Marathon sees 40,000 runners return to Greater Manchester streets

Last Sunday 10th October saw the UK’s 2nd largest marathon event, the Therme Manchester Marathon, return to Greater Manchester in its hotly anticipated comeback following the coronavirus pandemic.

32,000 runners laced up for the challenge of the 26.2mile distance, of which 14,000 runners were tackling their first ever marathon.

Also for the first time, the Manchester Half and Therme Manchester Marathon took place on the same day, with 8,000 runners lacing up for the half marathon distance.

The runners were joined by a fantastic army of volunteers, showcasing the spectacular spirit of the event.

Competition was tight for the position of first finisher with Matthew Crehan taking first place with a time of 02:18:26. He was closely followed by James Donald, with a time of 2:20:36.

Joining as first female finisher was Anna Bracegirdle, who finished with a time of 02:40:17.

Roads across Greater Manchester were closed so that runners could take place in one of the first major mass participation running events of the year.

This year saw a new route section, with the starting section heading into the city centre for the first time in the event’s history.

The economic boost is projected to surpass 2019’s total of £6.1million, with local businesses set to benefit from continued growth.

The Therme Manchester Marathon attracts runners and spectators from throughout the UK and Europe, with many looking to experience what the city has to offer outside of the event itself, from sightseeing, local heritage, music and football.

“There was a lot of disappointment in 2020 for all involved, when so many much-loved events were not able to go ahead due to coronavirus,” said Nick Rusling, CEO of event organisers Human Race.

“Therefore seeing 40,000 runners come together in the heart of one of the UK’s greatest cities to challenge themselves was spectacular; it was a surprisingly emotional experience being back.

“With the success of the Therme Manchester Marathon and Manchester Half fresh in our minds, we look forward to welcoming everyone back in Spring for the Therme Manchester Marathon taking place on Sunday 3rd April 2022.

“With the news that the Therme Manchester Marathon will be the UK’s largest Spring marathon, we’ve already seen a huge number of people commit to running next year, so we’d recommend registering ASAP before we reach capacity.”

In addition to the personal achievement of crossing the finish line, many runners were also raising vital funds for Therme Manchester Marathon’s official charity partners the Alzheimer’s Society, Cancer Research UK, WWF, The Christie and ABF The Army’s National Charity, in addition to other charitable causes.

Over 2,000 runners were entered for charity and expect to fundraise over £3m.

Event organisers Human Race also donated £1 from every entry to the Trafford Active Fund with the purpose of developing sport in the local area. Earlier this year, £46,000 was awarded to organisations deeply impacted by the pandemic.

With the completion of the 2021 event, event organisers have been inundated with registrants of interest regarding possible opportunities within their organisation.

Official Apparel Partner, HOKA ONE ONE, also donated £1 to the Trafford Active Fund for every race bib posted on their celebration wall.

With thousands of runners taking part in the race, Human Race Ltd implemented a number of COVID-19 measures to help ensure the safety of runners, crew and volunteers.

These included a requirement to complete a health declaration before the event, proof of a negative lateral flow test, allocated arrival times, and an extended time period for starting the run to enable greater distancing on the course.

The organisers have seen a record demand for entries into next year’s event which will be held on Sunday 3rd April 2022. 

General Entries for April 2022 close on Wednesday 13^th October. Click below to find out more and sign up.