Events in Britain have been on pause for the best part of a year, meaning we didn’t get to see thousands of bright-red, sweat-soaked, smiling faces bobbing over the finish line at Deansgate in 2020.
The most recent edition of the Great Manchester Run – which was set to be one of its biggest yet – was sadly cancelled due to COVID risks, but event organisers are already prepping to reboot in 2021.
Great Manchester Run is hoping to return with a bang in the year ahead – laying out some tentative dates for the main event itself.
Instead of taking place in May, the Great Manchester Run 2021 has been scheduled for Sunday 26 September.
A gap of nine months gives organisers the best chance of ensuring the event goes ahead this time around – but they’ve put plenty in the calendar between now and then to give Mancs a way to get fit and healthy before September.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Great Run team have launched a ‘Run Away From 2020’ challenge to kick things off – letting people put a glum year permanently behind them with a series of exercises.
The challenge is to complete 21 activities (run, jog, walk) of any distance in January.
ADVERTISEMENT
The challenge is for all abilities that celebrates all activity, and participants will be rewarded with a snazzy 2-in-1 medal.
The challenge is happening right now, ending 31 January.
You can join at any time from now up to Monday 11 January at 10am, when entries close.
2021 will hopefully be a bigger, better, healthier and happier year for everyone.
Let’s get training…
Entries for the Great Manchester Run 2021 are due to open soon, but you can sign up to the Reminder Service to get the latest event news here.
What's On
IRONMAN Bolton guide 2026 – course map, key times, travel advice and all the essential info
Danny Jones
The annual IRONMAN competition here in Greater Manchester has come back around for 2026, with the 70.3-mile Bolton challenge returning for a fourth editionthis weekend.
Just the third consecutive iteration of the middle-distance triathlon since the event became permanent once again in 2024, this incredible feat of endurance still draws just as much support as the 14 full-length versions that concluded the year prior – if not maybe even more.
From a spectator’s point of view, the shorter (but still ridiculously impressive length) arguably makes for a much better day out cheering from the sidelines overall, and these superhuman specimens definitely need as much support as they can get.
With that in mind, we thought we’d put together a list of all the important information ahead of the race, from details around the three stages themselves to the whereabouts in Bolton it will pass through, guidance when it comes to getting there, and much more.
IRONMAN 70.3 Bolton 2026: everything you need to know
The IRONMAN route through Bolton – course maps, transitions and more
For starters, we’re sure most, if not all, of you taking this on are already fully familiar with the routes they’ll be taking over the course of Sunday, 7 June, but perhaps for the select few who haven’t and the benefit of those cheering on from the sidelines, here’s how it looks…
The swim
First up is the open-water swim across Pennington Flash Country Park and nature reserve, which is technically located in Leigh, but this will be your first foray over Wigan way on the day.
Bolton Ironman bike ride course
Moving on to the cycling section after the first transition, the IRONMAN official global series-approved course largely hasn’t changed all that much in recent memory, with the route taking you through parts of the borough, including Bolton centre, Farnworth, Westhoughton, Lostock, Middlebrook and more.
You will also head towards Leigh and Pennington, once again, as well as Atherton and near Golborn before making your way back over to Bolton proper.
Running route
Finally, things will be rounding off with a half marathon right in the heart of the old Lancashire town, with the approximately 21.1 km course seeing you complete two loops before crossing the finish line in the shadow of Bolton Town Hall. Box office stuff.
You can also see each of the transition maps and download all course sections to your GPX right HERE.
2026 event schedule and estimated timings
With the sold-out Night Run and IRONKIDS tie-in events taking place the day prior, following sign-ins on the Friday evening (5 Jun), full IRONMAN 70.3 athlete registration will be open from 8am on Saturday, with the check-in at the aforementioned Town Hall closing at 3pm sharp.
Bag and bike check-ins for RED and BLUE groups for the first two transitions from 8 and 9am, respectively; each will close around 4pm, so once again, don’t wait around and put any of this off.
Our advice, as always with these things: get there early and have it done and out of the way as soon as possible so you can focus on the long couple of days ahead.
There will also be an official swim practice held at Pennington Flash from 11am-1pm for registered athletes only, so take that into consideration, too.
As for the race day itself, times will obviously vary between participants, but here’s a breakdown of the activity blocks and when people need to be present for pick-ups by the shuttle buses, etc:
You can consult the entire event schedule in full HERE
Road closure and travel info
Now, as travel advice, it goes without saying that an event this big and spanning multiple Greater Manc areas doesn’t go ahead without serious planning and preparation infrastructure-wise.
With that in mind, as you can see above, there are shuttle buses available for both IRONMAN challengers and their fans, with pick-up points in central Bolton and from Leigh Sports Village (LSV).
ADVERTISEMENT
As always with big events like this, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) are advising people to take public methods of transportation wherever possible, especially given the multiple road closures and diversions over the weekend.
You’ll find all the specific diversion details in here.
Getting there by train
Bolton is well connected to all main railway stops in Manchester and is only roughly a 20-minute journey from the city; Bolton train station itself is only a 10-minute walk from the Town Hall, as well.
By bus
As for hopping on a bus, there are various Bee Network lines and other services across the region that will take you into Bolton town centre. You can plan your journey (with diverted routes taken into account) right HERE.
ADVERTISEMENT
Parking
If you must drive, please be advised of the road closures mentioned above, and as for car parks, you will find spaces at the following locations:
LSV – Over 1,000 free car parking spaces are available on the site; access to these car parks is via Sale Way, situated directly off the A579 Atherleigh Way.
Bolton town centre – Various designated parking spaces across the town, all are subject to charge, with the option to pre-book some spaces in advance.
Spectator spots, volunteering, and other supporter info
Last but not least, getting that extra energy from those standing roadside or even on the shore for the duration of IRONMAN 70.3 Bolton is essential for these legends to make it through to the end, so if you’re spectating on the day, here’s some extra advice.
Fan hotspots include Atherleigh Way for the swim start and a good view of the cycling course; the same goes for The Retreat on Chorley New Road for the bike and running routes. Meanwhile, The Crown pub in Horwich is a popular stop-off during the two-wheeled action, as is the Old Kiln Lane Climb.
St Luke’s Church in Lowton is also another great viewing zone, with coffees being handed out to plen ty of supporters, too, and of course, anything near Le Mans Crescent or into Bolton town centre for the heart of the whole IRONMAN Festival weekend is always a great atmosphere.
ADVERTISEMENT
For instance, there’s also a brand-new expo village and fan area, where people can enjoy everything from poster making and temporary tattoos to photo opps, bib decoration, as well as various other games and activities for all ages – not to mention food and drink across the IRONFAN area.
All we have left to say is good luck to everyone taking on the 2026 IRONMAN 70.3 in Bolton this Sunday. It’s truly inspiring stuff, and we sincerely hope you get lots of noise and buzz from those watching on.
Manchester’s iconic Victoria Baths to turn into a dancefloor for a new phones-free daytime rave series
Emily Sergeant
Victoria Baths is turning into a dancefloor this autumn.
That’s right – the iconic Grade II-listed venue will become the home of a new series of immersive daytime raves from October, as Escapism launches inside the empty swimming pool space – promising to champion electronic music culture in Manchester and provide a new chapter in ‘elevated’ daytime experiences.
Created from the visionary mind of Geoff Oakes and joined by founding partner Dez Derry, Escapism is a new bespoke events company dedicated to creating carefully curated electronic music experiences in extraordinary locations… with Victoria Baths being the latest.
Musically, Escapism will aim to offer an expertly curated lineup headed by an extended four-hour set from Grammy-winning duo Deep Dish, pioneering DJ Smokin Jo, and rising talent Pattn.
Beyond the music, you can expect a selection of yummy street food vendors, specialist barista coffee, and fully stocked bars, while a second room in the venue will be transformed into an immersive installation to create an ‘alternate atmosphere’ that complements encourages exploration on the day.
Central to the Escapism philosophy is a ‘commitment to genuine connection on the dancefloor’, and this means that the event will operate a strict no-phones on the dancefloor policy.
The inaugural Escapism event takes place at Victoria Baths on Saturday 10 October, running from 3:30pm until 11:30pm.
The Manc -
6th January 2021 
