After careful consideration, the decision has been taken to hold the 2021 Manchester Marathon on Sunday 10^th October, rather than the traditional April date. The priority of the Manchester Marathon is to always ensure a safe and enjoyable event for the many runners, supporters, crew, suppliers and of course the local community. The new date will give organisers the opportunity to do this, and offer the same incredible experience that has seen popularity boom in recent years, doubling in size, and becoming the fourth most popular marathon in Europe with up to 30,000 runners.

In addition the first ever Manchester Marathon In Your Own Time event launches today, challenging runners to complete a marathon distance virtually during October 2020. This can be completed all in one go, or in multiple runs across the month. Finishers will receive a quality Manchester Marathon t-shirt by Ron Hill, and a top class medal. Registration online is required, with 20,000 spaces available in total. Those who were due to run in the cancelled 2020 Manchester Marathon will receive a heavy discount.

Nick Rusling, CEO of organisers Human Race, said: “A massive part of the Manchester Marathon experience is the whole city coming together to create an unforgettable atmosphere across the weekend. At the moment, creating something on that scale early in 2021 would be a risk, so we are delighted that we could find a new date that will allow us to proceed with confidence and excitement.”

Places in the 2021 Manchester Marathon will be strictly limited, as 20,000 of the people who missed out this year have opted to return and complete their challenge. A limited number of additional places will be released in October, and those who wish to guarantee a spot can pre-register now on the Manchester Marathon website.

Entries into the special Manchester Marathon In Your Own Time virtual event next month are available now at the price of £15 per person, with a heavy reduction for those already registered for 2021. Full details and registration can be found at ManchesterMarathon.co.uk