No designated viewing space is provided as the paths approaching the finish can be accessed on flat level surfaces. It can be quite busy with spectators so try to give yourself plenty of time to secure a good viewing location. The finish will have a PA announcement system giving the finishing numbers for many of the runners, however there is no TV, hearing loop or results display to give information.

The Chester Racecourse has disabled toilet facilities. There will also be a disabled portable toilet available close to the start of the race; adjacent to the other portable toilets.

For details of disabled toilet facilities close to the finish on Northgate Street, see the Cheshire West and Chester Council website.

Chester is a destination city in its own right, with lots to do.

There is fantastic shopping with superior high-street stores and boutiques.

Enjoy a taste of history walking round our famous Roman walls, visiting the Roman amphitheatre and seeing the unique Rows (dating from Medieval times).

Combine sightseeing and spectating with a stroll along the River Dee.

If you get hungry there are numerous restaurants, pubs and delicatessens to suit all tastes. All this in easy walking distance.

If you want to venture just outside the City, look out for Chester Zoo, the Blue Planet Aquarium or the Cheshire Oaks outlet village.

Take a look at Visit Chester for lots more ideas.

The race starts at Chester Racecourse, Chester, CH1 2LY.

Prices for half marathon.

Chester Half Marathon is a running event and for runners' safety the roads are closed by permission of the council. The race cut off time is 3 hours. Roads will re-open in line with this pace. If you fall behind this pace, for your own safety you may be asked to withdraw from the race.

Runners who don't reach Long Lane (5 miles) by 10:20 won't be able to continue on the course, for their own safety.

No, it is your choice whether to run for charity or not. Many runners do choose to run for a charity, and we expect our races this year to raise over £1m for local and national charities. Our official race charity is Claire House Children's Hospice, read more about Claire House here.

In common with the vast majority of races we do not offer refunds or deferrals. However, you can transfer your entry to another runner. To do this, at no extra cost, please visit Nifty Entries and choose transfer my entry, or email Linda who will be happy to help you.

Yes we welcome runners in fancy dress. Why not run as a Roman Centurion? It would be great to see the streets of Chester full of Centurions again!
We do ask that you are considerate to your fellow runners, and don't wear a costume that might be obstructive or dangerous to others.

There is no relay class at this event.

The route starts at Chester Racecourse, before heading up Watergate Street, through The Walls, along the inner ring road to Bridge Street.  Then it's through the centre of the city and out via the Garden Quarter to join Parkgate Road, towards Two Mills.  Shortly before Two Mills, the runners will start their return to Chester, via Woodbank, Saughall and back onto Parkgate Road for a City Centre finish by the Town Hall and Cathedral.

It is a fast course, with the first half on wide roads to ensure that there will be no congestion, so that everyone gets a good start.

Drinks stations will be every 3 miles, providing bottled water and portable toilets.  We'll guarantee that we'll have lots of enthusiastic volunteers to help and support you along the way.

The Course Measurement certificate is here.

The drinks stations will be 2.5 to 3 miles apart and can be seen on our route maps. There will be water in sports cap bottles at each drink station.  Info about sports drinks/gels available on course will be published on our race information page before the event.

There will be start zones clearly marked with estimated finish times. Please assemble in the appropriate zone for your realistic expected finish time.

There will be toilets at every drinks station, these are 2.5 to 3 miles apart.

Some of our sponsors, partners and charities will have stands at the event.

Draft results will be posted online soon after the race, and final results will be available no later than two weeks after the race.

There is a variety of different accommodation in Chester which can be found through internet searches, on www.visitchester.com or by calling 0845 647 7868.

We want disabled athletes to have a safe and enjoyable race. If you have a disability please contact Andy so we can understand your needs.

There is not a wheelchair race, but accompanied wheelchairs, visually impaired and learning disabled athletes have all competed successfully in our past events. Choose your start pen with care, to avoid jostling it is usually safer to line up at the back of the race - we have chip timing so your race time won't be affected.

The course does involve some short, sharp climbs and will start on grass. 

If an athlete needs a carer or guide to accompany them during the race, the carer is entitled to a free place in the race. To apply for this, or if you have any questions about the suitability of the route, contact Andy.

The best place to watch the Chester Half Marathon is at the start and finish.

The start of the half marathon is 9:00 at Chester Racecourse. This is always an exciting spectacle to see our runners heading off on the 13.1 miles route. From the Racecourse you can walk the short distance to the Town Hall to cheer home the athletes. The first runner will be expected to finish at 10:05.

On the route supporters can cheer on the athletes in Saughall village, or at the halfway point, which is The Yacht Inn near Two Mills (access along A550 / Shotwick lane). If you drive out to spectate on the course, then check the road closures on the race route first.