Our guide to the TTP Cambridge Half Marathon 2022 including the course, timings, travel, road closures and things to remember
Up to 14,000 runners will take their place on the start line in Midsummer Common on the morning of Sunday March 6 as the TTP Cambridge Half Marathon 2022 gets under way.
Organised by OSB Events, the event is now in its 11th year, and we’ve got a complete guide here for runners and spectators alike.
Now one of the most popular mass participation events in the country, places at the 2022 run sold out.
Event director Adam Moffat said: “A lot of work has gone into making this event happen and we’d like to thank all of our partners, volunteers and runners for their outstanding support.”
Look out for extensive picture galleries after the race, and for our souvenir picture special inside the Cambridge Independent, out from Wednesday, March 9.
Where is event HQ?
The headquarters for the event is at Midsummer Common, off Victoria Avenue (CB4 1EH), where you’ll find the stage, inquiries area, bag storage, toilets, first aid, bike storage, water tanks for bottle refills and coffee and cake vendors. No other food vendors will be on site this year.
When does it start?
Runners will head off from Victoria Avenue in eight waves at five-minute intervals from 9.30am until 10.05am on Sunday, March 6, 2022, with their bib colour and letter determining the order, which is based on predicted finish times.
There are four coloured start gates and runners need to use the one matching the colour of their race number.
The course
Starting and finishing on Victoria Avenue, beside the Midsummer Common event HQ, the flat 13.1-mile course takes in many beautiful sights, including heading through King’s College, out to Grantchester and past Jesus College.
It is the same course used in 2021.
Interactive course guide
Travel information - getting to the event
Runners need to arrive an hour before their start times.
Walking and cycling
The organisers encourage as many people as possible to walk or cycle to the event, or to use public transport. There will be a free bike park, which will close at 1pm.
Parking
If you are driving, be aware that you will not be able to access Grafton West car park without pre-purchased parking, which has now sold out. There is no parking at the event HQ.
Park & Ride
The Park & Ride sites will open at 7am and the organisers are urging runners not to leave it
until the last minute as they cannot delay the start.
Face coverings on the event Park & Ride buses are mandatory.
If you bought your Park & Ride tickets before January 30, you should have received them in your race park. Other tickets sold by February 15 were posted. Otherwise, you’ll need to pay £8 on the day, while space lasts.
The final special event Park & Ride buses heading to the site will leave Longstanton and St Ives sites at approximately 8am, while those leaving Milton, Trumpington, Newmarket Road and Madingley sites will leave at approximately 8.30am.
Road closures
Full diversion signage will be in place around the city centre and on the inner/outer ring roads.
The following shows the road closures in place, which directions they run in and the times they will be in place:
- Barton Road - West - 06:00-13:00
- Bene’t Street - Both - 04:00-17:00
- Bridge Street - Both - 04:00-17:00
- Chesterton Road (between Mitcham’s Corner & Elizabeth Way) - Both - 08:00-11:30
- Chesterton Road (between Mitcham’s Corner & Northampton Street) - West - 08:00-11:30 Church Lane (Trumpington) - Both - 08:00-13:00
- Coton Road - Both - 08:00-13:00
- Elizabeth Way (Bridge) - North - 08:00-11:30
- Elizabeth Way (Section from Chesterton Road Roundabout-Milton Road) - North - 08:00-11:30
- Elizabeth Way Bus Lane - North - 04:00-13:00
- Garret Hostel Lane (Bridge) - Both - 04:00-11:30
- Grantchester Road, High Street & Mill Way, Grantchester - Both - 08:00-13:00
- Guildhall Street - Both - 04:00-17:00
- Jesus Lane (Manor Street – Four Lamps roundabout) - Both - 08:00-14:00
- King’s Parade - Both - 04:00-17:00
- Lower Park Street (short section by Jesus Green / college entrance) - Both - 06:00-14:00
- Maids Causeway / Newmarket Road (to the Elizabeth Way roundabout) - Both - 08:00-11:30
- Milton Road / A1134 Roundabout - Mitcham’s Corner West - 08:00-11:30
- Newnham Road - South - 06:00-13:00
- Northampton Street - West - 08:00-11:30
- Park Parade - Both - 06:00-14:00
- Peas Hill* - Both - 16:00*-17:00
- Petty Cury - Both - 04:00-17:00
- Queen's Road - South - 06:00-12:30
- Richmond Terrace - Both - 06:00-14:00
- Senate House Hill - Both - 04:00-17:00
- Sidney Street - Both - 04:00-17:00
- Silver Street - Both - 06:00-14:00
- The Fen Causeway - Both - 06:00-14:00
- Thompsons Lane - Both - 08:00-14:00
- Trinity Lane - Both - 04:00-11:30
- Trinity Street - Both - 04:00-17:00
- Trumpington Road - South - 08:00-14:00
- Trumpington Street - Both - 06:00-14:00
- Victoria Avenue - Both - 04:00-17:00
- Wheeler Street - Both - 04:00-17:00
* Closure starts the day before the event
Buses
All bus services will continue to run on the day of the event. However, the stops on Trumpington Street and Downing Street will be suspended, with an alternative stop in place on Emmanuel Street.
Pavements
With the exception of small sections on Victoria Avenue and Jesus Lane, all pavements will remain open, although the Garret Hostel Bridge will be out of use to pedestrians and cyclists in both directions.
The runners will also be crossing the pavement on King’s Parade to access King’s College and Guildhall Street as they turn onto Petty Cury and then onto Sidney Street.
The charities
The Cambridge Half Marathon will raise thousands of pounds for charity.
The headline charity is Alzheimer’s Research UK, which is helping to speed up progress made in fighting dementia, and investing in research to make life-changing breakthroughs possible.
The national charity partners are Cancer Research UK, Macmillan Cancer Support and Charlie Waller, while the local charities partners are Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre, Power 2 Inspire, Mind CPSL, while there are also a host of Gold Bond charity partners.
Many runners will run for good causes close to their hearts.
Mr Ovary – AKA Craig McMurrough – will run the Cambridge Half for the fourth time to raise money for ovarian cancer charity Ovacome, and this time his neighbour Sarah Temple Fritchley will join him.
Dressed as 6ft foam models of the female reproductive organ, their run – during Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month – will remember the life of Craig’s younger sister Cheryl, who died of the disease six years ago, just weeks after being diagnosed leaving behind a young family.
Craig has raised more than £40,000 towards his £100,000 target, having completed 19 marathons and a Mount Kilimanjaro climb.
Support the two at www.ovacome.org.uk/fundraisers/craig-and-sarahs-10k-winter-run.
Meanwhile, another group will be running in aid of Cambridge Sustainable Food.
What should I bring?
OSB Events says runners should bring:
- Race number with timing chip attached
- Four safety pins or a number band to ensure your race number is visible at all times
- Park & Ride token if using this service
- Bag Tag if using this service
- Appropriate clothing to stay warm/dry before and after the race
- Face covering if using Park & Ride buses
The warm-ups
Race announcements will begin on stage from 8.30am. Three warms will begin from 8.55am.
Toilets
There will be a large number of toilets and urinals on Midsummer Common and a small number in each start gate. You will also pass toilets at the four drink stations and the entrance to Grantchester. Permanent toilet blocks in Jesus Green, Midsummer Common and on Chesterton Road will also be available on the morning of the event.
Don’t forget
- Attach your bag tag before you put it into secure storage.
- Your race number must be worn on your front during the event - remember your own safety pins or number board.
- Next of kin and contact details should be written on the back of your race number using a waterproof pen.
- You’re not allowed to wear headphones/earphones.
- Enjoy it!
What is the time to beat?
First home in the 2021 run was Jonathan Escalante-Phillips, of Cambridge and Coleridge Athletics Club, in a lightning quick 1:06:12. Jonathan, in the 25-29 age category, averaged a pace of 3:08 minutes per kilometre and achieved a speed of 19.12km/h for the run.
Good luck beating that...
What if I am slow?
You have up to 3 hours and 30 minutes to complete the race from your start time, with the whole event cut off at 1.45pm.
There are two on-course cut-off times that runners need to hit, or they will be asked to get into the event minibus, which will take them back to Midsummer Common.
These cut-offs are at the 9.5-mile point on Trumpington Road, which must be hit by 1pm and at 11.5 miles, at the Silver Street junction, which must be reached by 1.30pm.
The 2023 TTP Cambridge Half Marathon
Registration for the 2023 TTP Cambridge Half Marathon will be announced later this year.
But you can pre-register for updates here at cambridgehalfmarathon.com/mailing-list/
Read more
Cambridge Half Marathon 2022: Runners to raise money for Cambridge Sustainable Food’s work
See our photo galleries from the events back to 2017
45 pictures and top 50 runners from 2019 Saucony Cambridge Half Marathon
101 pictures from Cambridge Half Marathon 2017
Gallery: 2019 Newton Town and Gown 10k
40 pictures from the Cambridge Town and Gown 10k 2018
