Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon or Bath & Bristol Railway Races 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

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%

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%
Head-to-head comparison
MetricCheltenham Running Festival Half MarathonBath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
Flat grade share93.6%99.7%
GAP factor (% slower than flat)0.0%0.0%
Uphill share3.3%0.2%
Steep-up share0.0%0.0%
Downhill share3.1%0.1%
Total ascent (m)70 m33 m
Climbing density (m/km)3.3 m/km1.6 m/km
Longest climb length (m)1,480 m1,750 m
Longest climb gain (m)15 m13 m
Longest climb average grade1.0%0.7%
Total descent (m)75 m33 m
Net elevation (m)-5 m1 m
Max absolute grade4.4%2.4%
Start elevation (m)74 m19 m
Finish elevation (m)69 m19 m
Value83/10082/100
Scenic score50/10083/100
Conditions71/10081/100
Entry fee (GBP)£38£46
Lowest modelled true cost (GBP)£168£176

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

Race facts comparison
FactCheltenham Running Festival Half MarathonBath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
Schedule

Exact race date not confirmed. Event weekend starts 2026-06-14 (legacy event-level date).

Exact race date not confirmed. Event weekend starts 2026-10-11 (legacy event-level date).

LocationCheltenham, South WestBath, South West
Actual distance21.1 km21.1 km
raceindex.org mapped route heldHeldHeld
raceindex.org elevation profile heldHeldHeld
Course typeLapsOut And Back
SurfaceMostly tarmac with some sections of gravel and soft surface; a mixture of multi Terrain and concrete pathsEssentially 100% tarmac, aside from a small amount of grass at the start and finish
Elevation characterFlatUnavailable
TerrainRoad, MixedTrail
SceneryParkland, Countryside, HistoricHistoric, Riverside, Countryside, City, Parkland
AtmosphereFestival, CommunityScenic Tour
TechnicalityNon TechnicalUnavailable
Total ascent70 m33 m
Climbing density3.3 m/km1.6 m/km
Total descent75 m33 m
Net elevation-5 m1 m
Max absolute grade4.4%2.4%
Flat grade share93.6%99.7%
GAP factor0.0%0.0%
Entry modelOpenOpen
Entry fee£38£46
Lowest modelled true cost£168£176
Cost model originNational AverageNational Average
Measured courseUnavailableYes

Schedule

Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon

Exact race date not confirmed. Event weekend starts 2026-06-14 (legacy event-level date).

Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon

Exact race date not confirmed. Event weekend starts 2026-10-11 (legacy event-level date).

Location

Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
Cheltenham, South West
Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
Bath, South West

Actual distance

Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
21.1 km
Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
21.1 km

raceindex.org mapped route held

Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
Held
Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
Held

raceindex.org elevation profile held

Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
Held
Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
Held

Course type

Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
Laps
Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
Out And Back

Surface

Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
Mostly tarmac with some sections of gravel and soft surface; a mixture of multi Terrain and concrete paths
Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
Essentially 100% tarmac, aside from a small amount of grass at the start and finish

Elevation character

Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
Flat
Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
Unavailable

Terrain

Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
Road, Mixed
Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
Trail

Scenery

Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
Parkland, Countryside, Historic
Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
Historic, Riverside, Countryside, City, Parkland

Atmosphere

Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
Festival, Community
Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
Scenic Tour

Technicality

Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
Non Technical
Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
Unavailable

Total ascent

Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
70 m
Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
33 m

Climbing density

Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
3.3 m/km
Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
1.6 m/km

Total descent

Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
75 m
Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
33 m

Net elevation

Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
-5 m
Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
1 m

Max absolute grade

Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
4.4%
Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
2.4%

Flat grade share

Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
93.6%
Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
99.7%

GAP factor

Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
0.0%
Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
0.0%

Entry model

Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
Open
Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
Open

Entry fee

Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
£38
Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
£46

Lowest modelled true cost

Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
£168
Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
£176

Cost model origin

Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
National Average
Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
National Average

Measured course

Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon
Unavailable
Bath & Bristol Railway Races Half Marathon
Yes

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, Cheltenham Running Festival Half Marathon or Bath & Bristol Railway Races 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.

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