Runners spread across a city avenue during a marathon

AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run

The AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run is a road race staged in Birmingham, in the West Midlands.

Prepare for Great Birmingham Run

A plan built from your answers and your race date.

Birmingham is the major city of the West Midlands, in the centre of England. Both races set off from Centenary Square, a large open square in the city centre, and follow an entirely urban route: wide main roads, the business district, residential neighbourhoods and lively stretches where the crowds gather. The surface is tarmac from start to finish.

1 km and the 10K. 15am, which makes it possible to run both races or to support a friend or family member on the other distance. The event forms part of the AJ Bell Great Run series, which covers several of the biggest road races in Britain.

The formats

2 formats on the program.

Format	Distance
Half Marathon	13.1 mi
10K	6 mi

Organizer information, checked on September 21, 2026 · greatrun.org

When to start

A build for this distance usually runs 10 to 16 weeks. Counted back from race day, that puts the start somewhere between January 4, 2027 and February 15, 2027.

These ranges are working conventions, not a research finding — no trial has compared plan lengths against each other. What matters more is that the plan was built for the weeks you actually have, rather than shrunk down from a longer one.

How to choose your start date

When to start

January 4, 2027

→ February 15, 2027

Worth reading before you enter

Races and distances 10K, half, marathon: what each one really asks They are all running. They are not the same event. What limits you, how long you need, and how the race falls apart — all three change with the distance. Read Races and distances The big marathons: what each one actually demands A marathon is 42.195 km everywhere. What changes is the profile, the crowd, the weather you are likely to get — and so what your training should emphasise. Read Training Eating and drinking: what’s proven, what isn’t This is where confident advice most often runs ahead of the evidence. Some of it is well tested. Some is opinion wearing a number. And one common habit can kill you. Read

Questions

What is the date of AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run in 2027?

AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run is run on Sunday, May 2, 2027 in Birmingham. Date published by the organizer, checked on September 21, 2026.

What distances does the Great Birmingham Run offer?

1 km and a 10K. Both are run entirely on closed roads, through Birmingham city centre and the neighbourhoods immediately around it.

Is the Great Birmingham Run good for beginners?

The 10K suits a newer runner who can already run for about an hour without stopping. The half marathon needs more structured preparation, with regular long runs of 15 to 18 km beforehand.

Other races

This list keeps growing; it draws no line. A race that is missing is prepared for in exactly the same way.

Bath · United KingdomHalf marathon GetPRO Bath Half Marathon Mar 14 1 km half marathon run through the streets of central Bath, England. Reading · United KingdomHalf marathon Green Park Reading Half Marathon Mar 21 A Mini Marathon runs alongside it for younger participants on the same day. London · United KingdomHalf marathon London Landmarks Half Marathon Apr 4 0975km route strings together the capital's best-known landmarks on roads shut to traffic. Your race is not here? Tell us about your race You can prepare for it all the same. Any race, anywhere, and even a goal without a race.

Your race is on the calendar. Your plan should be too.

Build my plan

Secure payment with Stripe. Then allow about 30 minutes for your profile, in several sittings if you like.