Report by John Edmunds

Race date 20th May 2018

I’m not sure if I was the only Strider there on the day, with most of the club seemingly at the Liverpool Rock ‘n’ Roller, but over 30,000 runners at Manchester will have made it very easy to miss people. The half marathon is one of a number of races as part of the Great Manchester run. There were races for children and a 10k in the afternoon. I heard Mo Farah was going to turn up just as I’d finished.

Others at Liverpool will know this was a warm day, and I was grateful for a 9 am start time. Even so, the course is all tarmac, and there is the precious shade on the way around. In a way that was a shame because it is a flat course, with the only things approximating a hill being a fly-over and a pedestrian bridge, and so if it wasn’t for the heat would be a good one for a PB. The route goes from Manchester centre, out to the Etihad Stadium, doubles back on itself and then crosses the city to Old Trafford before doubling back once more to the centre for the finish.

It was extremely well marshalled, had enough water points and even a couple of run through showers toward the end which I took advantage of. Smashing support from spectators on the way around, who seemed to delight in calling your name out from your bib number. “Come on John” from a bunch of strangers helps lift the spirits. No PB for me, but 1h 58m by my watch is a result I was happy with on the day. I thought a steady pace in the heat was the right approach and was glad to avoid becoming one of the odd heatstroke cases in the final couple of miles.

Great event, worth doing again.

7653 runners took part with Craig Pilsbury coming in first at 01:12:58. Carley Needham of Rochdale Harriers & AC was the first woman home in 01:19:30

Full results here