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More than 14,000 excited runners from across the Midlands are counting down to a sold-out AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run on Sunday, 5 May.

From Broad Street to St Paul’s Square, the city will come alive with the Brummie buzz of the AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run this Sunday as the Midlands’ premier running event returns with a course that celebrates the best of the city.

If you’ve missed out on this year’s AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run, you can sign up to the reminder service for 2025 or there are still a limited number of charity places available, but you’ll need to be quick as they’re going fast. Browse charities here.

Runners taking on both the 10k and half marathon can look forward to inspiring sights and incredible support all along the routes with more than 25,000 spectators expected to line the route for fist-bumps, high-fives and the occasional jelly baby sweet.

Runners will enjoy a live radio music truck with Heart FM DJs playing an inspirational set to help motivate them for the challenge ahead.

The AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run Business Challenge will see workplace teams compete for fastest time trophies and bragging rights among corporate competitors. Among the teams taking part will be Solihull School – back on the start line to defend their 2023 winners’ title.

However, the Great Birmingham Run isn’t just for the grown-ups and work colleagues as more children than ever will be taking part in the AJ Bell Junior and Mini Great Birmingham Run.

Hundreds of energetic youngsters will tackle a daring 1.5km dash for Minis, while Juniors aged 9-15 tackle a 2.5km supercharged sprint through the city centre.

This year’s Bank Holiday Weekend event will feature a Race within a Race as England take on Wales with over 200 runners running the 10k as part of the International Age Group Masters Match – representing either England or Wales.

These runners have had to qualify to be part of this international match across five qualifying events, including the 2023 AJ Bell Great Bristol Run and Great Manchester Run.

And local and national charities will benefit with hundreds of thousands of pounds raised for causes close to runners’ hearts. Among these will be Cancer Research UK, University Hospitals Birmingham Charity, Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity, St Giles Hospice and the British Heart Foundation, plus dozens of other charities with special meaning to those taking part.

Paul Foster, Chief Executive of The Great Run Company, said: “Last year’s AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run looked wonderful with the city’s iconic buildings such as the Library of Birmingham and Symphony Hall as a backdrop and we’re so excited to be returning to the same spot for more of the same on Sunday.

“Whether the thousands of people who have signed up will be taking part for a personal best run, to raise funds for charity, or just to see their city from a different perspective, we wish you the very best of luck and hope you enjoy the unique atmosphere of a Great Run event. See you at the Smithfield finish line!”

 

There are thousands of runners and many inspiring stories shared, here are a selection of stories we have highlighted this year and who we look forward to supporting on Sunday.

 

Football Foundations

They may be fierce rivals when they meet on the pitch but when it comes to supporting grassroots community projects and nurturing the next generation of football stars, Aston Villa, Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion stand united.

The three football clubs are on a mission to encourage fans to take part to fundraise for their community foundations.

Villa, Blues and West Brom have been calling on their supporters to support their club’s local schemes by tackling the Great Birmingham Run 10k or half marathon as part of each club’s running teams, with the incentive of special-edition running T-shirts and vests to wear on the big day.

From Christmas gift campaigns and wellbeing workshops to school coaching sessions and chances to meet their heroes, the three clubs’ projects support a variety of schemes and projects in all areas of the West Midlands and directly help those who need it most.

It is the first time the big three clubs have committed to take on the event with such large numbers and the clubs hope to see hundreds of fans wearing their team colours with pride.

 

Mascot race

Mascots from Blues, Villa, West Brom and a whole host of local teams and charities will take part in the Junior and Mini Run Mascot Race over at the Smithfield finish line.

They’re among hundreds of energetic youngsters tackling the Junior and Mini run, which was a sell-out for 2024.

 

The AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run Business Challenge

The city’s corporate community is ‘locking horns’ with rival companies for bragging rights at the Great Birmingham Run.

A whole host of Midlands companies of all shapes and sizes are taking part.

The Great Birmingham Run Business Challenge invites the corporate world to compete for a fastest-time trophy at the 10K and half marathon, with the finishing times of the fastest four members of a team used to calculate the overall team time.

Among the teams is engineering giant Arup, whose 39 runners haven’t had far to travel to the Great Birmingham Run with their shiny new Centenary Way offices just yards away from the Broad Street start line.

Arup are running for Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity – the company’s charity of the year, and we wish the team well as they tackle the 10k and half.

 

Charity Support

Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity is one of the many charities being supported at the Great Birmingham Run, calling on the public to use the power of running to help it raise vital funds for its sick kids.

Running is the charity’s most popular fundraising challenge. Last year over 1,200 supporters, aged as young as three, and as old as 72, chose to run a variety of events from 5ks to ultra marathons. In total, its supporters ran a combined 10,000 miles – the distance from the UK to Fiji – and raised a phenomenal £300,000.

Year after year, the Great Birmingham Run remains the charity’s most popular running event. Last year was no exception with hundreds of runners raising an impressive £107,000. In the 11 years since the charity first partnered with the run, it has seen a staggering £2.66 million raised, which has made a huge difference to its patients.

 

Primrose Hospice

They’re taking part with a mission close to their hearts – raising funds and awareness for Primrose Hospice in memory of Assistant Chief Constable Chris Johnson, who lost his battle with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) in April 2023.

A former Assistant Chief Constable, Chris was just 55 years old when he died last year. He had served with West Midlands Police for nearly 30 years, starting as a PC in Acocks Green before working his way through the ranks.

Honouring his memory remains the driving force for Chris’s wife Sharon, also a former police officer, who took early retirement to care for Chris.

Sharon started running at 50 and it has helped hugely with her mental health during Chris’s devastating illness and then his death last year.

Sharon is running with her friends for the wonderful Primrose Hospice, who helped her family during Chris’s illness.

 

Solihull School

Solihull School’s journey began with a bold step at last year’s AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run 10k. As the fastest Business Challenge team past the finishing line, the reigning champions have returned to defend their title, this time raising funds for a charity very close to their hearts.

“Last year’s win was totally unexpected, it was a massive surprise,” says Emma.

“As a school we encourage our pupils to go above and beyond, have ambition and challenge themselves. By doing the Business Challenge we are setting an example for them. Also, after our unexpected win last year, we felt we should give it another go as defending champions.”

However, their return to the AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run is about more than just defending their title; it’s about making a difference for the Matt Gallagher Foundation. Matt’s connection to the school runs deep, with his involvement as a rugby coach and his family’s ties to the community.

 

A message from Eilish McColgan

Many of you will remember the wonderful, emotional scenes when Eilish McColgan won Gold in the 10,000m at the 2022 Commonwealth Games over at the Alexander Stadium.

Eilish, a Great Run ambassador told us how Birmingham holds a special place in her heart, and in her career.

“When participating in the Commonwealth Games, the atmosphere in Birmingham was electric, something I know you will all experience,” she told us.

“As Great Run ambassador, I want to encourage as many people as possible to get involved in running, and events like the Great Birmingham Run are the perfect opportunity.”

So if you’ve got the running bug, look out for early bird and sign-up options for 2025 and we’ll see you again next year!

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