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Everything you need to know ahead of the 2023 Great Manchester Run

It's nearly that time again and we can't wait.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 19th May 2023

We’re now just six weeks out from the 2023 Great Manchester Run and while tens of thousands have already signed up, countless more are set to join in for the event’s 20th anniversary.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re an experienced runner or a complete newbie, the Great Manchester Run is a wonderful staple in the city centre’s annual calendar, with enormous crowds gathering every year to cheer on those taking part. It really is one of those days you don’t want to miss out on.

Luckily, there’s still plenty of time to sign up and for anyone on the fence, we want to make sure you have everything you need to not only persuade you to get involved but to make sure you feel prepared.

That being said, here’s how the day is going to look if you’re getting involved:

Great Manchester Run route, baggage holds and starting location

Once you’re all signed up and have found out what wave you’re in, it’s just a case of getting where you need to be and limbering up for your big moment. The half marathon, 10K orange wave and 10k pink wave access the assembly area via Princess Street. As for the HM red wave, 10k green and 10k purple, you can access the assembly point by Charlotte Street.

If you’re looking for where to store your bags, there are two separate areas: one at Manchester Central foyer and then the baggage buses on Jackson Row.

Runners will then gather on the corner of Portland Street and Oxford Road — yes, the one right near the Maccies — and before you set off for what we hope is a personal best (I mean, it will be if this is your first!) — you’ll take part in a big group warm-up.

And the best part is, you’ll have a full team of instructors with megaphones to talk you through everything you need to do during the warm-ups. No more random and ill-executed stretches based off something you saw on the telly once. Here are the routes for the Great MCR 10k and Half Marathon:

10k route
Half marathon route

Great MCR Run timetable

Half marathon

  • 07:30 – Event site open
  • 08:20 – Warm-up
  • 08:29 – VI Half marathon wave start
  • 08:30 – Orange wave start
  • 08:47 – Red wave start

10K

  • 09:04 – Elite wheelchair (10k) race start
  • 10:25 – Junior and mini-wave start
  • 11:15 – Elite women start
  • 11:18 – Orange, red and green wave warm-up
  • 11:30 – Elite men and orange wave start
  • 11:49 – Red wave start
  • 11:53 – Green wave start
  • 12:25 – Pink and purple wave warm-up
  • 12:36 – Pink wave start
  • 12:54 – Purple wave start

As for when it finishes, that’s up to you, folks!

Credit: AJ Bell Great Manchester Run

Training plans

As mentioned, you’ve still got plenty of time to get yourself ready to race on the 21 May and not only are the Great Run organisers allowing people to enter right up until the Friday before the event, but they’ve also put together bespoke training plans for each distance, all designed by the experts.

Don’t worry if you feel like you might not be on track, the plans are broken down into different time periods and are merely a guideline to help you feel ready for the day — people from all ages and capabilities turn up for the Great MCR Run and adjust accordingly, you’re going to smash it, we’re sure.

In fact, they’ve even got Scottish long-distance runner Eilish McColgan who set the British 10k record just last week as their official ambassador this year, and you can even follow her training tips and advice hub for this year’s event.

Post-race festivities + medal and shirt collection

Another thing we love about the Great Manchester Run is that it’s always party from start to finish and this year promises to be bigger than ever.

With music zones, big speakers and live bands at virtually every turn, not to mention roaring charity cheering squads and the incredible local support lining streets to cheer you on, it’s an experience like no other. The timed pacers will be even going further to spur you on this year by blasting out tunes all along the course too, meaning you’ll never be short of motivation.

Once you’ve finished, all the runners, along with their families and friends, can kick back, relax and enjoy the post-race celebrations in the Après Run Zone, where there’ll be food, drinks and a live DJ to make sure you’re refreshed and the vibes are immaculate after it’s all said and done.

Lastly, one of the best bits about taking part in a big run like this is getting the customary shirt and medals to prove it and, luckily for those taking part, this year’s Great Manchester Run commemorative shirt and finisher’s medal — inspired by the 20th anniversary of the event — are both belters.

Great Manchester Run road closures and travel advice

Now, if you’re coming from out of town or simply wondering the best way to get about on the day, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) are advising people to take public transport wherever possible due to the increased traffic and numerous roads being closed throughout the day.

Fortunately, as well as the likes of Piccadilly, Oxford Road, Deansgate and Victoria train stations, Manchester is famous for its Metrolink tram network, which has a total of 99 stops, many of which are right where you need to be for the run itself.

You might also be treated to a special announcement by Sir Mo Farah on your journey, as the Olympic legend intends to retire shortly after the 2023 Great Manchester Run.

The nearest stops to the start and finish lines are St Peter’s Square and Deansgate-Castlefield, respectively — you simply just need to tap on and tap off to pay for your journey. When in doubt, you can always use the TfGM website to plan your journey and live updates will be available via their Twitter.

As for road closures, you can see a full interactive map down below to find out what’s shutting from when and what time it’ll be back open:

As for any last-minute queries — say if you haven’t received your race number yet or need to pick up your pack in person — you can visit the AJ Bell branded marquee on Great Northern Square on Saturday and Sunday, which is open from 10am-4pm on Saturday and 7.30am-3pm on Sunday.

Read more:

As always, the whole thing will be televised on BBC from 11am until 1pm and there are plenty of places for family and friends to line the street and cheer you on.

With Mo Farah also set to push through his penultimate race before hanging up his racing shoes for good too, you’ll be running alongside greatness, or rather he will be — this day is all about you lot.

Marking two decades of Mancs running their socks off for good causes, a sense of pride and simply to be part of this wonderful city-centre occasion, the 2023 Great Manchester Run is sure to be better than ever.

Here’s why:

The 2023 Great Manchester Run is going to be truly special.

Sign up for the Great Manchester Run 10k or half marathon HERE.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Image – AJ Bell Great Manchester Run

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Here & Now – The Steps Musical is coming to Manchester

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Here & Now - The Steps Musical is coming to Manchester

A musical inspired by pop band Steps is coming to Manchester this year, and the principal cast for Here & Now has now been confirmed. 

The musical features Steps’ most beloved hit songs, including Tragedy, Heartbeat, Stomp, the One For Sorrow, Better Best Forgotten, 5,6,7,8, Last Thing On My Mind, Love’s Got A Hold Of My Heart, Chain Reaction, and many more. 

The story is set in seaside superstore Better Best Bargains, where it’s Friday night, the vibe is right, and everyone’s dancing in the aisles. 

But when Caz discovers the shelves are stocked with lies and betrayal, the summer of love she and her friends dreamed of suddenly feels like a tragedy. Have they all lost their chance of a ‘happy ever after’? Or does love have other plans in store…?

Here & Now has an original book by Shaun Kitchener and is directed by Rachel Kavanaugh, with choreography by Olivier Award-winning Matt Cole and Matt Spencer-Smith as musical supervisor, orchestrator and arranger.

The show is produced by Steps themselves, ROYO, and pop legend Pete Waterman.

Producers have now confirmed that Rebecca Lock will star as Caz, returning from the original run in Birmingham. 

Here & Now – The Steps Musical is coming to Manchester

Finty Williams will play Patricia, Blake Patrick Anderson will be Robbie, River Medway (fan favourite on the third season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, BBC) is Jem, Edward Baker Duly (The King and I) as Max and John Stacey as Lesley.

There are new cast members joining the principal cast too, including Jacqui Dubois (Ghost The Musical UK tour) as Vel, Chris Grahamson (NOW That’s What I Call A Musical UK and Ireland tour) as Gareth and Rosie Singha (& Juliet UK and Ireland tour) as Neeta.

Set design by Tom Rogers, costume design by Gabriella Slade, lighting design by Howard Hudson, sound design by Adam Fisher, wigs, hair and makeup design by Sam Cox, casting by Will Burton for Grindrod Burton Casting, Music Technology by Phij Adams with Production Management by Setting Line.

Steps are one of the biggest pop bands of a generation, made up of Claire Richards, Faye Tozer, Ian ‘H’ Watkins, Lee Latchford-Evans and Lisa Scott-Lee. 

In their career they achieved 14 top five singles, four number one albums, 22 million record sales, 500 million streams and 11 sold-out national arena tours.  

Steps’ 2017 comeback tour was one of the biggest pop tours of that year, with 300,000 tickets sold, and they’ve continued to release new music.

You can find out more about Here & Now and book tickets HERE. 

Featured image: Supplied

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All the talented winners of this year’s Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting 

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson All the talented winners of this year’s Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting 

The winners of this year’s Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting have been announced, as the major award continues to elevate new voices.

This year’s overall winner is British-Nigerian writer Tolu Okanlawon, with his debut play SHOOTERS, which follows African American photojournalist Gordon Parks as he documents the lives of a group of teenage boys in 1940s Harlem for Life Magazine. 

In his play, Tolu focuses on the question of who has the right to tell another person’s story, delving into themes of power, vulnerability and accurate representation.

Tolu has received a £20,000 award at the Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting, with the winners announced at a glittering ceremony at the Royal Exchange Theatre last Monday. 

Previous winners of the Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting have included Phoebe Eclair-Powell, Duncan Macmillan, Alistair McDowall, Janice Okoh, Nathan Queeley-Dennis and Katherine Soper.

This is a landmark year for the Prize, which is marking its 20th anniversary and celebrating the long-standing collaboration between Bruntwood (one of the UK’s leading commercial property developers), The Oglesby Charitable Trust, and the renowned Royal Exchange Theatre. 

Also announced at the ceremony are the winners of this year’s Prize categories, which champion writers across the globe and at all stages of their playwriting careers. 

The Judges Award, and a £10,000 prize, went to Przewalski’s Horses by Silva Semerciyan, which follows a woman fleeing war-torn Kyiv as she seeks refuge with her estranged grandmother in the radioactive wilderness of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. 

She has previously been shortlisted for the Bruntwood Prize, and for the Off West End Awards.

Jesús I. Valles, a queer Mexican immigrant writer-performer from Texas, won The International Award with SPREAD, which follows a group of boys in 9th grade as they navigate the balance of childhood and the ever-present push of adult pressures.

R Lady’s by Daisy Miles received the North-West Original New Voice Award and Residency. 

The Stockport-born writer is currently training with the Royal Exchange Theatre’s Young Company of Writers, and R Lady’s is her first full-length play.

The Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting event at the Royal Exchange Theatre
The Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting event at the Royal Exchange Theatre

For the first time, a special commendation has also been awarded as part of the North-West Original New Voice Award, to disabled, hard of hearing, neurodivergent writer and actor Terri Jade Donovan, who was recognised for their play DOG DOG DOG – an unpredictable exploration of the impact of childhood trauma and neglect.

Terri was awarded a £5,000 grant.

Selina Cartmell, Artistic Director at the Royal Exchange Theatre and judge for the Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting, said: “As a judge for this prize in its landmark 20th year, I’ve had the extraordinary privilege of reading work that has challenged, surprised, and moved me in equal measure. 

“Our 15 shortlisted writers represent something remarkable – the courage to imagine different worlds, to ask uncomfortable questions, and to trust us with their most profound creative insights. 

“Each script on our shortlist offers a unique window into who we are as a society, and more importantly, who we might become. SHOOTERS is an extraordinary play beautifully crafted by Tolu Okanlawon, a huge congratulations to him, to our other winners and to every writer who has shared their bold visions with us. 

“None of this would be possible without the remarkable partnership between the Royal Exchange Theatre, the Oglesby Charitable Trust, and Bruntwood. So, let’s celebrate our shortlisted writers, honour our partnerships, and look forward to a future filled with the stories we haven’t yet imagined.”

Chris Oglesby, CEO of Bruntwood, added: “The Bruntwood Prize was born out of a deeply held passion that my parents had for theatre, in particular the Royal Exchange, and their recognition that a vital part of its ecology was new writing. 

“20 years later, we are still uncovering incredible new stories and brilliantly talented new writers. The success of this Prize is testament to the wonderful partnership both the Oglesby Charitable Trust and Bruntwood have with the Exchange and is proof that philanthropy is about so much more than making a donation. 

“Together we have created a Prize that now has international reach, putting Manchester on the map as a home for phenomenal new writing. 

“The Prize has continued to champion and recognise the hard work of writers and the impact that plays can have on those who watch them. Today, we get to celebrate more winning writers, and I cannot wait to see what they do next.”

You can find out more and see all the winners HERE.

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Featured image: The Manc Group

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