Soon after registering, you will receive an email from Sports Timing Solutions confirming your entry and welcoming you on board.
For all entries received by Friday 20th June runner numbers (including timing device) will be posted to your entry address by 4th July 2025. It is YOUR responsibility to update your address on the Sports Timing Solutions website prior to the above deadline. If you do not update your address, you will be charged £10 for a replacement pack.
For anyone entering after 20th June or living outside of the UK your runner number (including timing chip) can be collected from the Info Tent at the Event Village on the morning of the event. To ensure that you get to the start line on time, please aim to arrive at the event village at 8am.
To save you any stress on race day you can also collect your runner number from the Event Village the day before the race from midday until 4pm.
Apart from runner numbers, all race correspondence will be sent by email.
There are a limited number of hotels and other accommodation in Ilkley, so we advise booking early. You can check availability here.
A wider selection of accommodation is available in Leeds, which is a 30-minute train ride away, with the first train from Leeds arriving in Ilkley in time for the start of the race. You can see Leeds accommodation availability here.
Although you can’t put a price on that feeling you get when you’ve just completed a half marathon, we’ve compared our costs against a range of similarly-sized running events across the country and think we offer great value for money.
Race entry cost depends on when you enter the race:
– £33.00 – Early Bird Entry (Opening until 31st December – TBC)
– £36.00 – Regular Entry (Until 31st May – TBC)
– £40.00 – Late Entry (After 31st May)
These prices exclude £2 discount available at all times to member of a UK Athletics affiliated running club
Runners also have the opportunity to purchase an event T-Shirt in addition to their race fee.
Every single penny of our profit goes to charity. In 2024 this event raised and we gave away over £52,000 to worthy individuals and organisations.
Runners must be 17 years old (or older) on race day – 13th July 2025 (to comply with our race licence).
The deadline for transferring is 19th June 2025 and can be made through the website.
Deferrals are normally not permitted although in case of extenuating circumstances and in case you get in touch with us by 1st June 2025 then they will be considered and you will be offered a discount code for a future event.
Please note that anyone found to be running under another person’s name will be disqualified from the event and their details passed to UK Athletics.
As tempting as it is to run the route as part of your training, we don’t recommend having a go when there’s traffic. Wait for the day and enjoy it for the first time with the other runners.
At the event village we have plenty of urinals and toilets including several which will be for women only.
Along the route we also have toilet facilities in Addingham (mile 6), Beamsley (mile 9) and Nestfield (mile 11).
For 2025 race we endeavor to increase and improve our toilet provision.
Official race photographs help you capture memories of the day. These will be made available to you for free thanks to Mick Hall Photos and you will be able to access them via this website after the event. By taking part in this event you agree to Ilkley Half Marathon using your image in future marketing.
Your number must be worn on the front of your vest and not covered in any way. It must be visible at all times during the race. You MUST enter your information on the back of the bib including emergency contact information.
Your race number includes a timing device. No further action is required.
The route is a single half marathon clockwise loop on tarmac road through the incredibly scenic Wharfdale valley.
The course mildly undulating apart from a short, steep hill at around two miles and another one at about 11 miles. Total ascent and descent along the route is 221 meters.
The 2025 race will continue the improvements made in 2024 to relating to the start line and Ilkley Town Center loop.
The time limit for the Ilkley Half Marathon is 3.5 hours – that means a pace of ~16mins/mile or ~10mins/km which we hope is sufficient for most runners to complete the course.
This means the finish line will be closed at 2.00pm and roads around the course will reopen to traffic according to this pace.
As some of the route follows roads without adequate pavement provision, it would be unsafe to continue once the course is reopened to traffic.
If you think that you are likely to take longer than 3.5 hours then please get in touch with us at enquiries@ilkleyhalfmarathon.co.uk
The race starts at 10:30.
Please arrive from 8:00 to allow plenty of time to warm up and get into position before the race begins. In case you choose to drive to the race and/or need to visit the Info Tent to collect your Runner Number then please allow extra time to ensure that you and other runners can start the race on time.
The Ilkley Half Marathon starts and finishes at West Holmes Fields, Middleton Avenue, Ilkley, LS29 0AD. The Event Village can also be found at this address.
Yes, parking will be available from 7am on race day, however, we recommend using public transport. The start time of the race has been designed to allow runners to arrive in Ilkley on the first train of the day, and be in time for the start.
Once again, there will be 2 race car parks available, one at East Holmes field and another at Ilkley Tennis Club, as shown on the map below. Parking will be charged at £5 per vehicle, all of which will go directly to the charity.
If you plan to drive to the event then please allow extra time to ensure that you can walk to Event Village and on to the start line in plenty of time ahead of the start time at 10:30.
Please note that the organisers cannot accept responsibility for any loss or damage to your property.
Yes, you can wear headphones for almost all of the race, but there are two sections where they are not allowed. Anyone seen wearing earphones in these sections may be disqualified from the race. The map below shows you where headphones are not allowed.
One exception to this rule allowed by UK Athletics is that runner are permitted to run with SHOKZ OpenRun Wireless Bone Conduction Headphones.
Spectators are welcome to watch at any point around the course, providing it is safe to do so.
Ilkley town centre offers a great place to see the runners passing by several time thanks to the new Ilkley Town Center loop.
There are several cafes in Ben Rhydding, where your support will be welcomed, helping runners up the steepest part of the course!
The public houses of Addingham are on the race route and will likely be open for refreshments.
There will be live music payling around the course including in Ilkley, Addingham and Ben Rhydding.
Wherever you do watch those participating please take into consideration local residents and make sure you give all the runners a clap or cheer as they pass, it makes a massive difference.
Runners are not permitted to run with dogs, apart from registered assistance dogs. If you would like to run with an assistance dog please email us on enquiries@ilkleyhalfmarathon.co.uk to let us know.
Although the organisers accept no responsibility for any injury, a full medical team will be in attendance.
If you need assistance just contact a marshal and they will arrange for help.
There are four water points on the Ilkley Half Marathon route, plus more water available at the race finish.
The locations are shown on the route map below:
Yes! There are trophies and prizes for 1st, 2nd & 3rd male and female finishers. There are also prizes for all age group winners. Prize fund will be confirmed in due course. In 2024 1st prize was £200 cash. Age group winners received Yorkshire Runner vouchers.
Yes! In 2023 we awarded the Jim Read Memorial Trophy for the first time. the Trophy is presented to the club with the 4 highest ranked finishers.
Jim was only 52 when he collapsed on Middleton Moor and sadly passed away on October 9th 2021. It was a special moment when Jim’s family presented this award to the Ilkley Harriers in 2023.
The Ilkley Half Marathon will be using electronic chips to provide accurate timing. Times will be sent to runners via SMS shortly after crossing the finish line and print outs will be available in the event village.
The full results will be published on our website soon after the finish on race day and by our timing partners.
Under UK Athletics rules, the positions are established solely on ‘gun time’. This is the time from the start gun to crossing the finish line. We also publish chip time. This is the time from you crossing the start line to crossing the finish line, and accurately reflect the time it has taken you to complete the course.
Our event village will keep friends and family entertained whilst you race. Featuring a fantastic kids zone with inflatables, assault course, climbing wall and bungee trampolines. Furthermore our event village conatins an extensive range of Street food, barista coffee, bar with alcholoic beverages, retailers and live music.
Entry to our event village is free. The kids zone operates on a wrist band system with unlimited use of the kids zone all day for the one off purchase price. Wristbands are subject to change but will likely be £10 per child.
Exact times are subject to change but we aim to have barista coffee and breakfast vendors open by 9am, kids zone open by 10am, street food and bar open by 12pm, live music will commence around 12pm also. The whole event village will be operational until everything closes at 4pm.
Each year Ilkley & District Round Table (the race organiser) identifies worthy individuals, causes and charities that will benefit from its fundraising events.
The Ilkley Half Marathon is organised by the Ilkley & District Round Table. Find out more here.
Following our 2022 event, in March 2023 and similar as in previous years, Ilkley Round Table purchased and helped the National Trust to plant 1,200 trees up at Greenfield. It’s a small area of land that runs adjacent to Beckermonds Beck that turns into the River Wharfe less than a mile away – near to Buckden. We’re planning something similar following IHM23 and IHM’24 in autumn 2024.
Lots of the decisions we take in organizing the Ilkley Half Marathon are made to minimise our environmental footprint. For example:
We offer wooden medals which are less energy intensive to manufacture than metal medals. Our past finishers also tell us that they look great.
We don’t have a finish line goodie bag filled with leaflets. We use social media and email to let you know about our great Event Partners.
We continue to use plastic bottles along the course. This may seem controversial but we have sought professional advice and the fact that we can ensure that the plastic is 100% recycled means less impact to the environment than the alternatives available.
We encourage runners to use public transport to attend the race. It is for this reason that we make a charge for car parking and that we start the event at 10.30.
Join the challenge and celebrate your accomplishment at the finish line