Great Manchester Run

The Great Manchester Run is the flagship 10K of the Great Run series, bringing tens of thousands of runners onto closed roads through Manchester city centre every spring. Founded in 2003, it has grown into the largest 10K of its kind in Europe and the UK's third-biggest mass-participation running event, trailing only the Great North Run and the London Marathon. The 10K starts on Portland Street near Oxford Street, dips downhill early along Chester Road into Trafford, loops past Old Trafford stadium, the Coronation Street set and the Imperial War Museum North, then returns along Chester Road for a short late incline before finishing on Deansgate near Beetham Tower. A half marathon over much of the same start-finish corridor runs earlier the same morning for runners chasing a longer distance. Race day carries the Great Run series' trademark atmosphere: live music and entertainment zones, a personalised race number, and some of the loudest crowd support anywhere in the UK. The event has held IAAF/World Athletics Gold Label Road Race status and has previously shared its weekend with the Great City Games elite street-sprint meet, which has featured athletes such as Usain Bolt. Past title sponsors have included Bupa and Morrisons; AJ Bell is the current title sponsor.