Compiled and fact-checked by Tommo, Verus founder · Last verified August 2026 · Spot an error?
Running · Marathons
Manchester Marathon 2027
- Race day
- Sunday, 18 April 2027
- Location
- Manchester, UK
- Distance
- 26.2 mi / 42.2 km
Manchester Marathon: 18 April 2027. Entry, the UK's flattest major marathon course, charity places, a pace calculator.
Manchester Marathon Race Timeline
220 days to go
More than 84 days out — a good window to build a consistent base before marathon-specific training ramps up.
Manchester Marathon 2027: quick answers
When is Manchester Marathon 2027?
Manchester Marathon 2027 takes place on Sunday, 18 April 2027.
Where does Manchester Marathon start and finish?
Manchester Marathon starts at Old Trafford, Manchester and finishes at Old Trafford, Manchester.
How many miles is Manchester Marathon?
Manchester Marathon is 26.2 miles (42.2km).
How much elevation gain does Manchester Marathon have?
Manchester Marathon has approximately 121ft of total elevation gain. Yes — Manchester is widely regarded as the UK's flattest major marathon, with an independently-cited elevation gain of around 121ft (37m), well under half of London's or Brighton's. It's a genuinely popular choice for runners chasing a personal best.
How much does Manchester Marathon cost to enter?
Public entry for 2027 sold out within ten days of opening — over 40,000 places were taken. Pricing was tiered as places sold ('adidas Manchester Marathon' entry ran from £69 up to £94.99 across four price rises). With public entry closed, official charity partners are now the main route in.
How can I track a runner at Manchester Marathon?
No dedicated live-tracking app is confirmed for this event — check the official site for updates closer to race day.
Key Race Metrics & Overview
- Date
- Sunday, 18 April 2027
- Distance
- 26.2 miles / 42.2km
- Location
- Manchester, UK
- Start Point
- Old Trafford, Manchester
- Finish Point
- Old Trafford, Manchester
- Elevation gain
- 121 ft (37m)
- Surface
- Closed public roads, tarmac
- Cut-off time
- 6 hours from the start.
- Age requirement
- Runners must be 18 or over on race day.
- Tracking app
- No dedicated live-tracking app is confirmed for this event — check the official site for updates closer to race day.
Not published by the organiser at the time of writing: start time. Verus records these as unconfirmed rather than estimating them — check the official race website closer to race day.
Direct Entry Summary
Public entry for 2027 sold out within ten days of opening — over 40,000 places were taken. Pricing was tiered as places sold ('adidas Manchester Marathon' entry ran from £69 up to £94.99 across four price rises). With public entry closed, official charity partners are now the main route in.
Ballot Policy
No ballot — entry is first come, first served, with tiered pricing that rises as places sell out. 2027 public entry is already sold out.
Manchester Marathon Race Day Weather
A real forecast appears here once one exists for race day — usually about a week to ten days out. Nothing is shown until then, because a made-up forecast is worse than none.
Manchester Marathon Route Map & Elevation Profile
Starting at Old Trafford, Manchester and finishing at Old Trafford, Manchester. 121 ft of total elevation gain across 26.2 miles.
Is Manchester Marathon flat?
Yes — Manchester is widely regarded as the UK's flattest major marathon, with an independently-cited elevation gain of around 121ft (37m), well under half of London's or Brighton's. It's a genuinely popular choice for runners chasing a personal best.
Manchester Marathon Course Profile
121 ft total elevation gain.
Tap a point on the course for details.
Old Trafford, Manchester
Start line.
Stretford
The route heads out through Stretford on broad, flat suburban roads.
Sale & Timperley
Continuing out through Sale and Timperley — a course specifically designed with minimal turns and very little elevation change.
Altrincham
The furthest point out from Old Trafford before the route loops back for the finish.
Where Manchester Marathon starts and finishes
These are the start and finish points, not the route. Verus doesn't hold course files for this race, and drawing a line between two pins would be a guess you might end up training on. The official course map is the one to use: view it on the organiser's site .
Full Manchester Marathon Route Breakdown
A fast, flat loop starting and finishing at Old Trafford. The route heads out through Stretford, Sale, Timperley and Altrincham on broad suburban roads before looping back — a course specifically designed for PBs, with minimal turns and very little elevation change.
Manchester Marathon Pace Calculator & Splits
Manchester Marathon Pace Calculator
Enter a target finish time to see your pace and projected splits.
Average pace / mile
9:10
Average pace / km
5:42
Manchester Marathon Pace Chart
Split markers calculated for standard checkpoints — no official pacers are confirmed for this event.
| Target | Pace /mi | Pace /km | 5K | 10K | Half Marathon | 30K | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3:00 | 6:52 | 4:16 | 21:21 | 42:41 | 1:30:04 | 2:08:04 | 3:00:00 |
| 3:15 | 7:27 | 4:37 | 23:07 | 46:15 | 1:37:34 | 2:18:44 | 3:15:00 |
| 3:30 | 8:01 | 4:59 | 24:54 | 49:48 | 1:45:05 | 2:29:25 | 3:30:00 |
| 3:45 | 8:35 | 5:20 | 26:41 | 53:22 | 1:52:35 | 2:40:05 | 3:45:00 |
| 4:00 | 9:10 | 5:42 | 28:28 | 56:55 | 2:00:05 | 2:50:46 | 4:00:00 |
| 4:15 | 9:44 | 6:03 | 30:14 | 1:00:29 | 2:07:35 | 3:01:26 | 4:15:00 |
| 4:30 | 10:18 | 6:24 | 32:01 | 1:04:02 | 2:15:06 | 3:12:06 | 4:30:00 |
| 4:45 | 10:53 | 6:46 | 33:48 | 1:07:36 | 2:22:36 | 3:22:47 | 4:45:00 |
| 5:00 | 11:27 | 7:07 | 35:34 | 1:11:09 | 2:30:06 | 3:33:27 | 5:00:00 |
| 5:30 | 12:36 | 7:50 | 39:08 | 1:18:16 | 2:45:07 | 3:54:48 | 5:30:00 |
| 6:00 | 13:44 | 8:32 | 42:41 | 1:25:23 | 3:00:08 | 4:16:08 | 6:00:00 |
| 6:30 | 14:53 | 9:15 | 46:15 | 1:32:30 | 3:15:08 | 4:37:29 | 6:30:00 |
| 7:00 | 16:02 | 9:58 | 49:48 | 1:39:37 | 3:30:09 | 4:58:50 | 7:00:00 |
Manchester Marathon Finish Time Estimator
Enter a recent 5K, 10K or Half Marathon time to estimate your Manchester Marathon finish time.
Your 5K time
Estimated Manchester Marathon finish
3:59:36
An estimate only, based on Pete Riegel's race-time prediction formula. Real marathon performance depends on endurance, training specificity, pacing and race-day conditions — not just your speed over a shorter distance.
Training for a different distance? Try the full pace calculator, race time predictor or pace chart.
Got your target time? Save it to your profile.
Tag Manchester Marathon, set your goal pace, and let Verus track your countdown, training and fundraising in one place.
Start Your Verus JourneyManchester Marathon Race Day Checklist
Tap items to mark off your race-day readiness.
- Race number attached, and any timing chip fitted per your race pack instructions
- Weather-appropriate kit, plus something warm and disposable to discard before the start
- Your own gels/fuel if you have specific fuelling needs beyond what's on the course
- A plan for reaching Old Trafford — well served by Manchester's Metrolink tram network
- A meeting point agreed with family/friends at Old Trafford for after the race
Training Strategy for Manchester Marathon
16-20 weeks is the target window for first-time marathoners; 12-16 weeks is solid if you're already maintaining a baseline mileage. Arrive with your longest run behind you in training, not on race day itself.
This is a largely flat course, so most of your long runs can mirror that — flat and steady, building time on feet rather than hill strength.
Reduce overall mileage across the final 2-3 weeks while preserving short race-pace bursts. Arrive at Old Trafford, Manchester fresh, energized, and primed — not fit, fresh.
Lock in your target pace using the interactive splits calculator below — no official pacers are confirmed for this event, so a pace band on your watch is the more reliable option.
Test your race-day fuel and hydration plan on your long training runs, not for the first time on race day — check the Race Day Checklist below for what's actually on this course.
Marathon Nutrition & Fueling Plan
A modest increase in carbohydrate intake over the 2-3 days before the race — not one huge pasta dinner the night before — is the conventional approach to topping up glycogen stores for a marathon.
Breakfast should be carb-focused and eaten 2-3 hours before the start, using whatever you've already proven works in training.
On-course drink station contents for this event weren't published at the time of writing — carry your own gels/fuel if you have specific needs.
Within an hour of crossing the line, carbohydrate and protein together are what actually help you recover.
Manchester Marathon Charity Places 2027
With public entry sold out, charity places through official partners (including Mind, Alzheimer's Society, British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK and The Christie) are the main way in. Fees and minimum fundraising targets vary by charity — see the example below.
| Charity Partner | Entry Fee | Minimum Target |
|---|---|---|
| The Christie Charity | £20 | £400 |
Lead with your personal story — explain why the charity matters to you. Personal connection generates 3x more support than a generic link broadcast.
Share key training milestones on Instagram (first 10-miler, peak week, race week) with your fundraising link in bio. Publicly thanking donors prompts secondary gifts!
Running Manchester Marathon for charity?
Link your JustGiving page to Verus and show up right here alongside other Manchester Marathon fundraisers — goal, progress and story, all in one place.
Add Your Fundraiser to VerusWhere to Stay for Manchester Marathon
Old Trafford / Stretford
Right at the start and finish — the most convenient option for race morning and for a short journey back afterwards.
Fewer hotel options than Manchester city centre.
Manchester city centre
The most hotel choice by far, well connected to Old Trafford via Metrolink.
You'll need a short tram journey to reach the start rather than walking.
Travel & Logistics
Old Trafford is well served by Manchester's Metrolink tram network, with Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Victoria mainline stations connecting onward across the city.
Roads along the route through Stretford, Sale, Timperley and Altrincham are closed for the duration of the event.
Spectator & Cheer Guide
As a loop course, spectators based near Old Trafford can see runners pass at multiple points without travelling far.
Manchester's Metrolink tram network makes it realistic to reposition between viewing points along the route during the race.
No dedicated live-tracking app is confirmed for this event — check the official site for updates closer to race day.
Manchester Marathon Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know for race weekend.
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Race details independently compiled and fact-checked by Tommo against the official Manchester Marathon site , last verified August 2026. Always confirm official timings and policies directly prior to race day.