Should you enter the Great Manchester Run? Manchester 10k race review

I recently took part in the Great Manchester Run (10k) organised by Great Run and here are my thoughts on this event. I hope you’ll find this helpful if you’re looking at signing up to the next edition!

Please note, I did this race in May 2022. Some of my comments may not apply to future editions of this race as some things might change :)

Great Manchester Run: key information

The Great Manchester run is one of Great Run’s iconic races taking place every year in Central Manchester. There are two distances: the half marathon and the 10k. The 2022 edition gathered over 20,000 runners and elite athletes such as Hellen Obiri, Eilish McColgan and Jack Rayner.

What time does it start?

The race starts at 8:30am for the first wave of the half marathon. Your wave depends on your estimated finish time. For the 10k, the first wave (elite and sub 55min 10k) set off at 11:30. The final wave started at 12:47pm.

Where are the start and finish lines?

Both start and finish line are in Central Manchester not so far from Piccadilly station. The start is on Portland Street and the finish on Deansgate.

How much does the entry cost?

The standard entry is £42. This includes the medal, finisher’s T-shirt and a goodie bag.

If you sign up through this referral link, you can get £10 off your Great Run entry fee!

Is there a cut off time?

There is no official cut off time, however the roads cannot stay closed for too long. There is a race sweep vehicle (17-minute mile pace) and any runner falling behind this vehicle is asked to complete the rest of the course on the pavement.

Where to pick up your race number?

The race numbers are sent via the post about 10 days before the event. The colour of your race number indicates which wave you will be in.

What is the bag drop situation?

There is a bag drop near the start and finish line, which you can access on the morning of the race. You will have received a bag tag with your race number, to attach to the bag you’re going to drop off.

Are there water stations?

There were two water stations for the 10k, the first was at about 4k and the second at about 8k. The half marathon had a total of 4 water stations.

Can you get a PB at the Great Manchester Run?

You have a good shot at getting a PB, at least for the 10k race. The course is relatively flat and many runners set a new personal best at the Great Manchester Run every year!

You can see more details on my Strava. Here is the map of the 10k course:

Great Manchester Run 10k race review

You can check out this race vlog :)

The positives

It’s a relatively flat 10k, great choice if you’re trying to achieve a new PB.
The support on the course is phenomenal, and as the names are on the race bibs, it’s even more encouraging to hear “Go Chloe”, “Keep going Chloe”…
If you have friends and family coming to watch, they’ll be able to see you at different locations, at least twice.
There are fences on the section before the official start line, which forces runners to slow down, therefore once you’re officially starting the race it’s not congested at all and it was so much nicer than other busy races I’ve done. It doesn’t impact your time at all but it ensures that you have enough space from the get go.
The finisher’s Tshirt (as modeled by my partner below) is really nice and genuinely good quality. The goodie bag is pretty good too, with 2 snacks (Cliff and Kind bars) as well as collagen supplement and a chapstick.
You also receive a discount code via email for the next edition.
The organisation, both prior to the event in terms of communications and on the day to ensure everyone’s safety and enjoyment was great!

If you find these race reviews helpful, a coffee would be very much appreciated :) And if you have any questions, feel free to get in touch via the contact form.

The negatives

The GPS isn’t always accurate on the course, don’t rely too much on your watch!
The photos are great but they are not included in the entry fee. It’s £19.99 for a full pack of photos.
I personally found that the 10k start was very late. I’m a morning person and I would have rather started earlier instead of having the whole morning to be nervous.

To sum it up, it was one of my favourite races and the best support I’ve experienced to date. Having your name on your race bib makes a huge difference!

It was my first Great Run race but most likely not the last. I found that it was well organised and although a little pricey, I would love to sign up again! If you fancy doing it, save yourself £10 by signing up via this referral link!