Manchester Marathon 2026
Manchester can boast about many things, including football, music, industry and the fact that its original Roman name literally meant “breast‑shaped hills.” The Romans called their fort Mamucium because the landscape around the River Medlock reminded them of… well, exactly that. The later Norman addition of “‑chester” turned it into Manchester.
One thing it also does pretty well is its marathon, which is growing every year, with over 28,000 finishers this year. They have clearly put the embarrassing memory of having a course that measured short behind them. Now sponsored by a sportswear giant, the route which was introduced in 2025 starts in the shadow of Old Trafford. From there it utilises much of the same fairly flat course as before, in that it visits Timperley, Altrincham, Sale and Chorlton before heading into the city to finish on Oxford Road, outside the University of Manchester. It is well supported by the locals, but there is enough respite from the crowds in some areas, so it is not overwhelming.
Three runners from Matlock Athletic Club took part, with Jose Rivas Gutierrez leading the trio home in 3:04:57. He was followed by Dan Ashcroft in 3:29:40 and Keir Probert in 4:03:20 which was a solid PB on his second attempt at the distance.
