Well, Mancs, it’s that time again – time to lace up our running shoes, get our homemade signs at the ready and pray for good weather as the Manchester Marathon is nearly hereand we have tips.
2024 is already shaping up to be a historic year for one of Europe’s most popular races and the UK’s second flattest marathon (good news for those of you taking part) and we genuinely can’t wait to see the city and the rest of Greater Manchester buzzing with excitement as hordes of runners descend on 0161.
But before we come flying out of the traps too fast, you know what they say: fail to prepare, prepare to fail. Luckily, we’re sure all of you wonderful people have been putting the same graft into training as you do any other day. Nevertheless, we’ve still got some extra bits of useful advice for this final week.
And it’s not just from us part-time runners; Team GB Olympic marathon runner and professional adidas athlete, Steph Kessell (née Davis) has been kind enough to share her seven biggest tips to make sure you’re all sorted for when you hear the starting pistol. Let’s hand it over to the expert, shall we?
Pro runner Steph Kessell has given us here top tips for the Manchester Marathon (Credit: adidas Manchester Marathon)
Seven top tips for the 2024 adidas Manchester Marathon
1. Taper
In the final week, your overall training volume and intensity should have dropped to less than 50% so you can get to the start line of the marathon feeling fresh and raring to go.
Your last higher-intensity session should be four to five days before the marathon and include some marathon-paced intervals, but not many of them! You can find suggested event week sessions in the Manchester Marathon training plans HERE.
2. SLEEP!
Sounds simple but we can’t stress enough how big a step this is as sleep is the most important recovery aid. Hopefully, you have been getting plenty of sleep throughout your training block but during this final week prioritise early nights and aim to get your 8 hours.
It’s common to not sleep very well the night before the challenge but don’t stress; if you’ve been able to sleep well in the build-up, then this won’t affect your event. If you can’t sleep, try to stay in bed and relax – this is still good rest and recovery time.
3. Hydrate
If there’s even just one of these tips that you take seriously for the Manchester Marathon, make it this. (Credit: Nigel Msipa via Unsplash)
Again, sounds simple but so crucial. You want to go into race day feeling hydrated, as dehydration has a negative effect on performance, even if it’s not that warm outside. Carry a water bottle around with you to remind you to drink regularly aiming for at least 1.5 litres a day right up until the big day.
If you have some electrolyte tabs handy then take one daily as well as one the evening before the event to ensure you are extra hydrated come your start time.
4. Make sure to prep your kit properly
If you haven’t worn your event day kit for a run yet, then this is your final chance to test it out. You want to feel comfortable, wear the right amount of layers and avoid chafing. Nothing is more annoying than being distracted by an itchy hat or the wrong pair of undies (yeah, we said it).
From sports bras, socks, heart rate monitors, race belts and hydration packs, try absolutely everything that you plan to wear when it’s go-time the night before at the very least, so that way you can feel confident on the start line.
5. Strategise
At the start of event week write out a plan for the event day. What pace will you start at? When will you take on fuel? Where are the water, gels and toilet stops? It all counts and most importantly helps keep you in control. When you’ve planned this out in advance and read over it again and again before the day, it’ll help you feel more relaxed and confident because you already what you’re going to do.
A detailed plan can also be a good distraction from the nerves as it gives you something to focus on. Break it down into five to seven stages or so and take each part as it comes. You can find info on all of this HERE.
Credit: MCR Marathon
6. Plan how you’re getting there
Another one that will help ease your nerves. Don’t leave it until the morning of to decide how you are going to travel there. Plan out your route and leave plenty of time to get there.
A leisurely start to the day will be more pleasant than a last-minute frantic dash trying to find the bag drop and loos. You can find plenty of useful travel information and more in our full guide to the 2024 Manchester Marathon.
7. Stay warm
We mean this both figuratively and literally. Marathons often require an early start which means it can be cold (and it is Manchester, after all), so as well as warming up, stretching and keeping those limbs loose, bring a top or jumper you want to donate to charity to keep you warm at the start line.
At the Manchester Marathon, you can keep wearing this right up until the end of the start chute where you will see signs to show you where to donate it as you get close to the start gantry — just make sure that you don’t drop it too early! It’s a nice touch that we love.
And that should just about do ya’. We’re strong believers in preparation playing a key part in all walks of life and, in this case, the bits where you’re running too. Cheers for the help, Steph.
At the end of the day, it’s also worth reminding that the Manchester Marathon is also just an incredible day for the city and the region as a whole too, so tips or not just go out there and enjoy it.
We’re glad to inform you that we’ll have feet on the ground representing The Manc as well, so you’re not this alone – in fact, far from it as there’s a record 32,000 of us taking part this year.
A night of bare knuckle boxing is coming to Manchester’s AO Arena
Danny Jones
More fighting action is heading Manchester’s way as a night of bare-knuckle boxingis coming to the AO Arena.
The city’s iconic arena has seen plenty of entertainment and combat sports over the decades, including plenty of famous boxing bouts in those years, and now the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) is bringing its latest event to its doors.
It’s not the first time the BKFC has landed at the AO Arena, but with a extra tasty fight card booked for the upcoming night in Manchester, it’s tipped to be one of the best yet.
Wrists wrapped, guards up and fists at the ready, this is sure to be one of the feistiest nights on the Manc sporting calendar, hands-down.
Set to be headlined by two-time world boxing champion James DeGale vs Matt Floyd in a light heavyweight showdown, not to mention a co-main event crossover clash between Aaron Chalmers and former Love Island star turned fighter Jack Fincham, that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
There’s also a UK Lightweight Title is on the line, with Jonny Graham facing off against Navid Mansouri, as well as fan favourite and Bolton‘s very own Jack Cullen returning to take on the experienced Moldovan mauler, Stanislav Grosu.
It’s fair to say even prior the closers, this is a stacked undercard of British and international contenders, so its no wonder there’s already plenty of eyes on this particular edition of BKFC.
Speaking ahead of the fight night, Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship President, David Feldman, said: “BKFC 81 is a statement night for our UK expansion, Manchester is a fight city and this is one of our most explosive UK cards yet.
“James DeGale is a proven champion and a massive attraction. Pairing him with a live threat like Matt Floyd at the AO Arena is everything fans love about BKFC, elite talent, high stakes, and action from first bell to last, this is an unmissable event.”
Turning to the two headliners themselves, DeGale says “fans can expect skill, spite, and a KO”, while Floyd added that while he respects what his opponent has achieved in his career thus far, “[he’s] coming to shock the world in Manchester.”
As you can see, the promotion has a number of dates to play out before BKFC 81 gets underway at the AO Arena next month, but you won’t get many with the same kind of energy Northern crowds guarantee.
Kicking off on Saturday, 27 September, the venues pre-sale window is already open and general admission tickets go live at 10am this Sunday (24 Aug).
Manchester City supporters groups call on club and fellow fans to ‘make their voices heard’
Danny Jones
A collection of Manchester City supporters groups has urged both the club and the fans themselves to “make [their] voice heard” this season, following this year’s protests over the new and “drastic” ticketing policy.
Man City fans gathered both before and after the game against Wolves back in April to make their feeling known regarding season ticket changes.
Appealing to manager Pep Guardiola directly, insisting that he needs their energy to get the kind of “alive” crowds he’s also called for in the past, ‘The 1984’ has now been joined by four other supporters trusts in reaffirming their aims for the new campaign.
Sharing a new joint statement on social media, the five fan groups say that “last season saw unprecedented off-pitch unrest among City fans in the post-Maine Road era”, and the only way to avoid further disruption is to listen and heed their warnings.
STATEMENT FROM CITY FAN GROUPS AS WE ENTER THE NEW SEASON
After last season's protests, 2025/26 sees the most drastic changes to season tickets we've ever had. We ask supporters to use their voices & the club to put fans first going forward.
— MCFC Fans Foodbank Support (@MCFCfoodbank) August 21, 2025
Writing on behalf of the aforementioned 1894 group, Canal Street Blues, MCFC Fans Foodbank Support, Solid Citizens, Trade Union Blues and nearly 700 official members, as you can see, they penned a lengthy open letter to the club and the City Football Group (CFG).
“Despite recent success on the field,” they say, “two major in-stadium protests took place, with an estimated 16,000+ fans delaying their entry at the Leicester and Wolves games, and thousands more joining silent protests.
“The triggers were rising ticket prices, season ticket availability, poor supporter engagement (including the Club refusing to meet City Matters on ticket prices for months), and away fans in home sections – often linked to third-party resellers like Viagogo, whose new partnership with the Club proved the breaking point.”
They also conceded that the freeze in the cost of a full season ticket and reduced matchday prices were a welcome breath of fresh air and stirred hope for better fan engagement moving forward.
However, as the statement continues, “Unfortunately, the Club has instead introduced sweeping changes to season ticket terms and conditions, hitting some of our most loyal supporters and damaging long-standing fan culture.”
You can see all of the new and almost universally opposed ticket changes listed in full via bullet points above, but standouts include an unprecedented ’10-game personal attendance policy’ – the first of its kind in English football – stricter ticket transfer rules, and even new facial recognition scanners.
We completely agree. No warning in the middle of summer, communicated by one email on the same day that it was announced? Horrendous.
— MCFC Fans Foodbank Support (@MCFCfoodbank) August 21, 2025
Fan reaction online has been as you would expect; most City supporters are in almost overwhelming agreement with the concerns raised in the latest communication, particularly in the minimum attendance and transfer rules, adding: “the latter directly undermines the stated aim of ‘keeping the stadium full.'”
“There are also fears some of these rules won’t apply equally to hospitality season ticket holders, introducing worries of inequality between fans,” the statement continues.
“These changes create unnecessary workload for ticket office staff, introduce barriers for digitally excluded fans, force some into paid memberships, and erode supporter culture.
“All [the] while, City Matters, our elected Fan Advisory Board, has repeatedly faced delays and broken deadlines for meeting minutes, with the most recent minutes now 59 days overdue from the June meeting. No one wants constant conflict with the Club, but when official channels fail, protest becomes the only option. Last season proved that fan action can drive change.”
“We call on all Blues to:
Track and record if and how these changes affect you.
Make your voice heard – online, via City Matters, and through fan groups.
Join fan groups such as 1894, the Disabled Supporters Association, Canal Street Blues, Trade Union Blues, and your local OSC branch to discuss issues with fellow Blues.”
Lastly, they have called on the club to rethink their current policies surrounding personal attendance and ticket transfers, “take a ‘fans first’ approach when it comes to all future policies affecting supporters, engaging in meaningful consultation with fan representatives,” and publish fan meetings “on time.”
What do you make of the supporter groups’ statement and, more importantly, how do you feel about recent changes to season tickets and matchday admission, City fans?
Danny Jones -
7th April 2024 
