Welcome to the adidas Manchester Marathon Supporter Hub – the ultimate guide for supporting loved ones at our much-anticipated event.
Use this page to plan your day and make the most of the electric atmosphere in Greater Manchester. Find out about the best places to watch participants; get spectating tips and advice and you can also use our interactive Supporter Maps to plan your own route and see what each area on the route has to offer.
To make sure you have the best experience cheering on our 32,000 incredible participants, remember to head straight out onto the course at the start of the day. We don’t recommend going to the start line as there are so many better places to see your participant out on the route.
Our Supporter and Weekend Guide contains loads of information about how supporters can follow the 2024 adidas Manchester Marathon, plus ideas for how to make the most of your weekend in one of the world’s greatest cities. To read the guide simply fill in the form below.
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Below is an interactive map with highlighted top areas along the route to spectate. Many of these places offer a great opportunity to see your runner more than once! Simply click on the map and select the location you would like to go to an your Google Maps/Apple Maps will direct you there
Our top 5 places to spectate and why!
1. The City Centre
The City Centre is a fantastic place to soak up the atmosphere or the event, with many great food and drink spots close at hand. Head to Deansgate to catch runners at mile 5 of the event, where the party will be in full swing.
2. Stretford
Stretford is the home of Old Trafford and has a fast-growing reputation as a foodie hub. Spectators can see runners between mile 9 and 10 in Stretford and also near mile 23. Stretford Food Hall is a great spot for a casual lunch, while Stretford Canteen has been shortlisted for the Manchester Food and Drinks Festival Award Shortlist recently. It’s also great for a post-lunch stroll along the Bridgewater Canal!
3. Sale
Sale is a friendly community full of lively local support. Runners pass through Broad Road in Sale between mile 21 and 22 of the course - when fatigue is likely to have set in. Sale strikes a charming balance of both city and countryside, situated slightly further out from the bustle of the centre.
4. Altrincham
Altrincham is the southernmost point on the course where the runners turn between 16 and 17 miles. There’ll be loads of support in this lively market town, including various bands, choirs and cheer stations. With loads of great places to eat and drink the lovely town is one not to be missed.
5. Chorlton-cum-Hardy
Chorlton-cum-Hardy is a leafy suburb known for its independent shops and coffee houses. The atmosphere here will be truly electric on event day, as participants push into the final effort of the challenge between miles 24 and 25.
Deansgate
- Start outside Deansgate Station at the heart of the action on the main road. Walk in the direction that participants are running up Deansgate Road where you can find a spot to cheer. Alternatively, head right down Peter’s Street where the participants turn around.
- Fancy stretching your legs? Head up from the main road towards the Arndale shopping centre (a 10 minute walk) for some retail therapy. Why not also pop into Piccadilly Garden for a breather from the hustle and bustle? To get back to Deansgate, follow the tram tracks back to St Peter’s Square and complete the loop down Peter’s Street.
- Finally, make sure to check out the lively pub scene in Deansgate. The Federal Bar serves up tasty brunch, and Deansgate Lock is also a great location to meet your runner after the event. Alternatively, head out to another location on the course to see your runner in the later stages of the event.
Stretford
- Start outside Stretford tram station and walk towards the A56 and A5145 junction where you can see runners at mile 9.5 and mile 23 of the course.
- You can stay and see your runner twice (go to Stretford Mall for great food options like the award-winning Stretford Canteen while you wait for the second sighting on Edge Lane) or go for a walk to Stretford Meadows which is a 20-30 minute walk away.
- To get to Stretford Meadows, follow the route on Chester Road and continue just past the junctions. Here, turn right down Poplar Road and continue all the way down this residential road until you reach the meadows. After a lovely stroll, take the exit leading to Sandy Lane for a shortcut back towards the tram station (why not also stop off at Stretford Mall for some well-earned lunch?) or come back using the same route to continue cheering on participants.
- Note: An alternative walking option is to head towards Chorlton-cum-Hardy from Stretford station. All you need to do is follow Edge Lane on the A5145 where participants are running. Chorlton-cum-Hardy is also a great place to meet your runner after the event.
Sale
- Start at Sale tram station where you can grab a coffee from the award-winning Grapefruit coffee on the left side of the exit.
- Cross over to Broad Road between mile 21 and 22 of the course, where participants will start to feel fatigue setting in. After cheering your heart out, continue down Broad Road and take a breather in Worthington Park.
- After a stroll, take the park exit on Cheltenham Drive and continue down this road until you reach Northenden Road. Turn right and continue in this direction, until you reach the broadway where there are some nice cafes and coffee shops (we recommend Cafe Amphora - simply turn left down Hope Road for this hidden gem serving up the best homemade cakes!)
- To reach Sale tram station once more, continue back to Northenden Road and continue walking.
Chorlton-cum-Hardy
- Start outside Chorlton-cum-Hardy tram station. Turn right onto Wilbraham Road and right again on Barlow Moor road. Follow the route up to Manchester Road, where the atmosphere will be truly electric in the final stages of the event.
- On Manchester Road, make sure to sample some local food from The Beagle or Barbakan Delicatessen. Our walking route takes you past the Barbakan Delicatessen (great for a sandwich) and loops down Claridge Road, before shortly turning right onto Longford Road.
- Continue down Longford Road to reach Longford Park which has plenty to do (including tennis courts). We then recommend taking the South exit onto Edge Road, where you can cheer on participants once more.
- Following the flow of participants heading towards Chorlton-cum-Hardy, turn off right at Whitelow Road and finally take a right at the well-known Beech Road. This is an independent street in south Manchester packed with fantastic shops, restaurants and bars.
- Beech Road is perfect for a short bar crawl, starting at the Horse and Jockey and finishing at The Lead Station. If food’s what you’re after, you’ll see some great spots such as The Laundrette (specialising in pizza).
- We recommend staying in Chorlton-cum-Hardy to repatriate with your runner, or jumping on the tram to the city centre.
Altrincham
- Start outside Altrincham station and head towards Stamford New Road on the A538. Follow the route, cheering on participants and enjoying the live music (you can also grab a coffee from the popular Two Brothers Coffee, if you can’t wait until reaching the town centre!)
- Follow the route right round to Regents Road and up to Market Road. Follow this up to Altrincham Market which is an incredibly popular foodie haven.
- Grab some food or coffee from the market and continue to Stamford Quarter by turning right down Shaw Road. Have a mosey around the shops and when you’re ready, head back towards the station via Cross Street.
- After all the excitement, seek a calm moment in Stamford Park - a short walk from the town centre. Simply cross over from Cross Street onto Moss Lane and continue until you reach the small but peaceful park, containing a charming cafe, children’s playground and some much needed peace and quiet!
- Finally, we suggest heading back to the tram station and going to the city centre (26 minutes of the green / purple line to Deansgate) where you can meet your participant for a celebratory drink.
We’re delighted to confirm that spectators will be able to get the estimated current locations, of all our runners on Sunday the 14th of April at the adidas Manchester Marathon.
How does this work?
Our timing points on the course will be placed at five locations (start, 10k, halfway, 30k and finish), and as a runner crosses this point their time will be instantly updated on the tracker. Between these points, the tracker will show a predicted location for each runner, based on their speed so far.
This should offer an excellent rough guide for when to look out for a friend or loved one on the course, or follow their progress at home.
Click the button below to access the predictive tracking website on the event day:
We have created a handy article about other methods you can use to track their progress and be there with them every step of the way which includes tips on how to use:
- 'Find My' App on Apple Devices
- Share Location on WhatsApp
- Strava Beacon Feature
We hope these options are helpful and allow you to experience the event more closely with your participant on the big day. Although we discourage spectators at the finish line due to crowds, a finish line live streaming is available to watch through the website and our Manchester Marathon YouTube channel.
*Please be advised that spectator space around the finish line is very congested. We recommend you avoid this area if possible, and you can reunite with runners outside Lancashire County Cricket Club.*
The finish area and the Event Village will be very busy, so we highly recommend you meet your participant away from the event village, perhaps somewhere where you can celebrate with a meal such as Deansgate, Charlton Cum Hardy or the Red Cafe at Old Trafford.
1. Deansgate
The lively pub scene in Deansgate never disappoints. Treat your runner to a tasty brunch at The Federal Bar, a pint at Deansgate Lock or their beverage of choice at one of the many other establishments.
2. Chorlton-cum-Hardy
Chorlton-cum-Hardy is a leafy suburb which runners pass at mile 24 and 25 of the course. It’s a great spot to meet your loved one away from the crowds. The Beagle is a firm favourite for its good beer and pizza, or the Jane Eyre if you want something a little fancier.
2. Red Cafe (Old Trafford Stadium)
The Red Cafe is a great spot for a relaxed meal and is also a good opportunity to see the famous Old Trafford ‘Theatre of Dreams’ stadium. Expect good portion sizes and the rich history of Manchester United football club.
3. Parks
If you do spectate near the event village then we recommend the parks in the map below to meet your participant once they have finished their challenge, why not pack a picnic, have a walk and make a wonderful afternoon of it.
Simpy click on the park you'd like to visit and your Google Maps will direct you there.
Use these handy tips to have the best experience supporting participants on their epic challenge.
Share pictures and videos on social media using #ManchesterMarathon and tagging us so that we can reshare your amazing pictures.
Visit the exclusive adidas 26.2 pop-up space at Feel Good Club from April 10th - 13th. This includes a customisation station where you can craft personalised event day support signage.
A live video stream of the finish line will be available to watch on the website and our adidas Manchester Marathon YouTube channel. The camera follow the Elite Race and will remain live at the finish line with a wide view showing every finisher as they cross the finish line. This is a great chance to look out for people you might know!
Below is a map that outline access times and routes in and out of the Event Village. Please note that this area is extremely busy which can make it difficult to find your runner. We recommend you meet your participants at one of our suggested meeting locations mentioned in 'Where to Meet Your Loved One' in the section.
Please take note of the one way and two way systems, as well as entry and exit gates and times.