Charity places in Essar Chester Half Marathon and Fun Run
Sun 17 May 2026 Chester, Cheshire, UK

Essar Chester Half Marathon and Fun Run charity places

One of the UK’s longest established and most highly regarded half marathons, starting and finishing in this historic Roman/Medieval city. Come and celebrate over 40 years of running in Chester!

2 races

  • Sun 17 May 2026
  • #1 of 2
Chester Racecourse, Chester > Chester Town Hall, Chester

Half Marathon

09:00

Age 17 & over

£38.40-£52

  • Sun 17 May 2026
  • #2 of 2
Chester Racecourse, Chester

Fun Run

09:20

All ages

£10

Event overview

Whatever your reason for running, you'll be supported all the way to achieve half marathon greatness.

Event video

Charity places

Please select your distance to find a charity and join their team.

Event details

  • Average fitness
  • Event village
  • Families
  • Fancy dress
  • Newcomers
  • Spectators
  • Traders at event

  • Bag storage
  • Entertainment
  • Music
  • Paid parking
  • Rural
  • Toilets
  • Urban

Event HQ

Chester Racecourse
Chester
Cheshire
CH1 2LY
UK

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 the 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. 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.

  • Public transport links

Green Runner option

Double your charity efforts and enter as a Green Runner.

If you enter as a Green Runner, you will not receive a finisher's medal, t-shirt and goody bag. Instead, the cost of these items will be donated to the official race charity. This will help reduce waste and support the local race charity.

Your race number will clearly show you are a Green Runner so you can collect your water at the finish.

Chester races are the best organised and have a fantastic atmosphere on race days. The marshals are all supportive and friendly. Best goodie bags, shirts and medal. Love all the high fives from the children on route. Look forward to next race πŸ˜ŠπŸƒβ€β™€οΈ Lyn I

Favourite place to race. Pre race communication is excellent and informative. Fantastic goodie bag, medal and tshirt. Great route with very suppotive marshals and plenty of water stations. The amosphere in Chester is incredible on racecday. Lyn I

A fab event with elements through historic Chester walls, some testing hills towards the finish and a wonderful finish by Chester Cathedral. Peter M

This was my first half marathon and it didn’t disappoint! A great route beginning and ending in the scenic city centre, with a couple of loops out in the green city outskirts in between, makes for a cracking race. Definitely one with PB potential too! Danny C

Brilliant course, fab detailed pre-race info, good quality t-shirt and a brilliant medal - I'll definitely be back! Danielle C

They cannot be faulted for their organisation of events. Quality t-shirt, quality medal and goodie bag. I’ve done several ESSAR marathon and half marathon events and I will always come back. Amy B

This Event brilliantly organised from the time you Enter to the time you crossed the finishing line. Chester has a great setup for Communicating with all entrants they even do several live webinars to give you all the help and information you need, this race put on by runners for runners. Maurice H

A great event as always. Welll organised, great supportive marshalling. Start and finish being close to each makes for easy event day logistics. Finish area runs smoothly. The local residents in Mollington and Saughall are fab, high fives from the kiddies, sweets, cheers, and water pistols and hosepipes galore on a hot sunny half. Lovely quality medal and the usual well stocked goody bag. T shirt nice too . I will be back. Val P

A great event with outstanding volunteers, marshals and wonderful crowd support throughout the course - great feeling running the last few hundred yards with a wall of noise from the crowd urging you on! Only improvement would be that there was a bit of a bottleneck getting in to the racecourse. Maria W

Amazing atmosphere and support. The marshals were so friendly and supportive. Helen H

Very well organised event! Support staff on the day were great. My 4th Chester race and I cannot fault any event! Ben W

Reviews thanks to RaceCheck