The next Chester Marathon and Metric Marathon are on Sunday 6th October 2024
The marathon 26.2 miles race starts at 9am
The metric marathon 26.2km (approx 16.3 miles) starts at 10:10am

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 no longer wish to take part in the event, you can transfer your race place to someone else at no extra cost, any time before the event closing date, by using the official transfer process outlined in your entry confirmation email or by logging into your Nifty account and choosing transfer my entry. Race places are not transferable between events or years.

You will be able to cancel your entry and receive a full refund (including any added extras at the time of registration), within 14 days of your purchase. As stated in our Terms and Conditions of entry, we will deduct a £5.00 administration fee from all refunds.

Notice of withdrawal from the event must be communicated by emailing info@activeleisureevents.co.uk stating clearly the desire to withdraw and putting the word WITHDRAWAL in the subject line of the email. Withdrawals will not be accepted by telephone or post. 

Refunds will not be issued under any circumstances after 14 days of purchase, if you enter a race within four weeks of race day or if the race sells out of general entries within 14 days of your entry. Participants can withdraw at any point prior to the race with no refund.

If you have entered the race using a transfer from another runner, we are unable to offer you the 14 day refund period, as you have not made a payment to us.

If you have purchased Refund Protect through Nifty when you completed your registration, and have any queries in relation to this, you will need to liaise directly with Refund Protect. This service is purchased through but is not administered by Active Leisure Events Ltd.

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 to raise over £1m a year for local and national charities. Our official race charity for 2024 is the West Cheshire Foodbank.

Running is a very strenuous activity, and running if you are ill could seriously threaten your health. If you have been ill in the run up to the race you should seriously considering withdrawing from the race.

Under UK Athletics rules, on any road which is not wholly closed to traffic only "open ear" bone conduction headphones are permitted.

This means that in-ear headphones can't be used in the Chester Marathon and Metric Marathon.

For the Chester Half Marathon and the Chester 10K, in-ear headphones can be used. Please leave one out so you can hear the sounds around you, including warnings from marshals or blue light vehicles on the course. Therefore we recommend "open ear" bone conduction headphones for enjoyment and safety. 

No, it is not possible to run with a buggy, or with a dog. This is against UK Athletics rules and you will be withdrawn from the course and disqualified.

The races are run under UK Athletics rules. Please ensure that you are familiar with the road running rules. The rule book is quite long, but the road running section is short.

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 Marathon pace runners at the target times of 3:00 and every 15 minutes up to 5:00 hours (chip time). You can view our pacer crew here.

Yes there will be a baggage storage at the event, you will be given a baggage label with your race number. 

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

Chester Racecourse car park will not be open for runners to use.

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 car parks and the fees charged can be found here.

Our official race photographers will be on the course and at the finish - see more details here.

We want disabled athletes to have a safe and enjoyable race. If you have a disability please contact Jess. 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. There are some cobbles, speed bumps and hills.

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 Jess.

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.

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

Current prices can be found on the entry pages for the Marathon and Metric Marathon

For those with a non-UK address your pack will be available for collection on race day at the help desk. 

For UK runners we will post out entries that are completed in time. Late entries will be able to collect their race numbers from Help Desk during race week.

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 13.4 miles) - Runners arriving here after 12:15 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.
• 21 miles (exiting the village of Aldford) - Runners arriving here after 14:00 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.

 Times for runners who finish over the cut off will not be listed on the final results.

Our race charity is the West Cheshire Foodbank. You can run for any charity of your choosing.  Why not use GoFundMe as your fundraising platform, you can start your fundraising here.

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. The route is on fully closed roads.

The drinks stations will be 2.5 to 3 miles apart and can be seen on our route maps. There will be water in 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 mile markers, every mile on the marathon and kilometre markers every 5k on the metric marathon.

There is a sweep bus that follows the race behind the last runner.

You can wait in one of the refuge centres (in Churton or Aldford) where you can have a cup of tea while waiting to be picked up. Alternatively, you can stop at the side of the road, or a drinks station, and wait for the sweep bus at the rear of the race.

Let a marshal know that you are pulling out.

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

Draft results will be posted online during 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.

Hard standing parking is available in the disabled bays within the hotel car park; access this via the main racecourse car parking entrance. 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 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.

The finish is on Castle Drive, just over half a mile from the start. 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.

There is a disabled toilet near the finish in the Little Roodee cafe.

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.