This paper reports experimental results of long wave run-up climbing up a 1:40 sloping beach. The resulting maximum run-up is compared with analytical results and a good agreement is found for single sinusoidal waves with uniform wave period and varying amplitude. Subsequently, the interaction with macro-roughness elements on the beach is investigated for different long-shore obstruction ratios. The reduction in wave run-up is expressed by means of a nomogram relating the wave run-up without macro-roughness elements present to those cases where on-land flow is modified by macro-roughness. The presented results mainly focus on a non-staggered and non-rotated macro-roughness configuration. In addition to the run-up reduction, surface elevation profiles on the shore are presented, that address the shock wave generation when the wave tongue approaches the first row of macro-roughness elements.