Sunday 7th October 2018
The marathon 26.2 miles race starts at 9am
The metric marathon 26.2km (approx 16.3 miles) starts at 10:15am

To enter please click the "Enter Now" button.

To enter the marathon or metric marathon, you must be 18 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.

Please see the race info page nearer to the race for more details.

There will be mile markers, every mile on the marathon and kilometre markers every 5k on the metric marathon.

There will be Marathon pace runners at the target times of 3:00 and every 15 minutes up to 5:00 hours (chip time). There won't be pace runners for the metric marathon.

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

There will be food and drink available, including a bar. Anything from tea and coffee to a 3 course lunch at the restaurant overlooking the finish.

Parking for competitors and supporters will be available on the grass at the centre of the Chester Racecourse. The car park will open at 0630hrs and will close at 0800hrs to allow for the start of the races.

There will be a fee of £3.00 for parking. Please have the correct money ready when you arrive. The car park will re-open at approximately 1100hrs and will remain open until approximately 1800hrs. Disabled parking will be available closer to the main buildings of the racecourse.

After the races there may be queues at busy times, please be patient whilst we work to help everybody leave as quickly and smoothly as possible.

There are over 3,000 car parking places available in car parks within easy walking distance of the racecourse in Chester city centre. These car parks will charge a variety of fees dependent on the length of time vehicles are parked. Further details of the locations of the council car parks and the fees charged can be found here.

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.

The start and finish areas are 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 and finish there is flat level viewing on the grass. 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. No designated viewing space is provided as the start and 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 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.

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.

Both races start at Chester Racecourse, Chester, CH1 2LY.

Prices for the Marathon and Metric Marathon

Chester Marathon is a running event, and there is a race cut-off time of 6 hours. Road closures are lifted in line with the 6 hour pace, and if you are not able to achieve this you may have to withdraw for your own safety.

Out of consideration for the communities we run through, there are two points where the Marathon route will close, and runners who have fallen behind the 6 hour pace will not be able to continue on the marathon route:

• Junction of Rossett Road and Borras Road (about 12 miles) - Runners arriving here after 11:50 will not be able to enter the Borras loop. You will have the choice of getting into the sweep vehicle, or continuing towards Holt. This cuts 3 miles off the route so you will not complete the marathon distance.
• 20 miles (exiting the village of Aldford) - Runners arriving here after 13:50 will not be able to continue for their own safety. The route towards Huntington will be reopening - this is a very busy road once reopened, with no pavement. We will transfer you to the finish in the sweep bus.

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.

You can see the route and the profile here.
After leaving Chester Racecourse the Marathon course will pass through Chester City Centre, heading out through Eccleston and Pulford before entering Wales at Rossett. The route then passes through Holt before returning to England at Farndon and passing through Churton, Aldford and Huntington. It returns to Chester city at Boughton before entering the Groves area and returning to the racecourse past the Little Roodee. See our route maps.
The Metric Marathon course will pass through Chester City Centre and then head out of Chester eastbound on the A51 and then south on Sandy Lane. Just north of Churton the runners turn and run north to return to Chester. See the map.

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.

Yes there will be a baggage store at the racecourse.  One bag per runner.  Open for bag drop off 07:30 - 09:00 for marathon and 07:30 to 10:15 for the metric marathon.  Open for bag reclaim 11:15 - 16:00.  

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

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 and finish on grass. There is a short length of newly laid cobbles close to the finish and a descent on grass onto the racecourse for the finish.

Disabled toilet facilities are available on the marathon route in the village of Holt (16 miles).

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.

You can stay at the racecourse to watch the start, or walk less than half a mile into Chester to watch the Marathon athletes running through the city centre, or running across the Old Dee Bridge.
There is limited access out on the course, as the roads are closed for the athletes. If you want to spectate on the Marathon course, the best place is the villages of Holt and Farndon (access from the A41 and the A534). There is limited parking here, please park responsibly.

For the Metric Marathon, you can watch the start at the racecourse, or walk up to the city centre to watch athletes running through the city.

As all the athletes return to Chester they run along the riverside for the last mile and a half, through the picturesque Groves and past the Victorian bandstand. You can sit here and have a coffee while you watch the runners from both races go by.

There are great views of the finish from the racecourse itself.