New-look route for 2023 AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run celebrates the best of Brum

A new-look AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run – Sunday, 7 May – has been revealed with the start line at the city’s showpiece Centenary Square and finish line at Smithfield – home to thrilling sporting action during the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

This year’s 10k and half marathon routes showcase the best of Birmingham city centre and beyond and take in historic St Paul’s Square in the Jewellery Quarter for both distances and picturesque Cannon Hill Park for the 13.1-mile run.

Taking place during May Bank Holiday weekend, entries are now open for the Midlands’ biggest and best running event, with thousands of Brummie runners and walkers planning to take to the streets to challenge themselves or raise cash for charity.

This year’s event will feature everything you’d expect from a Great Run – start line excitement, top on-route entertainment and an event village that feels more like an after party – but the carnival atmosphere and the passion and spirit of the runners is all about Brum.

Runners can look forward to inspiring sights and incredible support all along the 10k and half marathon route.

Starting on Broad Street at Centenary Square, runners for both the 10k and half marathon distances will head for the city’s world-famous Jewellery Quarter, passing the Chamberlain Clock at Warstone Lane and Vyse Street, beautiful St Paul’s Square and a city-centre route that features the Mailbox, Grand Central at New Street station, St Martin’s Church, Southside and Digbeth.

Half-marathon participants will follow the same iconic landmarks before heading out of the city centre along Pershore Road, reaching Selly Park at eight miles and a return route that takes in glorious Cannon Hill Park and Edgbaston Stadium.

Both distances enjoy a grandstand finish at the Smithfield site near Bullring; home to Commonwealth Games beach volleyball and basketball.

Finishers will collect a shiny new AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run medal, an exclusive (optional) finisher’s t-shirt plus a finisher’s bag filled with goodies. Runners Rewards – access to special offers for participants, from partners and sponsors as a well done are also available via the Great Run app.

If the new-look route is tempting you to take on your first mass-participation event, the AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run website has a range of free-to-download training plans aimed at all abilities for both 10k and half marathons to help you prepare and get the most out of your event day experience.

If you need some family inspiration to get your whole team active this year, the AJ Bell Junior & Mini Great Birmingham Run is a brilliant introduction to running events for kids.

Or if you and a group of colleagues, friends or team members fancy taking on a running event together, why not enter the Team Challenge? It’s a great opportunity for businesses to encourage a healthy outlook for team members or staff, engage in all-important team building and focus on charity fundraising.

Charlie Musson, brand and PR director at AJ Bell, said: “We know that inspirational mass-participation events such as the AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run can have a really positive effect on physical health and mental wellbeing.

“Everybody taking on the 10k or half marathon is either working towards a personal goal or supporting good causes along the way and we are really proud to be a part of this fantastic Birmingham event.”

Paul Foster, Chief Executive, Great Run Company, said: “The 2022 Great Birmingham Run 10k was such a special occasion but we were determined to go one better this year and I’m so excited to reveal a route that shows off the best of Brum.

“We can’t wait for May Bank Holiday Weekend and the chance to see Birmingham come alive once again with the colour and energy of a Great Run event.”

Sign up for The AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run by visiting https://www.greatrun.org/events/great-birmingham-run/