Inverness Half Marathon

The route starts alongside the banks of the River Ness near the centre of Inverness and takes in many of the city’s icons. A warm Highland welcome awaits all runners as they approach the finish line on entering Queen’s Park Stadium at Inverness Sports Centre – achieved by a record 3400 runners in 2022.

Your entry fee includes ½ Marathon: your entry fee includes finisher’s medal, finisher’s technical t-shirt, event giveaway, electronic timing, downloadable finisher’s certificate (from marathon photos live) and water stations along the course and at the finish.

It is anticipated the area around Inverness Sports Centre will be very busy on the morning of the event and traffic flow will be slow. We encourage you to allow plenty of time, park a distance away and walk to the Sports Centre or consider car sharing or walking/cycling where possible.

· Limited parking will be available at the Inverness Sports Centre and Highland Council car parks (parking charges apply).

Inverness is well served with rail links (Scotrail/LNER) and coach/bus services (Citylink, Megabus, Stagecoach). There are daily direct flights into Inverness from London Gatwick, Luton, Bristol (Easyjet), Belfast, Manchester (Loganair) and Amsterdam (KLM).

When will I receive my race pack or race number?
Race numbers are allocated after the entry closing date, and will be posted on our website. You will receive an email advising you of this.

Half marathon runners are not required to attend pre-race registration as race packs (including race number with timing chip and baggage label) will be sent in late February/March.

5K runners should attend registration on Sunday 10.30-12.00 at Inverness Sports Centre to collect their race number

How many drink stations are there on the course?
There are 4 water stations on the course located at 3, 6, 9 and 11.5 miles and water will also be available at the finish line.

We are committed to reducing the carbon footprint of the event wherever possible and our aim is to reduce the amount of single use plastic as well as minimise the amount of water that is wasted. All four water stations on the course will use paper cups instead of water bottles.

Is there a cut-off time?
The Inverness Half Marathon is a running event and we welcome all runners to take part. Our aim is to support every runner, whatever their pace, from start to finish and provide the best possible experience.

The half marathon starts at 12.30 and the race cut-off time is 3hr 30min at 16.00. In the interests of safety and to minimise the disruption to the local community and residents, the course starts to re-open after 2hr 30min at 15.00. If you think that you will take longer than 2hr 30min, we ask you to use the pavement. Participants still on the course after the cut-off time continue at their own risk.

Are there toilets on the course?
Yes, there are portable toilets located at the start line and on the course at 3 and 9 miles. There are also toilets available at the Inverness Sports Centre.

Can I run wearing headphones?
In accordance with Scottish Athletics rules and for health and safety reasons you cannot participate in any of our races whilst listening to any personal music that will restrict your ability to hear the sounds around you on the day.

We do allow the use of earphones that use bone conduction technology, which allow the wearer to listen to music while still being aware of their surroundings.

Can wheelchair users enter the Half Marathon?
We’re sorry but we do not have a wheelchair race within our Half Marathon due to safety and logistical reasons, however it is possible to enter the Inverness 5K as a wheelchair entrant.

Are buggies and pushchairs allowed?
For safety reasons, we do not allow runners to take buggies onto any sections of the Half Marathon route. Buggies are allowed in the 5K.

How old must I be to compete?
The Inverness 5K is open to all ages. All children aged 8 and under must be accompanied by an adult who should also enter the 5K.

The Inverness Half Marathon is open to runners aged 17 and over on the day of the race.