Great Eastern Run
Race snapshot
Race Day
45–63°F · Feels cool
Total elevation gain
Relatively flat course · Net elevation change +0 ft
Participants
Medium-sized race
Crowd Rating
Good crowd energy
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The Lowdown
The Great Eastern Run is a fast, flat half marathon and 5K through the streets of Peterborough, England, first run in 1982 and relaunched in 2006 as the city's flagship road race. The 13.1-mile half marathon starts and finishes at The Embankment beside the River Nene, looping through Peterborough city centre and the grounds of Peterborough Cathedral and passing along Bourges Boulevard and Bridge Street on fully closed roads, with only around 13 metres of total elevation gain making it one of the flattest half marathons in the country. Alongside the half marathon, the Anna's Hope 5K Fun Run gives families and first-time racers a shorter, closed-road option starting earlier in the morning. Perkins Engines sponsored the race for well over a decade before AEPG took over as title sponsor in 2023. Every finisher receives a medal, and the event features chip timing, five water stations on the half marathon course, professional pacers, medical support and post-race refreshments in the event village.
Questions about the Great Eastern Run 2026
When is the Great Eastern Run 2026?
This edition ran on Sunday, October 11, 2026. The 2027 date is to be confirmed.
Where is the Great Eastern Run?
Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom.
What is the Great Eastern Run time limit?
3 hours 30 minutes.
What is the Great Eastern Run elevation gain?
13 m (43 ft) of total elevation gain. Net elevation change: +0 m (0 ft). Relatively flat course.
What is the Great Eastern Run course like?
It passes The Embankment, Peterborough Cathedral and Peterborough city centre.
What is the weather like at the Great Eastern Run?
Race-day temperatures are usually 7–17 °C (45–63 °F). Feels cool.
How many runners does the Great Eastern Run have?
4,000 participants. Medium-sized race.
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