Sport
Part of the 2025 Manchester Marathon has been named after Jamie Laing following his ultra fundraiser
A limited number of marathon places have also been released in celebration.
Danny Jones -
22nd March 2025 
Comic Relief has a new hero, and after his ultra-distance and ultra-hard fundraising feats, Jamie Laing has officially had a section of the 2025 Manchester Marathon named after him.
He’s come a long way from the days of McVitie’s fortune and Made in Chelsea moments.
The English TV personality turned presenter, podcaster, and businessman embarked on an unbelievable ultra-marathon running challenge last month, setting himself the task of running a total of 150 miles for Comic Relief. With no training…
Making his way from London all the way to Manchester and in Salford Quays, specifically, where the BBC coverage team and thousands of spectators met him with rapturous applause, he completed the unbelievable distance and was in tears at the finish. Here’s the moment he did it:
Full of emotion after not only having smashed the five ultra marathons in five days – he had never run anywhere near this distance before in his life – but after raising nearly £3 million for the cause and counting, there were hugs and plenty of tears all around.
Laing described the experience as “the most beautiful thing I’ve ever experienced in my entire life” and said that a big part of the journey was battling through and drawing attention to the issues surrounding mental health, admitting, “I have suffered, and I do suffer, and that’s OK.”
We had very little connection to the Oxford-born celebrity prior to this (beyond a love for his great-great-grandad’s biscuits baked just down the road in Stockport), but now we have huge respect for him and would make him an honorary Manc if we could.
Now, while we don’t have that power at present, we’ll have to settle for the next best thing, which comes courtesy of the Adidas Manchester Marathon.
With Laing having officially completed his consecutive ultra marathon challenge, the organisers have named a section of this year’s route through Greater Manchester in his honour.
Come on, how cool is that?
Finally confirmed via a spot on BBC Radio 1 this week, Mancs taking on the biggest run of the year will run through ‘Radio 1’s Laing Lane’ down Chester Road when the race rolls around on Sunday, 27 April.
Even more excitingly, Laing‘s achievement has also seen a limited number of marathon places – 12 to be specific – released too, so anyone who missed out has an extra chance of having their own hero moment.
Naturally, all proceeds are going straight to the Comic Relief cause.
Andrew Smith, CEO of A.S.O. (Amaury Sport Organisation) UK, the country’s leading mass participation events company, said of the achievement: “Jamie’s challenge is nothing short of heroic – five ultramarathons in five days is no easy feat!
“Not only has he crossed the finish line, but he’s also raised an incredible £2.7 million for Comic Relief. If he did pass through our 2025 route, we’ll be proud to name that stretch after him – a lasting tribute to his endurance, energy, and impact.”
🚨12 PLACES UP FOR GRABS! 🚨 To celebrate Jamie Laing’s feat, we’re naming a section of our route LAING LANE! 🎉 We’re also opening up 12 places for the 2025 adidas Manchester Marathon, 100% of the entry fee goes to Comic Relief.
— Manchester Marathon (@Marathon_Mcr) March 31, 2025
Find more info here: https://t.co/Kh9sUIJeNV 🔗 pic.twitter.com/J6Bpjc9a4W
Read more:
- Manchester Marathon to host the 2025 English Championships
- Sir Gareth Southgate says young men ‘need better role models’ – and more of them
- The female-only trail race that’s been running through Salford for over 30 years
We’re just over a month away from the 2025 race, the fourth-largest in all of Europe, and with a couple of members of The Manc team taking it on again this year, we cannot wait.
A new finish line has already been announced for this year’s route, and while we can’t tell you exactly which part of the Manchester Marathon will be named after Jamie Laing just yet, we promise to give it an extra pump when we pass through wherever it is.
It’s also worth reminding you that the general public can still donate to his incredible Red Nose Day fundraiser right HERE.
Greater Manchester’s running culture continues to flourish with more clubs, events and representation than ever. You just love to see it.
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Featured Images — The Manc Group/Supplied
