New and improved 2018 route for half-marathon.
The thousands of participants who sign up for this year’s Simplyhealth Great Birmingham Run will be heading back to Broad Street after organisers unveiled a new and improved route for the annual 13.1-mile event.
In a reverse of previous routes which finished along Broad Street, the event will now start on the city’s Golden Mile before taking runners to handsome Highfield Road in Edgbaston and down the infamous hill of Lee Bank Middleway, once a challenging incline near the end of the half marathon.
Participants will then do a lap of Cannon Hill Park and world-famous Edgbaston Stadium before turning back to the city centre after they reach beautiful Bournville.
The Simplyhealth Great Birmingham Run finishes before thousands of cheering spectators on Jennens Road and the Aston University Campus Charity Village.
In addition to the route changes, which were implemented following feedback from participants, the Great Birmingham Run reverts to its popular earlier morning start time for 2018.
And anyone who entered the Simplyhealth Great Birmingham 10K will receive £10 off their entry fee for the Simplyhealth Great Birmingham Run half marathon.
David Hart, Partnerships Director for the Great Run Company, organisers of the Simplyhealth Great Birmingham Run, said: “We listened to feedback from runners who took part in last year’s half marathon and have worked with our partners at Birmingham City Council and transport agencies to create this new and improved route for 2018.
“The Simplyhealth Great Birmingham Run is one of the flagship events in the Great Run series and we are striving to make it more popular than ever.”
The Simplyhealth Great Birmingham Run features the Business Challenge, which invites office teams to compete for fastest-time trophies and those all-important bragging rights in the corporate world.
The Business Challenge is a great way of supporting CSR commitments, raising funds for company charities or foundations, or simply boosting office morale and team spirit in the workplace.
Among those taking part in this year’s half marathon is Solihull dad Dann Sullivan, aka Mr Sleek. Dann, 30, was crowned Mr Sleek by Slimming World after losing 5st 2lbs and eight inches from his waist when a nurse told him his size was putting his health at risk.
And after taking part in the Simplyhealth Great Birmingham 10K in May, inspirational Dann is now in training for the Great Birmingham Run; his first-ever half marathon. “Signing up to an event like the Great Birmingham Run half marathon is so important as it keeps me focused and driven to achieve my next target, allowing me to control my weight and fitness goals,” he explained.
“The Great Birmingham 10K was such an amazing event, with all the local people coming out to support the runners and seeing the city I’ve lived in for thirty years in a whole new way. I immediately signed up to the half when I got home!”
For more information and to sign up visit greatrun.org/great-birmingham-run