City streets lead into the longer southern section, including Cannon Hill Park and Edgbaston. You need patience for the straights as well as attention through the city turns.
01 Know what you are taking on
What is the race like?
Where to pay attention
The longer southern running
The quieter, straighter part can tempt you to raise the pace before you have earned it. Keep the effort you planned and use turns and park sections as short resets.
Your route at a glance
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Jewellery Quarter and St Paul’s Square
Urban turns and changing gradients
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South Birmingham streets
Longer road stretches
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Cannon Hill Park and Selly Park
Roads and park surroundings; undulations
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Edgbaston Stadium
Roads back towards busier sections
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Selfridges vicinity, Jennens Road and Aston University
Urban roads into the finish
- Central landmarks
- The advertised course takes in Jewellery Quarter, St Paul’s Square, Mailbox, Grand Central, Southside and Digbeth.
- Finish
- The organiser describes a finish past Selfridges, along Jennens Road and into Aston University’s event village.
- Half-marathon extension
- The longer course visits south Birmingham around Cannon Hill Park, Selly Park and Edgbaston Stadium before rejoining the shared route.
- Profile
- mixed gradients, with descending running in miles 8–13.
The following course details are from the edition shown. They help you understand the route while your edition’s final information is being prepared.
- Longer straight section
- The organiser’s preparation article describes a long, mostly straight Pershore Road out-and-back for the half marathon.2026
The linked 2026 route is a planning reference. The 2027 course and race-day arrangements may change.
02 Choose your approach
How to run this race.
Our suggested approach to the published course. Adjust your target to your training and the conditions on the day.
Finish well
Your first time at this distance
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Give yourself time to settle through the Jewellery Quarter.
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Break the southbound and returning sections into landmarks around Cannon Hill Park and Edgbaston.
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Reassess on the return to central Birmingham before increasing your effort.
Race for a time
Chasing a PB or a time goal
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Protect your target through the city turns without sprinting out of each one.
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Use the longer road sections to establish a sustainable pace, allowing for any rises.
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Make the final city approach your race, rather than arriving there already spent.
03 Know what is on the course
Drinks, fuel & toilets.
Station positions and products are not yet confirmed in the available information for this edition. Use the organiser’s final runner guide before deciding what you can collect on the course.
Toilet locations: a confirmed location list is not available here. Check the official course or runner map before race day; a drinks table does not automatically mean there is a toilet beside it.
Turn the station list into your plan
Mark the stops you expect to use and the fuel you will carry. If you use a gel that needs water, pair it with a published water point. Practise the products and cup or bottle format before race day; you do not have to try every item offered.
04 Before the start
Your race morning.
Times are local to the event. Work back from your own wave, allowing for the walk, toilets and bag drop.
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Race number
Race numbers
Race numbers include timing chips and are posted from around four weeks before the run. Late and overseas entrants collect from an event information point.
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Before your wave
Baggage reference
Baggage buses are described near the start, with collection near the finish. Keep your race number to collect your bag.
Edition not stated
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The start
Start
Advertised start: 09:15 from Centenary Square.
Pacers & course cut-offs
- Sweep
- 17-minute/mile sweep; runners passed continue on pavements (Great Run’s general policy).
Kit rules & accessibility
- Headphones
- Allowed at low volume (Great Run’s general policy).
- Wave changes
- The FAQ permits joining a slower wave; moving to a faster wave is not allowed.
Your allocated wave, event emails and final runner instructions take priority. Read the guide for your distance before travelling.
05 Make the day work together
Supporters & getting around.
Plan your support
A city-centre base is easier than chasing the entire southern loop. If choosing Cannon Hill Park or Edgbaston, check pedestrian access and allow for the return journey before the finish.
The places below are viewing ideas from the linked route or spectator guide. Use your edition’s access map for barriers, permitted crossings and any crew restrictions.
Jewellery Quarter / St Paul’s Square
Consider an accessible pavement on the central loop shown on your distance’s map.
Aston University finish surroundings
A useful base for the finish, subject to the event-village layout and barriers.
Official spectator or route information
Make the cheer easy to find
Agree a named point, the side of the road and your likely arrival window. Share your bib number for official tracking. Pick a separate reunion beyond the finish exit and a backup if the phone signal is poor.
06 Before you book
Entry & requirements.
- Entry prices
- Saver GBP 45; final-entry tier GBP 51.
- Support runner
- Free support-runner places may be requested; verification and capacity limits apply.Organiser policy
- Wheelchair registration
- Declare wheelchair type; assisted entrant and support runner must both register.Organiser policy
Transfers, refunds & deferrals
- Runner exchange / deferral
- Runner exchange through the organiser costs GBP10 before pack allocation. Next-year deferral is not offered.
Stay in the loop
Email me event updates.
Spend more time training and less time checking. Get the key updates for your race, straight to your inbox.
07 Make your training relevant
Practise for this course.
One thing to rehearse
Include sustained steady running on long straights, plus turns and gentle hills. A route with no pace changes does not rehearse the whole event.
08 Put your plan together
Useful before race day.
Plan your pre-run fuel
Explore meals and snacks around the time you have before running.
Make race fuel feel familiar
Understand how to practise taking carbohydrate during longer runs.
Understand your everyday fuel
Learn how carbohydrate supports your running and recovery.
A plan that fits your life.
Running, strength or both, with feedback and adjustments as your training develops.
Official race information
Use the organiser’s information for current entry terms, the published route and your final runner instructions. Course resources show their edition where it is known. Pacing and training suggestions are The Runner’s Journal’s guidance and should fit your experience, health and conditions.
- Official event and entry information
- Official route description
- Official runner information
- Organiser-linked entry checkout
- Series FAQs
- Entry terms
- Accessibility policies
- Support-runner policy
- Wheelchair policy
- Withdrawal, exchange and deferral policy
- Organiser route preparation article
- Official distance-specific route map