Point England Road marks the start, with the route leading onto the eastern waterfront and following the Tāmaki River. The Tāmaki River Half Marathon is part of the Run21 Series of "Coastal Half Marathons." Its appeal is straightforward: road running alongside the "stunning inland coastline of the Tāmaki River" with minimal complication.
The course begins and ends at Point England, offering the practical out-and-back structure of a known starting and finishing point. Walkers, run/walkers, recreational runners, newer runners, and those preparing for longer road races are accommodated with staggered starts instead of a single mass start. The course includes road, path, and park sections, with the choice at the finish line: compete seriously or use it as a focused training run with a predictable end.