Dame Kelly Holmes Returns as Great Manchester Run 2026 Starts at 11:30
great manchester run 2026 begins Sunday with a 10km race at 11:30, major road closures and live Two coverage from 11:00 BST to 13:00. Elite athletes and fun runners will share the city-centre route, with travel disruption set across Manchester for much of the day.
The 10km uses a staggered start, while the elite races go later. More than 150,000 spectators are expected along the route, and organisers have advised people against travelling through the affected areas.
Dame Kelly Holmes on Portland Street
Dame Kelly Holmes returns to the starter's platform for the elite women's race. The double Olympic champion will be part of a field that also includes Kevin Sinfield and Sally Lindsay MBE, two of the named entrants set to race on Sunday.
Both the 10km and half-marathon courses start on Portland Street in the city centre. From there, the route drops into Trafford, loops around Manchester United's ground, passes the Imperial War Museum and Salford Quays, then finishes at Deansgate.
Manchester travel on race day
Transport for Greater Manchester says tram travel is the best choice on race day. The nearest stops to the start line are Piccadilly Gardens, St Peter's Square and Deansgate-Castlefield, while several buses will be diverted and Metrolink services are expected to be very busy.
That leaves runners and spectators with a simple practical choice: use the tram, or plan around closures and diversions before heading into the city centre. Water stations will be available at various stages for runners, and on-course showers are set up on Ashton Old Road for participants to run through.
Course details at Deansgate
The race day package is built around two distances, the 10km and the half-marathon course, with the 10km covering 6.1 miles. The start is staggered, the elite races come later, and the finish at Deansgate pulls the day back into the centre after a route that stretches through Trafford and past several of the city's best-known landmarks.
For anyone moving through Manchester on Sunday, the key point is the timing. The broadcast begins at 11:00 BST, the 10km starts at 11:30, and the road network around the course will stay under pressure while the runners are on it.
