The Manchester Marathon rocks up to the city centre and surrounding areas once again this weekend and we genuinely can’t wait.
More importantly, given that it’s not only one of the city’s biggest events of the year but the second-largest marathon in the UK after London and the fourth largest in Europe, there’s going to be plenty happening on the day and in the lead-up.
With that in mind, we thought we’d give a quick run-through of everything you can expect come Sunday. Whether you’re taking part or simply turning up to cheer on the runners from the sidelines, we want to make sure you know where to be and when, as well as how to make the most of the day.
How about we start with what time it all kicks off?
Manchester Marathon starting line 2021.
2023 Manchester Marathon Timetable
It doesn’t matter what wave you’re in or what level of capability you are, we do things at our own peace around here, and with more than 28,000 people registered to take part on Sunday, 16 April, you can expect some serious numbers lining the streets of Greater Manchester to show their support.
That being said, if you want to know where you need to be either as a participant or as a punter, we’ve got your covered.
Onto the Manchester Marathon Route for 2023 itself and for those of you running it for the first time, you’ll be pleased to know it’s also the UK’s flattest major marathon — though we’re sure plenty of you knew that already.
Virtually the same as last year’s route only with a few slight tweaks to some of the turns, the run will see you start under the Trafford Arch, heading through the likes of Hulme on your way into the city centre and back down past Old Trafford, towards Stretford; then Sale, Timperely; all the way down to Altrincham before looping round to Baguley and Sale Moor, onto Chorlton-cum-Hardy and back to Old Trafford.
We feel it always helps to visualise the route, so it’s a good job the organisers have thought of that too:
Travel advice
Now, as you all know, several major roads running throughout the city and surrounding areas will be closed for prolonged periods on the day of the big run and whether you’re a local or travelling in from elsewhere, it’s worth knowing where you can be and where’s best to avoid too.
Lucky for you, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) have plenty of useful travel advice for competitors, spectators and everyone else in the area this weekend, just simply check out their website.
For starters, it’s worth noting that public transport around Manchester and Trafford will be very busy before, during and after the race, with several bus services set to be diverted and even those not directly impacted by the marathon route may still be affected by displaced traffic and congestion.
It goes without saying that there will also be a significant number of road closures throughout Sunday as well. However, once again, the wonderful organisers have you covered; you can see the full list of closures HERE and they have even put together an interactive map for you to check what’s shut when:
People are also being advised to leave their cars at home where possible to avoid the busy roads, or to at least use the free park-and-ride services on the way into Manchester and travel to their destinations via our city’s wonderful tram network.
Metrolink will be operating a six-minute frequency on the Altrincham line with more double trams and increased capacity along various other lines too. That being said, services are expected to be extremely busy throughout the day, so if you can travel flexibly, the predicted quietest time to travel is after 4pm.
Once you’ve tapped on and tapped off, most fan corners, cheer zones and regular spots for supporters to gather together should only be a short walk away from your chosen tram stop.
Event Village, Entertainment and the Post-Race Party
A cold beer after the fact might be the only thing that will rival the feeling of crossing that finish line.
Last but not least, aside from the incredible graft all of the wonderful runners are all going to put in over the 26.2 miles, marathon weekend is also about the fun, fanfare and festivities on show from start to finish and this year looks set to be bigger than ever.
Not only will those taking part being spurred on every step of the way by charitable organisations, choirs and live bands, as well as pumping music and cheer zones ran by groups from all over the UK at regular intervals, but this year’s Event Village has everything you will need before and after the race.
Located around the Emirates Old Trafford cricket ground, Event Village is where you’ll find the bag drop and running pack collection (available until 5pm Saturday, 15 April for anyone who did not receive their pack in the post), as well as food, drink, warm-down services, and where to pick up your post-race rewards, with plenty more music playing to celebrate your achievement.
For those staying in town for the event, the team have even put together a weekend guide to make sure you know where you can post up for the day, what’s on in Manchester from Friday to Sunday, where to eat and much, much more.
As for you racers, the only other thing you need to do is grab your well-earned finishers shirts and medals to wear with pride. Here’s how they look this year:
This year finisher’s shirt and medal designs. Absolute beauties.
We wish everyone the very best of luck for the 2023 Manchester Marathon this Sunday, 16 April.
It’s always a memorable day for the city and surrounding boroughs and we can’t wait to see thousands of Mancunians, fellow Brits and indeed people from all around the world turn up for the action.
The Manc will be there cheering you on every step of the way, now go and smash it!
The Manchester charity that’s championing the community one step at a time
Thomas Melia
There’s a Manchester-based charity which is helping uplift and champion communities throughout the city centre and wider Greater Manchester region.
Us Mancs certainly know a thing or two about community, whether it’s our influential music scene, football clubs, our hospitality scene and so on, but Forever Manchester takes this to the next level.
This charity has been consistently funding and supporting community initiatives throughout Greater Manchester by helping people achieve the extraordinary, all while maintaining plenty of local pride.
Forever Manchester was born from a mission to support the people and places that make Greater Manchester magic, and is all about making sure the community is at the forefront of everything they do.
Credit: Forever Manchester
The community-first charity has invested over £65 million into local communities and awarded £517,968 to over 100 different community groups.
This isn’t a new charity either, Forever Manchester has been deep in our city’s culture for quite some time since launching in 1989, most notably commissioning local poet Tony Walsh’s ‘This is the Place’.
The piece was originally published in 2012 before finding a very special place in our hearts back in 2017 when Walsh performed the poem at a vigil for the Manchester Arena attack.
This love letter to Manchester has not only gone on to become a part of the city’s history but also reaffirmed this organisation’s place throughout communities in the region.
Credit: Supplied
Now, the community-minded charity is ready to make a mark in 2025 with a whole host of initiatives, including a Forever Manchester lottery, pub quizzes, comedy nights and disco bingo.
Anyone looking to find out more information about this community-first charity and see some examples of the work it does can visit Forever Manchester’s official website.
Remember, this is a city that looks after its own – that’s the kind of energy we want to see you keeping up all year long.
And, if you have a soft spot for a tote bag or wall art prints, look no further than Forever Manchester’s shop, where every purchase directly contributes to community activities in Greater Manchester HERE.
Billie Eilish at Co-op Live, Manchester – tickets, times, setlist and more for UK tour
Thomas Melia
Billie Eilish is ready to take over Co-op Live for four nights of tear-jerking, heart-wrenching, belly-aching hits right here in Manchester.
Ms. ‘Ocean Eyes’ herself is coming to Manchester this month, and we’re on hand with all the info you need so you don’t have to ‘Guess’ anything on the day of your show.
Billie Eilish has cemented her position in the music industry as one of the leading hitmakers, and at only 23 years old, this artist has won nine Grammy Awards and racked up three UK number-one singles.
The American star has been grafting since her early teens, dropping her first ever EP, don’t smile at me, in 2017 at only 16 years old and has reached height after height ever since.
Billie Eilish gig guide
Billie Eilish is playing at Co-op Live in Manchester on 19, 20, 22 and 23 July.Credit: Press shot (supplied)
Her latest album ‘Hit Me Hard and Soft’, which is also the name of the tour, is Eilish’s third studio album and it’s stacked with bangers like ‘Birds of a Feather’, ‘Lunch’ and ‘Wildflower’, just to name a few.
Are there tickets left for Billie Eilish tickets in Manchester?
Anyone after tickets to any of the upcoming Billie Eilish gigs in Manchester might be in for a ‘not-so-lovely’ surprise, as you can expect, as most general tickets are sold out.
However, anyone who’s missed out on tickets for Billie’s FOUR-gig run in Manchester can still take a look at a variety of premium ticket packages.
You can grab your ‘Birds of a Feather’ and a ticket or two for the Saturday, 19 July show HERE.
Pack your ‘Lunch’ and put on your best outfit because there are exclusive tickets for the Sunday, 20 July gig HERE.
Your friends will be calling you ‘The Greatest’ when you let them know about the premium tickets still left for Tuesday, 22 July right HERE.
Finally, grab ‘L’amour De Ma Vie’ and sing your heart out with a range of hospitality tickets to choose from on Wednesday, 23 July HERE. And breathe…
Billie Eilish setlist
Chihiro
Lunch
NDA
Therefore I Am
Wildflower
when the party’s over
The Diner
ilomilo
bad guy
The Greatest
Your Power
Skinny
TV
bury a friend
Oxytocin
Guess
everything i wanted
lovely / Blue / ocean eyes (Medley)
L’amour De Ma Vie
What Was I Made For?
Happier Than Ever
Birds of a Feather
What are the stage times for Billie Eilish in Manchester?
Co-op Live has a strict curfew of 11pm, meaning concertgoers can be safe knowing ‘when the party’s over’ it won’t be well into the early hours.
Doors for ‘Hit Me Hard and Soft’ tour are scheduled for 6pm with support acts Syd and Magdalena Bay on hand to soundtrack your evening and leave you feeling ‘Happier Than Ever’ before Billie at 8pm.
The first act, Syd, is known for co-founding influential R’n’B band, The Internet (big fans, by the way), and has just dropped a new solo single ‘Die For This’ ahead of her Billie Eilish tour stint.
How to get to Co-op Live
Tram
For those of you heading to Co-op Live, you’ll be glad to know it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.
Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre until 01:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.
The ‘Hit Me Hard and Soft Tour’ will mark Billie Eilish’s first ever Co-op Live appearance.Credit: William Drumm (supplied)
Bus
You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus, which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live. You also get free Bee Network travel with any valid event ticket.
Getting there by car and parking
If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue,e but this must be pre-booked ahead of time and there are designated drop-off areas.
The postcode is M11 3DU, and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.
Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the stadium is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide come event day – though estimates will vary, obviously:
Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.
There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live, but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:
Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces
Walk/cycle
Lastly, Co-op Live is only a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly, and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes via the Beryl app, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app. There are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.
For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.
Danny Jones -
12th April 2023 
