Flat grade share
- Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
- 99.7% Favoured
Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon vs Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
A data-led head-to-head using sourced race facts and available derived figures under one published methodology.
Data current as ofBath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon or Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon — which comes out ahead?
Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon has the stronger available profile on course flatness, value score and entry fee.
Route comparison snapshot
Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
- Mapped route
- Held
- Elevation profile
- Held
- course flatness
- 0.0%
- flat grade share
- 99.7% Favoured
- lower ascent
- 33 m
- climbing density
- 1.6 m/km
- net elevation
- 1 m
- maximum grade
- 2.4%
Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
- Mapped route
- Held
- Elevation profile
- Held
- course flatness
- 0.0% Favoured
- flat grade share
- 93.6%
- lower ascent
- 70 m
- climbing density
- 3.3 m/km
- net elevation
- -5 m
- maximum grade
- 4.4%
| Metric | Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon | Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon |
|---|---|---|
| Flat grade share | 99.7% ✓ | 93.6% |
| GAP factor (% slower than flat) | 0.0% | 0.0% ✓ |
| Uphill share | 0.2% | 3.3% |
| Steep-up share | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Downhill share | 0.1% | 3.1% |
| Total ascent (m) | 33 m | 70 m |
| Climbing density (m/km) | 1.6 m/km | 3.3 m/km |
| Longest climb length (m) | 1,750 m | 1,480 m |
| Longest climb gain (m) | 13 m | 15 m |
| Longest climb average grade | 0.7% | 1.0% |
| Total descent (m) | 33 m | 75 m |
| Net elevation (m) | 1 m | -5 m |
| Max absolute grade | 2.4% | 4.4% |
| Start elevation (m) | 19 m | 74 m |
| Finish elevation (m) | 19 m | 69 m |
| Value | 82/100 | 83/100 ✓ |
| Scenic score | 83/100 ✓ | 50/100 |
| Conditions | 81/100 ✓ | 71/100 |
| Entry fee (GBP) | £46 | £38 ✓ |
| Lowest modelled true cost (GBP) | £176 | £168 ✓ |
GAP factor (% slower than flat)
- Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
- 0.0% Favoured
Uphill share
Steep-up share
Downhill share
Total ascent (m)
Climbing density (m/km)
Longest climb length (m)
Longest climb gain (m)
Longest climb average grade
Total descent (m)
Net elevation (m)
Max absolute grade
Start elevation (m)
Finish elevation (m)
Value
- Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
- 83/100 Favoured
Scenic score
- Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
- 83/100 Favoured
Conditions
- Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
- 81/100 Favoured
Entry fee (GBP)
- Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
- £38 Favoured
Lowest modelled true cost (GBP)
- Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
- £168 Favoured
Only metrics available for at least one side are shown. A ✓ marks the better value for each metric (higher-is-better aware). Scores are out of 100 when available. Ascent, climbing density, max absolute grade and median finish describe course or field context and are not marked as better or worse.
Race facts that change the decision
| Fact | Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon | Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon |
|---|---|---|
| Schedule | Exact race date not confirmed. Event weekend starts 2026-10-11 (legacy event-level date). | Exact race date not confirmed. Event weekend starts 2026-06-14 (legacy event-level date). |
| Location | Bath, South West | Cheltenham, South West |
| Actual distance | 21.1 km | 21.1 km |
| raceindex.org mapped route held | Held | Held |
| raceindex.org elevation profile held | Held | Held |
| Course type | Out And Back | Laps |
| Surface | Essentially 100% tarmac, aside from a small amount of grass at the start and finish | Mostly tarmac with some sections of gravel and soft surface; a mixture of multi Terrain and concrete paths |
| Elevation character | Unavailable | Flat |
| Terrain | Trail | Road, Mixed |
| Scenery | Historic, Riverside, Countryside, City, Parkland | Parkland, Countryside, Historic |
| Atmosphere | Scenic Tour | Festival, Community |
| Technicality | Unavailable | Non Technical |
| Total ascent | 33 m | 70 m |
| Climbing density | 1.6 m/km | 3.3 m/km |
| Total descent | 33 m | 75 m |
| Net elevation | 1 m | -5 m |
| Max absolute grade | 2.4% | 4.4% |
| Flat grade share | 99.7% | 93.6% |
| GAP factor | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Entry model | Open | Open |
| Entry fee | £46 | £38 |
| Lowest modelled true cost | £176 | £168 |
| Cost model origin | National Average | National Average |
| Measured course | Yes | Unavailable |
Schedule
- Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
Exact race date not confirmed. Event weekend starts 2026-10-11 (legacy event-level date).
- Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
Exact race date not confirmed. Event weekend starts 2026-06-14 (legacy event-level date).
Location
- Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
- Bath, South West
- Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
- Cheltenham, South West
Actual distance
- Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
- 21.1 km
- Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
- 21.1 km
raceindex.org mapped route held
- Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
- Held
- Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
- Held
raceindex.org elevation profile held
- Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
- Held
- Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
- Held
Course type
- Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
- Out And Back
- Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
- Laps
Surface
- Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
- Essentially 100% tarmac, aside from a small amount of grass at the start and finish
- Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
- Mostly tarmac with some sections of gravel and soft surface; a mixture of multi Terrain and concrete paths
Elevation character
- Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
- Unavailable
- Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
- Flat
Terrain
- Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
- Trail
- Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
- Road, Mixed
Scenery
- Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
- Historic, Riverside, Countryside, City, Parkland
- Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
- Parkland, Countryside, Historic
Atmosphere
- Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
- Scenic Tour
- Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
- Festival, Community
Technicality
- Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
- Unavailable
- Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
- Non Technical
Total ascent
- Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
- 33 m
- Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
- 70 m
Climbing density
- Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
- 1.6 m/km
- Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
- 3.3 m/km
Total descent
- Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
- 33 m
- Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
- 75 m
Net elevation
- Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
- 1 m
- Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
- -5 m
Max absolute grade
- Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
- 2.4%
- Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
- 4.4%
Flat grade share
- Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
- 99.7%
- Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
- 93.6%
GAP factor
- Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
- 0.0%
- Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
- 0.0%
Entry model
- Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
- Open
- Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
- Open
Entry fee
- Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
- £46
- Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
- £38
Lowest modelled true cost
- Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
- £176
- Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
- £168
Cost model origin
- Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
- National Average
- Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
- National Average
Measured course
- Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
- Yes
- Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
- Unavailable
Facts are shown only when they exist in the sourced race record; Not held means no sourced value is held for that race.
Common questions
Which is flatter, Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon or Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon?
Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon has the lower GAP factor, making it the flatter course on our route model and more favourable on gradient alone.