‘Run a marathon’ is at the top of many of our bucket lists, but only a few of us are dedicated enough to do the hours of training and planning required to make it happen. This Sunday, tens of thousands of people from Manchester and beyond will don their comfiest trainers, and perhaps their more eye-catching costumes, run the whole 26.2 miles, and gain a brilliant ice-breaker fun-fact in the process.
Marathons take a lot of careful planning and organisation. You can’t just let 30,000 people loose on the streets of Manchester; you have to plan a route, stagger their start and end times, and make sure their friends and families know how and where to cheer them on. Luckily, all the complicated parts have already been figured out, and all you need to do is stay in your lane – metaphorically and literally.
If you’re running in this year’s Manchester Marathon, or if you know someone who is, here’s absolutely everything you need to know ahead of this Sunday’s event.
When is the 2025 Manchester Marathon?
This year’s Manchester Marathon will take place this weekend, on Sunday April 27 – the same day as the London Marathon. It will begin at 9am officially, although roads will be closed off from the early morning, and go on until around 6pm, when roads will begin to reopen as the final racers cross the finish line.
Manchester Marathon start times
There are expected to be over 35,000 people donning their trainers and taking part in this year’s marathon, which is roughly the population of a small town. If all of those people tried to start at once, it would be, to put it bluntly, carnage. That’s why the start times are staggered.
Elite athletes, who will be competing for medals, start first at 9am. Then, over the course of the next two and a half hours, everyone else will begin. Each wave corresponds to a colour, and they’re roughly based on the estimated finish time you entered when you signed up. Broadly speaking, you should be starting and finishing with the same people. If you and a friend have been allocated different start times but want to run together, you are allowed to do so as long as you begin at the later time.
Here’s the exact start times of all of the waves of runners at the Manchester Marathon 2025 based on bib colours:
- Elite: 9am
- White: 9am
- Red: 9:10am
- Blue: 9:20am
- Bronze: 9:30am
- Light green: 9:40am
- Purple: 9:50am
- Yellow: 10am
- Navy: 10:10am
- Grey: 10:20am
- Maroon: 10:30am
- Orange: 10:40am
- Black: 10:50am
- Pink: 11am
- Cyan: 11:10am
- Dark green: 11:20am
- Coral: 11:30am
You can find more information about start times, including when to arrive at the processing line, on the Manchester Marathon’s website here.
Route map
The route this year is slightly different, finishing on Oxford Road instead of Old Trafford Cricket ground. It will, of course, still be 26.2 miles. It will start at Old Trafford football stadium, heading down towards Sale and Altrincham, before turning and coming back up towards the city through Baguley and Sale again.
Here’s the full map you’ll be following on Sunday.
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Best places for spectators to watch
Not all of us are cut out for running 26 miles with only minor stops, and that’s okay. You can support your more athletic friends and family members from the roadside; but don’t just pick anywhere along the route. There are specific places which offer the best views set out by the Manchester Marathon team.
The start and finish lines are not recommended due to high crowds and low visibility. Instead, the Marathon organisers recommend these as the best spots for cheering on your loved ones:
- Deansgate Interchange, roughly at the one mile point. Great for setting a positive atmosphere for your runner.
- Hulme, at around 2 miles and 24 miles. Ideal for catching your marathoner at the start and end of their journey. There are some great cafes you can enjoy in between.
- Stretford, around miles 5 and 6, and later at mile 21. Loads of good food and drink options to enjoy while you’re not busy supporting from the sidelines.
- Sale, around mile 8 and then in between miles 18 and 19. A slightly less urban feel for anyone wanting to enjoy some fresh air in between cheers.
- Altrincham, between miles 12 and 13. Right in the middle of the race, so ideal for picking up the dwindling mood as your friend begins to regret their decision to sign up.
- Chorlton-cum-Hardy, just south of the finish line between miles 22 and 23. Your last chance to give your runner the boost they need to get over the finish line.
There is a dedicated supporter’s hub on the Manchester Marathon website here, where you can discover more places to watch on, as well as get advice on the best places to reunite once the race is over.
How to enter the 2026 Manchester Marathon
If you’re feeling sad that you won’t be racing this Sunday, don’t worry too much. Even though the 2025 marathon is yet to kick off, we already have a date for 2026. There’s no rest for the runners of the world – and that’s probably how they like it.
The 2026 Manchester Marathon will be held on Sunday April 19. Entry for next year will work slightly differently than it has in the past, moving away from the traditional ballot system towards first-come, first-serve purchasing.
All you need to do is add your name to the priority access list here. This does not confirm you a spot, as demand will likely be very high, but the sooner you do it the more likely you’ll be given a code to purchase entry on Monday April 28 when sales open at noon.
If you miss the window to sign up for priority access, the rest of the spaces will open up to the public on April 29, also at noon. Good luck!
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