The Great Manchester Run, which was scheduled to take place on 24th May, and the Junior and Mini Great Manchester Run, which was scheduled to take place on 23rd May, have been postponed in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
The much-loved event, which last year saw 30,000 runners take part and raise thousands for charity, will now take place in the Autumn.
The decision to postpone the events has been taken following government advice on slowing the spread of COVID-19. In addition, organisers have acknowledged the increased pressure on public services that the coronavirus outbreak is causing.
The Great Manchester Run 10k and Half Marathon events will now take place on Sunday 6th September. The Junior and Mini events will take place on either 5th or 6th, and organisers are hoping to confirm this as soon as possible.
“We understand that people who were looking forward to running in Manchester on 23rd and 24th May will be disappointed, but the safety of participants, spectators and of all those associated with the staging of the events is always our number one priority,” said Paul Foster, Chief Executive at the Great Run Company.
“We understand the commitment and dedication our runners make when entering one of our events and do not take any decision to postpone an event lightly.
“In this case our only option was to cancel the event and rearrange for a later date.
“We want to thank all of our participants and partners for their continued support and understanding and we look forward to seeing them at the Great Manchester Run on 6th September.”
Organisers are in the process of contacting all entrants who are signed up for both events, by email, with further information.