Ten miles through Portsmouth's naval landmarks and Southsea, ending along the coast. The mostly flat profile makes it attractive for a time goal, but the seafront needs a weather-aware plan.
01 Know what you are taking on
What is the race like?
The course, section by section
Open a section for the terrain and a practical pacing cue.
Southsea openingSouthsea start area
Predominantly flat city roads
How to approach it Begin at an effort you can hold for ten miles. Do not let the wide road and fresh legs turn the opening into a shorter race.
Maritime landmarksSpinnaker Tower, Portsmouth Harbour and Historic Dockyard
Urban roads and turns
How to approach it Enjoy the landmarks while keeping effort steady. Look ahead for turns and the flow of runners around you.
Residential middlePortsmouth and Southsea neighbourhood streets
Roads with loops and longer stretches
How to approach it Use the middle for a breathing-and-posture check. Maintain your rhythm rather than racing every passing runner.
Back to the coastD-Day Memorial and Canoe Lake
Roads returning towards open seafront
How to approach it Assess conditions and what is left before accelerating. The coastal finish still deserves a little reserve.
Esplanade finishEsplanade and Southsea Castle vicinity
Exposed coastal road
How to approach it Judge effort if wind changes the pace. Hold a clear line and keep moving through the finish process before meeting supporters.
Official maps & course details
- Maritime opening
- The advertised route passes Spinnaker Tower, Portsmouth Harbour, Historic Dockyard and naval-base surroundings before residential streets.
- Coastal return
- The route description returns past the D-Day Memorial and Canoe Lake to a seafront finish near Southsea Castle.
- Profile
- The organiser describes a generally flat course.
The following course details are from the edition shown. They help you understand the route while your edition’s final information is being prepared.
- Facility reference
- The 2026 ten-mile route map marks drinks stations, toilets and water-refill points.2026
The linked 2026 route is a planning reference. The 2027 course and race-day arrangements may change.
02 Choose your approach
Find your race strategy.
Choose your goal. These are our pacing suggestions, based on the published course, rather than organiser instructions.
My first finish
Keep the Southsea opening comfortable.
Enjoy the harbour and Historic Dockyard without surging with the crowds.
Use the D-Day Memorial and Canoe Lake area as a reset before the last coastal stretch.
A PB or time goal
Establish your ten-mile effort once the field opens.
If the wind makes the coast harder, protect effort rather than forcing an early target split.
Use the final marked distance to build your finish along the Esplanade.
If the weather or your pace changes
Wind can have a bigger effect on an open coastal road than the course's flat profile suggests. Do not assume its direction or strength; check the forecast and respond to what you actually feel. Maintain a sustainable effort into wind and let helpful sections improve pace naturally without overstriding. In wet weather, take turns and markings carefully. Pack for waiting before and after running, and adjust your target early if conditions make the full ten-mile effort harder than your training prediction.
A little race history
The Great South Run was first staged in 1990. Ten miles is about 16.1 km: a useful step between a 10K and a half marathon, with its own pacing demands.
The official race story03 Know what is on the course
Drinks, fuel & toilets.
2026 station information · Check the final 2027 guide for changes.
- Facility reference
- The 2026 ten-mile route map marks drinks stations, toilets and water-refill points.
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.
The start
Start
Advertised start: 10:35 from Avenue de Caen.
Race number & collection
Earlier-edition arrangements
- 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.Undated retained operational FAQ alongside 2026 timetable
Pacers & course cut-offs
- Sweep
- 17-minute/mile sweep; runners passed continue on pavements (Great Run’s general policy).
Bags, kit storage & collection
Earlier-edition arrangements
- Baggage reference
- The published baggage area is on Castle Field. Attach your race-number label and keep the number for collection.Undated retained FAQ alongside 2026 timetable
Kit rules & accessibility
- Headphones
- Allowed at low volume (Great Run’s general policy).
- Wave changes
- The FAQ allows a slower wave but not a faster one.
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 Southsea base can simplify the start, later course and reunion. For the Historic Dockyard section, use the official spectator access guidance rather than assuming every waterfront entrance stays open.
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.
Portsmouth city section
Use a publicly accessible street on the final map; access inside naval or dockyard premises should never be assumed.
Southsea seafront
A useful base for late support and a reunion, with clothing for exposed coastal conditions.
2027 event page; course subject to change
Official spectator or route informationMake 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, fees & time limits.
See the organiser for the latest entry options and availability.
Check official entry options- Entry prices
- Earlybird GBP 49; final-entry tier GBP 55.
- 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
Practise a sustained steady run with an exposed return leg. Learn what your chosen pace feels like into a breeze.
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.
Explore the fuel plannerMake race fuel feel familiar
Understand how to practise taking carbohydrate during longer runs.
Read the guideUnderstand your everyday fuel
Learn how carbohydrate supports your running and recovery.
Read the guideA 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
- Start/finish reference map
- Organiser route preparation article
- Official distance-specific route map