The SMH Half Marathon is a half marathon

Half marathon

A half marathon is a road running event of . It is half the distance of a marathon and usually run on roads. Participation in half marathons has grown steadily recently. One of the main reasons for this is that it is a challenging distance, but does not require the same level of training that a...

 run through Sydney

Sydney

Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...

's central business district. The event is organised by the Sydney Morning Herald and sponsored by Colonial First State

Colonial First State

Colonial First State was established in 1988 and is now one of Australia's leading wealth management groups, with more than A$90 billion under management. It is owned by the Commonwealth Bank Group.- Product range :...

. The course takes in such sites as The Rocks

The Rocks, New South Wales

The Rocks is an urban locality, tourist precinct and historic area of Sydney's city centre, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the southern shore of Sydney Harbour, immediately north-west of the Sydney central business district...

, the Sydney Harbour Bridge

Sydney Harbour Bridge

The Sydney Harbour Bridge is a steel through arch bridge across Sydney Harbour that carries rail, vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian traffic between the Sydney central business district and the North Shore. The dramatic view of the bridge, the harbour, and the nearby Sydney Opera House is an iconic...

, the Sydney Opera House

Sydney Opera House

The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in the Australian city of Sydney. It was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, finally opening in 1973 after a long gestation starting with his competition-winning design in 1957...

, and the Royal Botanic Gardens

Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney

The Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney, Australia, are the most central of the three major botanical gardens open to the public in Sydney....

. The race starts next to St Mary's Cathedral

St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney

The Metropolitan Cathedral of St Mary is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney and the seat of the Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell. The cathedral is dedicated to "Mary, Help of Christians", Patron of Australia...

, and finishes in Hyde Park

Hyde Park, Sydney

Hyde Park is a large park in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Hyde Park is on the eastern side of the Sydney central business district. It is the southernmost of a chain of parkland that extends north to the shore of Port Jackson . It is approximately rectangular in shape, being squared at the...

. Prior to 2008, the course ran a similar route, but started and finished near The Rocks. The event has a capacity field of 10,500, and entries are often closed weeks before race day.

The 2010 event was won by Martin Dent in a time of 1:04:28. The women's winner was Cassie Fien, in a time of 1:11:59.

The event is accompanied by a fundraising initiative primarily targeted at Breast Cancer Network Australia, in memory of Kerryn McCann

Kerryn McCann

Kerryn McCann was an Australian athlete. She was best known for winning the marathon at the 2002 and 2006 Commonwealth Games.-Personal life:McCann was born Kerryn Hindmarsh in Bulli, New South Wales, in 1967....

, who succumbed to breast cancer in December 2008.