Bristol Half Marathon 2012: Spectator information

The special diets have been followed, the months of training in pouring rain done, the pulled muscles innumerable: the Bristol half marathon is almost here.

On Sunday more than 14,000 dedicated runners will embark on a 13 mile route around the city, hoping to conjure up the buzz and excitement of this year’s Olympic Games.

Whether you’re a loved one cheering from the sidelines or a sports fan looking to soak up the atmosphere, find out everything you need to know with our handy spectator guide:

When to get there

Due to the high number of runners taking part in the race there will be a two wave start. Wave 1 of the race will start at 9.30am and Wave 2 at 10am.

Organisers warn the event attracts large numbers of spectators, so visitors should allow plenty of time.

Plan your journey (and factor in road closures), and allow time to explore the event village when you arrive.

Bath Road Park & Ride bus services start at 7am, as do Long Ashton Park & Ride services. Baggage, catering and other Event Village services open at 8am.

Race Assembly areas open at 8.30am.

Be aware the start/finish area has been designed to create a large exclusion zone accessible only to runners and race officials.

This zone stretches from before the Finish Line in Anchor Road and leads to Millennium Square. Spectators will be restricted to the pavement area and will not be permitted to enter the pens or runner services areas.

Where to watch

There are several Cheer Points dotted along the race route, manned by Bristol half marathon staff who will encourage spectators to applaud the runners as they pass.

The Cheer Points are ideal vantage points, and most will be attended by a Radio Bristol or Heart Radio car.

Cheer Points will be located at:

- Anchor Road (Race start/finish)

- Between Humphrey Davey Way and Hotwell Road

- Where Sylvan Way meets the Portway

- Next to the race’s energy station on Smeaton Road, adjacent to Avon Crescent

- Wapping Road opposite The Grove

- Queen Square

- Castle Park

- City Centre, by the fountains

There will be barriers up to keep spectators off the track - so plan ahead in order to avoid having to cross the race route if you want to watch in several different places.

For more information about the Cheer Points, go to page 16-17 of the Race Information guide and look for the smiley faces

Getting there

There are a number of ways to get to the Bristol half marathon:

Park & Ride

Race day Park & Ride services have been arranged for runners and visitors. For full details and timetables visit the race website or www.travelbristol.org/parkandride.

Bus services

Due to road closures, there will be some changes to bus stops which will have signs indicating the nearest alternative.

For further information visit www.travelbristol.org/bus.

Train services

Train services will be operating as normal, but visitors should allow additional time to get to and from Bristol Temple Meads railway station.

For information, contact National Rail enquiries on 0845 748 4950.

Airport

Bristol International Airport will be operating as normal but visitors may need to plan an alternative route to the airport, due to the road closures. Allow additional time to get to and from the airport.

For general information, visit www.bristolairport.co.uk

Taxis

Due to road closures, there will be some changes to taxi ranks which will have signs indicating the nearest alternative.

Ferries

Bristol Ferry Boat Company will be operating as normal. For further information, visit www.bristolferry.com.

For information to plan your visit, call the Tourist Information on 0333 321 0101 from 10am - 5pm weekdays and 11am – 4pm weekends.

Food and drink

There are many bars and restaurants along the harbourside, such as Watershed Café Bar, Za Za Bazaar, The River Grille and Glassboat Restaurant. Read a list here.

For more information about Bristol, including details of nightlife and where to stay, log on to www.visitbristol.co.uk.