Chester Half Marathon charity places for 2026

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.

Overview

The Chester Half Marathon offers one of the flattest routes in many years, with a spectacular city centre finish. You will run past some of Chester's historic landmarks at the very start of the race too.

The route starts at Chester Racecourse, heading up Watergate Street, through the Walls and the historic centre of Chester. Runners will leave the city through the Garden Quarter before heading out into the countryside on Parkgate Road.

Just after Little Mollington Hall you turn onto the roman road into the picturesque villages of Mollington and Lea by Backford. The route then continues up Parkgate Road and turns left to loop round part of Saughall village. Returning on Parkgate Road, you run in to the finish via the Garden Quarter.

The finish in the City Centre outside the Town Hall and Cathedral provides an inspiring setting with cheering crowds of welcoming spectators.

Map

Green Runner option

Why not 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.

Before race day

• Access to training plans to support your running journey
• Fundraising support from your chosen charity
• Charity running vest or technical t-shirt
• Support and advice, including free webinars and training runs to keep you motivated
• Your personalised race pack including your race number and timing chip sent to you in the post (runners from outside the UK need to collect their race numbers from the Help Desk on race weekend)
• Exclusive offers and competitions from sponsors right from the moment you sign up
• Access to the event and charity's friendly and supportive social community on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, who are happy to answer any of your running queries (if available)

On race day

You'll experience all the fitness and mental health benefits associated with running, plus you'll get:

• A quality technical T-shirt, bespoke medal and a goody bag packed with post-race nutrition when you finish, OR, the option to become a Green Runner and instead of receiving your medal, T-shirt and goody bag, the cost of these will go to the official race charity
• A fantastic atmosphere as the England Athletics Age Group Masters Championships is hosted
• Prizes awarded for the top three men and women and the winners of each age group
• Access to runners Help Desk for any last-minute queries or transfers
• A safe running environment 
• On course hydration and nutrition for refuelling 
• Lots of medical support throughout the course should you need assistance
• Plenty of cheers from the crowd and from some charity teams
• Access to the tracking website so all your supporters can track your live progress

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 😊🏃‍♀️ 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