Our guide to the TTP Cambridge Half Marathon 2024 including the course, timings, travel and road closures
Up to 16,500 runners will take their place on the start line in Midsummer Common as the TTP Cambridge Half Marathon 2024 gets under way on Sunday (3 March).
Organised by OSB Events, this year’s edition features a new route with runners accessing the grounds of St John’s College and Trinity College, as well as King’s College and Jesus College.
The additions to the 13.1 mile-long route also mean runners will pass the Bridge of Sighs and the Wren Library.
The course will retain its renowned path through the city centre. There are 60 charities set to benefit from this year’s event, and more than £800,000 is expected to be raised.
Now one of the most popular mass participation events in the country, places at the 2024 run sold out in just three weeks.
Iain Hamilton, race director, said: “Our new route will offer runners the chance to explore the historic streets of Cambridge. We continue to believe that sustainability and environmental responsibility are crucial values.”
Where is event HQ?
The HQ for the event will be on Midsummer Common, Victoria Avenue. This is where the stage, enquiries area, merchandise, charity and sponsor expo, bag storage, toilets, first aid and coffee vendors will be located.
When does the event start?
Runners will head off from Victoria Avenue in 12 waves at four-minute intervals from 9.30am until 10.14am on Sunday, 3 March, 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.
Runners need to arrive an hour before their start times.
The course
This year’s edition features a new route with runners accessing the grounds of St John’s College and Trinity College, as well as King’s College and Jesus College.
The additions to the 13.1 mile-long route also mean runners will pass the Bridge of Sighs and the Wren Library.
Travel information - getting to the event
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, all of the city centre pay and display car parks are available to use on a first come, first serve basis. There is no pre-bookable parking available for the 2024 event.
Park & Ride
The city’s Park & Ride sites will open at 7am. If you bought your Park & Ride tickets before 25 January, you should have received them in your race park. Other tickets sold by 22 February were posted. Otherwise, you’ll need to pay £10 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
Residents and visitors are warned that there will be many road closures around the route for some or all of the morning, and others extending into the afternoon as late as 5pm.
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
Market Hill (between Petty Cury junction to Market Street) - Both - 04:00 17:00
Market Street (between Market Hill junction to Sidney Street) - Both - 04:00 17:00
Milton Road (Gilbert Rd to Highworth Ave / A1134 roundabout) - East - 08:00 11:30
Milton Road (Highworth Ave / A1134 roundabout to 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
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
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.
Garret Hostel Bridge will be out of use to pedestrians and cyclists, in both directions, for the duration of the event.
The runners will also be crossing the pavement on Queen’s Road to access St John’s College, King’s Parade and Queen’s Road to access/exit from King’s College and Guildhall Street as they head straight onto Market Hill.
Food and drink
Runners are also reminded that there are no food vendors on site this year, although there will be coffee and cakes available.
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, Kidney Care UK, Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust and Charlie Waller, while the local charities partners are Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre, Mind CPSL, Something To Look Forward To, while there are also a host of Gold Bond charity partners.
Many runners will run for good causes close to their hearts.
Among those taking part this year are a team of 30 people raising funds for Jimmy’s, including a member of staff, a trustee, volunteers, corporate partnership teams and fundraisers. The group is hoping to raise £12,000.
Of the 30 runners, the charity has corporate teams from Open Arch, ZS and Murphy.
Over the last few months, they have been out on monthly training runs, with many of their runners taking part in a half marathon for the first time.
Edward Groenhart, of West Wratting, will be running for Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT) to help raise the funds for the new Cambridge Children’s Hospital.
He wanted to raise funds for ACT after his youngest son, Austin, who was born 15 weeks early, spent 10 months in hospital at Addenbrooke’s and The Rosie where he underwent two life-saving surgeries for necrotising enterocolitis. To support Edward, visit bit.ly/4c4KCvJ.
Also taking part is Taiyeb Hasan, from Metro Bank’s Cambridge store, who will be raising money for Tom’s Trust, which provides mental health support to children with brain tumours and their families.
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
- Refillable water bottle
The warm-ups
Race announcements will begin on stage from 8.30am. There will be three warm-ups which will begin from 8.55am.
Toilets
There will be a large number of toilets and urinals on Midsummer Common. 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 likewise your bike frame label must be attached to your bike before you check it in.
- 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 2023 run was Nick Bowker, in the 35-39 age category, of Clapham Chasers, in a speedy 1:05:11. The first female runner back was Verity Hopkins, in the age 25-29, of Tonbridge Athletics Club, in 1:13:53.
