Manchester (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The Manchester Half Marathon returns on Sunday, October 12, 2025, with 28,000 runners, and an equal number of men and women take part, £1.5 million raised for charity, elite and non-elite participants, and celebrities, and roads will be closed.
As BBC News reported, the Manchester Half Marathon is set to return this Sunday, Oct 12, 2025, with a record 28,000 runners taking part. The 13.1-mile (21 km) race has become a key event in the city’s calendar over the past 10 years. For the first time, the event will feature an equal number of men and women participants.
Thousands of participants are also running for charity. The marathon is expected to raise around £1.5 million for organisations including the Alzheimer’s Society, Cancer Research UK, and The Christie Hospital. The race will start early, with elite wheelchair racers setting off at 08:55 BST.
5 minutes later, the elite runners will begin. Non-elite participants will run in 10-minute waves according to their colour groups, with the last wave starting at 10:48. Former Lioness Izzy Christiansen will act as the official starter and motivate runners before they begin.
What is the schedule, route, and participants for the Manchester Half Marathon 2025?
The starting point is on the A56, opposite Victoria Warehouse. Runners will pass Cornbrook tram stop, loop back briefly, and continue through Stretford, Sale, and Chorlton-cum-Hardy. The race finishes on Talbot Road. Every participant crossing the line will receive a medal.
Access to the start is next to Trafford Town Hall. Those using the bag drop can enter through gates 5 and 10 at Lancashire Cricket Club. Marshals will guide runners from both locations to the start line.
Road closures will begin along and around the Manchester Half Marathon route from Saturday, Oct 11, 2025, as preparations for the event get underway. Drivers and commuters are being advised to allow extra time for their journeys, as traffic on open roads in surrounding areas is expected to be heavy.
Many local bus services will also be diverted during the closures. Organisers have said participants and residents should check the official race website for full details and the latest updates on affected routes.
The race will also feature several well-known faces alongside former Lioness Izzy Christiansen. Diane Carson, known from The Traitors, and Camilla Ainsworth, a finalist from The Apprentice, are among the participants.
Gladiators finalist Aneila Afar will take part while attempting to beat her personal half-marathon record and pushing her child in a pram. Coronation Street stars Harriet Bibby, Calum Lill, and Channique Sterling-Brown will also join the run, taking on the city’s 13.1-mile course alongside thousands of other runners.
The Manchester Half Marathon was launched in 2016 by Xtra Mile Events, the organisers of the ASICS Greater Manchester Marathon. The first race took place on Sunday, October 16, 2016, with 15,000 runners taking part.
The course was designed to be flat and fast, with only a 41-metre elevation gain and a long finish straight of more than 2 miles. The route started and finished at Emirates Old Trafford, home of Lancashire County Cricket Club. Since then, the race has grown every year and become a major event in the city’s sporting calendar.
