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The road racing season is well underway after a thrilling finish on the track at the Tokyo World Championships and some of the best British runners and thousands of amateurs will take to the streets of Manchester for the half marathon this weekend.
Over 26,000 people will walk the 13.1 miles, making the event one of the biggest fundraising events of the year, with an estimated £1.5 million donated to the charity.
Also keep an eye on the Guinness World Records: Sophie Godley hopes to run the fastest half marathon time (women) with 13 golf clubs, while also attempting the four-man Caterpillar record.
Famous faces include Gladiator Aneela Afshar, Diane Carson (Traitors, season two) and Camilla Ainsworth (The Apprentice, series 13 finalist).
Jack Rowe won the men’s race last year in 62:12, beating Jacob Allen and Alexander Lepretre, while Lucy Reed came home as the first woman to win in 69:13. Here’s everything you need to know about this year’s race:
When is the Manchester Half Marathon 2026 and what is the start time?
The Manchester Half is on Sunday, October 12. The race for the elite starts at 9am BST, followed by waves every 10 minutes and the last group should leave at 10.48am BST. The finish line will close three hours after the last participant crosses the start line; Which is approximately a 13.5 minute mile or 8.5 minute kilometer pace.
What is the route?
The race starts in Trafford and heads towards the city centre, then it returns to Stratford, Sale and Chorlton-cum-Hardy. Just over a mile before the finish line on Talbot Road, the runners will pass Old Trafford, home of Manchester United.
You can find more information about the route and interactive map Here,
elite area
There will be several standout runners on Sunday.
female caste
British endurance runners and Puma athletes Charlotte Purdue (PB 68:02) and Lily Partridge (PB 70:27) will be among the favorites to fight for victory in the women’s title.
race of men
2022 Manchester Marathon winner Jonny Mellor is hoping for success in this year’s Manchester Half, having previously run a PB of 61:59, although Callum Johnson (PB 63:16) and Jacob Allen (PB 62:43) will certainly compete.
wheelchair race
Sean Frame, Brett Crossley and Matthew Clarke will compete in this year’s Manchester Half Men’s Elite Wheelchair Race. Three-time Paralympic gold medalist Lauren Rowles is a contender in the women’s elite wheelchair category.
race tips
Puma athlete Jack Rowe, who holds the course record (62:12), says: “The biggest mistake people make is trying to run the full distance in training. If you’ve comfortably run 9-10 miles, that’s enough. Race day brings adrenaline, fresh legs and the energy of the crowd. Overdoing it in training can leave you disappointed when it counts.
“Don’t try anything new on the day of the event: this is not the time to experiment. I recommend doing a full ‘dry run’ of the race in the morning during training a few weeks in advance: wake up early, eat the same breakfast and wear the same shoes you will be running in. That way, when the day of the event arrives, everything feels familiar.”
If you want to race next year’s Manchester Half, priority access opens at 10am on Monday, October 13, with public entries opening at noon the following day. More information available Here.