Compiled and fact-checked by Tommo, Verus founder · Last verified September 2026 · Spot an error?
Running · Half Marathons
Waterside Half Marathon 2026
- Race day
- Sunday, 6 September 2026
- Location
- Derry~Londonderry, Northern Ireland, UK
- Distance
- 13.1 mi / 21.1 km
Waterside Half Marathon: 6 September 2026. Entry, the hilly Ebrington Square course over Derry's bridges, a pace calculator.
Waterside Half Marathon Race Timeline
4 days since race day
Waterside Half Marathon has taken place — check back for results, athlete stories and fundraising totals once they're in, or start planning for next year's edition.
Waterside Half Marathon 2026: quick answers
When is Waterside Half Marathon 2026?
Waterside Half Marathon 2026 takes place on Sunday, 6 September 2026, starting at 9:30am.
What time does Waterside Half Marathon start?
Waterside Half Marathon starts at 9:30am from Ebrington Square, Queens Quay, Derry~Londonderry BT48 7AS.
Where does Waterside Half Marathon start and finish?
Waterside Half Marathon starts at Ebrington Square, Queens Quay, Derry~Londonderry BT48 7AS and finishes at Ebrington Square, Queens Quay, Derry~Londonderry BT48 7AS.
How many miles is Waterside Half Marathon?
Waterside Half Marathon is 13.1 miles (21.1km).
How much elevation gain does Waterside Half Marathon have?
Waterside Half Marathon has approximately 525ft of total elevation gain. No — the Waterside Half is a genuinely hilly half marathon, with around 160m (525ft) of total ascent. Runners crossing between the Waterside and cityside gain and lose height at every bridge approach.
How much does Waterside Half Marathon cost to enter?
£28 individual entry; £73 for a relay team. The 2026 race sold out ahead of race day.
How can I track a runner at Waterside Half Marathon?
Chip-timed, but no dedicated live-tracking app is confirmed for this event.
Key Race Metrics & Overview
- Date
- Sunday, 6 September 2026
- Distance
- 13.1 miles / 21.1km
- Location
- Derry~Londonderry, Northern Ireland, UK
- Start Point
- Ebrington Square, Queens Quay, Derry~Londonderry BT48 7AS
- Finish Point
- Ebrington Square, Queens Quay, Derry~Londonderry BT48 7AS
- Start time
- 9:30am
- Elevation gain
- 525 ft (160m)
- Surface
- Road
- Tracking app
- Chip-timed, but no dedicated live-tracking app is confirmed for this event.
Not published by the organiser at the time of writing: cut-off time, age requirement. Verus records these as unconfirmed rather than estimating them — check the official race website closer to race day.
Direct Entry Summary
£28 individual entry; £73 for a relay team. The 2026 race sold out ahead of race day.
Ballot Policy
No ballot — entry is direct via the organiser, Derry City & Strabane District Council, until the field fills.
Waterside Half Marathon Race Day Weather
A real forecast appears here once one exists for race day — usually about a week to ten days out. Nothing is shown until then, because a made-up forecast is worse than none.
Waterside Half Marathon Route Map & Elevation Profile
Starting at Ebrington Square, Queens Quay, Derry~Londonderry BT48 7AS and finishing at Ebrington Square, Queens Quay, Derry~Londonderry BT48 7AS. 525 ft of total elevation gain across 13.1 miles.
Is Waterside Half Marathon flat?
No — the Waterside Half is a genuinely hilly half marathon, with around 160m (525ft) of total ascent. Runners crossing between the Waterside and cityside gain and lose height at every bridge approach.
Waterside Half Marathon Course Profile
525 ft total elevation gain.
Tap a point on the course for details.
Ebrington Square, Queens Quay, Derry~Londonderry BT48 7AS
Start line.
Where Waterside Half Marathon starts and finishes
Waterside Half Marathon starts at Ebrington Square, Queens Quay, Derry~Londonderry BT48 7AS and finishes at Ebrington Square, Queens Quay, Derry~Londonderry BT48 7AS. We haven't been able to place those on a map accurately enough to show one — a pin in the wrong place is worse than no pin.
These are the start and finish points, not the route. Verus doesn't hold course files for this race, and drawing a line between two pins would be a guess you might end up training on. The official course map is the one to use: view it on the organiser's site .
Full Waterside Half Marathon Route Breakdown
A chip-timed loop starting and finishing at Ebrington Square on the Waterside. The route crosses the River Foyle to the cityside and takes in parks, greenways and the city's bridges before returning across the river to finish. Not a flat course — roughly 160m (525ft) of climbing across the 13.1 miles.
Waterside Half Marathon Pace Calculator & Splits
Waterside Half Marathon Pace Calculator
Enter a target finish time to see your pace and projected splits.
Average pace / mile
18:19
Average pace / km
11:23
Waterside Half Marathon Pace Chart
Split markers calculated for standard checkpoints — no official pacers are confirmed for this event.
| Target | Pace /mi | Pace /km | 5K | 10K | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3:00 | 13:44 | 8:32 | 42:41 | 1:25:23 | 3:00:00 |
| 3:15 | 14:53 | 9:15 | 46:15 | 1:32:30 | 3:15:00 |
| 3:30 | 16:02 | 9:58 | 49:48 | 1:39:37 | 3:30:00 |
| 3:45 | 17:11 | 10:40 | 53:22 | 1:46:43 | 3:45:00 |
| 4:00 | 18:19 | 11:23 | 56:55 | 1:53:50 | 4:00:00 |
| 4:15 | 19:28 | 12:06 | 1:00:29 | 2:00:57 | 4:15:00 |
| 4:30 | 20:37 | 12:48 | 1:04:02 | 2:08:04 | 4:30:00 |
| 4:45 | 21:45 | 13:31 | 1:07:36 | 2:15:11 | 4:45:00 |
| 5:00 | 22:54 | 14:14 | 1:11:09 | 2:22:18 | 5:00:00 |
| 5:30 | 25:11 | 15:39 | 1:18:16 | 2:36:32 | 5:30:00 |
| 6:00 | 27:29 | 17:05 | 1:25:23 | 2:50:46 | 6:00:00 |
| 6:30 | 29:46 | 18:30 | 1:32:30 | 3:04:59 | 6:30:00 |
| 7:00 | 32:04 | 19:55 | 1:39:37 | 3:19:13 | 7:00:00 |
Waterside Half Marathon Finish Time Estimator
Enter a recent 5K, 10K or Half Marathon time to estimate your Waterside Half Marathon finish time.
Your 5K time
Estimated Waterside Half Marathon finish
1:54:55
An estimate only, based on Pete Riegel's race-time prediction formula. Real marathon performance depends on endurance, training specificity, pacing and race-day conditions — not just your speed over a shorter distance.
Training for a different distance? Try the full pace calculator, race time predictor or pace chart.
Got your target time? Save it to your profile.
Tag Waterside Half Marathon, set your goal pace, and let Verus track your countdown, training and fundraising in one place.
Start Your Verus JourneyWaterside Half Marathon Race Day Checklist
Tap items to mark off your race-day readiness.
- Race number attached, and any timing chip fitted per your race pack instructions
- Kit for changeable weather — the course is exposed on the bridge crossings
- A plan for reaching Ebrington Square, Queens Quay, Derry~Londonderry BT48 7AS
- A meeting point agreed with family and friends at Ebrington Square for after the race
Training Strategy for Waterside Half Marathon
10-14 weeks is a solid window for a first half marathon; 8-10 weeks is enough if you're already maintaining a baseline mileage. Build your long run up gradually rather than jumping straight to race distance.
This is a largely flat course, so most of your long runs can mirror that — flat and steady, building time on feet rather than hill strength.
Reduce overall mileage across the final 7-10 days while preserving short race-pace bursts. Arrive at Ebrington Square, Queens Quay, Derry~Londonderry BT48 7AS fresh, energized, and primed — not fit, fresh.
Lock in your target pace using the interactive splits calculator below — no official pacers are confirmed for this event, so a pace band on your watch is the more reliable option.
Test your race-day fuel and hydration plan on your long training runs, not for the first time on race day — check the Race Day Checklist below for what's actually on this course.
Half Marathon Nutrition & Fueling Plan
A modest increase in carbohydrate intake over the 2-3 days before the race is the standard approach for a half marathon.
Eat a carb-focused breakfast 2-3 hours before the 9:30am start, and stick to something you've already tested in training.
Most runners take on water at the on-course stations; some use a gel around the hour mark. On a hilly course, easing effort on the climbs matters more than fuelling.
A mix of carbohydrate and protein in the hour or so after finishing supports recovery.
Waterside Half Marathon Charity Places 2026
No formal charity-place scheme published — runners commonly fundraise for a charity of their own choosing.
Lead with your personal story — explain why the charity matters to you. Personal connection generates 3x more support than a generic link broadcast.
Share key training milestones on Instagram (first 10-miler, peak week, race week) with your fundraising link in bio. Publicly thanking donors prompts secondary gifts!
Running Waterside Half Marathon for charity?
Link your JustGiving page to Verus and show up right here alongside other Waterside Half Marathon fundraisers — goal, progress and story, all in one place.
Add Your Fundraiser to VerusWhere to Stay for Waterside Half Marathon
Waterside, near Ebrington
Walking distance to the start and finish — no race-morning travel at all.
A smaller selection of places to stay than the cityside.
Derry city centre
The widest choice of hotels, restaurants and bars, and a short walk over the Peace Bridge to the start.
Involves a bridge crossing on race morning, which is also part of the course.
Travel & Logistics
Derry~Londonderry railway station is on the Waterside, close to the Ebrington Square start — check current timetables for race-morning services.
Rolling closures apply across the bridges and city-centre sections; exact times are published by the council closer to race day.
Spectator & Cheer Guide
Ebrington Square is the natural hub, with the start, finish and the atmosphere in one place. The Peace Bridge gives a good view of runners crossing between the Waterside and cityside.
The city centre is compact enough to walk between several viewing points during the race.
Chip-timed, but no dedicated live-tracking app is confirmed for this event.
Waterside Half Marathon Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know for race weekend.
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Race details independently compiled and fact-checked by Tommo against the official Waterside Half Marathon site , last verified September 2026. Always confirm official timings and policies directly prior to race day.