
With Christmas and New Year over and January truly in full swing, our thoughts turn to the spring, when our very own Manchester Marathon will come around again. Drawing the very best in running talent, and some very dedicated charity and support runners too, the Manchester Marathon takes place on Sunday 27th April this year, and England Athletics have selected it to be the host for the prestigious 2025 English Championships.
On Sunday 27th April – the UK’s largest day of running in recent history – the Manchester Marathon will be welcoming top endurance athletes to take on the iconic 26.2 mile course through Greater Manchester and the city. The fierce competition will begin first thing on event day, before the largest ever mass field of 36,000 participants take to the challenge.
The elite competition is due to see well over 50 athletes compete for titles, with 22 participants currently in the Men’s Category and 29 in the Women’s. The line-up includes 2024 Men’s winner Adam Clarke, who finished the event in a rapid 02:16:29 last year.
2024 saw a record-breaking 32,000 people sign up to take on the challenge, and the upcoming 2025 race will see a record high of 36,000 participants, with all places sold out over five months before the event. The 2025 route map has not yet been released, but it is expected to follow a similar form as last year, which started at Lancashire County Cricket Club in Old Trafford, extending south into Chorlton, Sale and Altrincham, heading through Stretford, past Salford Quays, with runners then cruising into the vibrant city centre.
Utilising the stunning grandeur of Manchester University as a backdrop, 36,000 people will now reach the climax of their challenge on Oxford Road. The University is renowned for being a hub of innovation and progress, making it a perfect fit for the constantly evolving event, and treating participants and spectators to spectacular surroundings – more information is still to come on the 2025 route.
Whatever the route, this year’s Manchester Marathon will serve as host to the English Championships, meaning hobby runners can rub shoulders with some of the most incredible elite runners in the country – most likely at the start line, since they’re probably difficult to keep up with…