If you have a loved one taking part this year and want to know how best to support them and the event, then check out the information below. Whether you’re watching from home or will be joining us on the day we’ve got you covered.
Use this page to plan your day and make the most of the electric atmosphere in Greater Manchester. Find out about the best places to watch participants; get spectating tips and advice and you can also use our interactive Supporter Maps to plan your own route and see what each area on the route has to offer.
To make sure you have the best experience cheering on our 36,000 incredible participants, remember to head straight out onto the course at the start of the day. We don’t recommend going to the start line as there are so many better places to see your participant out on the route.
Our top 5 places to spectate and why!
1. Deansgate Interchange
Located at the very north end of the route; Participants will pass this dedicated cheer zone very early on at the 1 mile point. Deansgate Interchange is expected to be a hub of activity with a dedicated zone close to the city allowing many spectators easy access. Keep an eye out for more details of what will be in store here.
2. Hulme
3. Stretford
South west of the start line, Stretford has a fast-growing reputation as a foodie hub. Spectators can see runners between mile 5 and 6 here and also just before mile 21. Stretford Food Hall is a great spot for a casual lunch, while Stretford Canteen has been shortlisted for the Manchester Food and Drinks Festival Award Shortlist recently. It’s also great for a post-lunch stroll along the Bridgewater Canal!
4. Sale
Sale is a friendly community full of lively local support. Participants pass through Cross Street just before mile 8 and Broad Road in Sale between mile 18 and 19 of the course - when fatigue is likely to have set in. Sale strikes a charming balance of both city and countryside, situated slightly further out from the bustle of the centre.
5. Altrincham
Altrincham is the southernmost point on the course where the runners turn between 12 and 13 miles. There’ll be loads of support in this lively market town, including various bands, choirs and cheer stations. With loads of great places to eat and drink the lovely town is one not to be missed.
6. Chorlton-cum-Hardy
Sitting east of Stretford and south of the finish line, Chorlton-cum-Hardy is a leafy suburb known for its independent shops and coffee houses. The atmosphere here will be truly electric on event day, as participants push into the final effort of the challenge between miles 22 and 23.
City Centre
- Beginning on Deansgate Interchange where one of the most prominent supporter locations will be with lots going on for spectators and participants alike. You'll walk north up Deansgate.
- When you reach the junction between Deansgate and Peter Street, turn right. You will then see the adidas Adizero: For the Fast pop up space. There will be lots going on here on event day so we recommend spending some time here before moving on.
- Once you leave the adidas pop up, head east down Peter Street. As the road curves round you’ll begin heading South down what will now be Oxford Street.
- Keep heading South until you reach the University of Manchester, here you will see the finish line area
- Note: If crossing the route please be careful and watch out for runners.
Hulme
- Starting at the crossroads between Chorlton Road and Stretford Road, a point where you can catch participants at mile 1 ½ and mile 24. You’ll head east on Streford Road.
- Once you reach Royce Road you’ll follow the path that leads diagonally south off the main road into the park. This will take you outside Manchester Metropolitan University’s Brooks Building. There is a Starbucks here if you would like to stop for a hot drink.
- Turn around and head west our of the parks South West corner and follow Old Birley Street South, there are a couple more options for stopping off here with Kim’s Kitchen & Bar on your left or a little further down on your right is the Hulme Community Garden Centre where you’ll find Café Sorrel.
- Carry on South until you get to Greenheys Lane West and turn right going west. Shortly after turn right again up Bold Street and follow the road round.
- You’ll shortly see a car park on your left. At this point turn left into Merlin’s Park. Here you can enjoy some time in this pleasant green area.
- The route runs adjacent to Merlin’s Park on it’s west side up Chorlton Road. Follow this road up until you reach the junction where you started.
- Note: If crossing the route please be careful and watch out for runners.
Stretford
- Start outside Stretford tram station and walk towards the A56 and A5145 junction where you can see runners at mile 9.5 and mile 23 of the course.
- You can stay and see your runner twice (go to Stretford Mall for great food options like the award-winning Stretford Canteen while you wait for the second sighting on Edge Lane) or go for a walk to Stretford Meadows which is a 20-30 minute walk away.
- To get to Stretford Meadows, follow the route on Chester Road and continue just past the junctions. Here, turn right down Poplar Road and continue all the way down this residential road until you reach the meadows. After a lovely stroll, take the exit leading to Sandy Lane for a shortcut back towards the tram station (why not also stop off at Stretford Mall for some well-earned lunch?) or come back using the same route to continue cheering on participants.
- Note: An alternative walking option is to head towards Chorlton-cum-Hardy from Stretford station. All you need to do is follow Edge Lane on the A5145 where participants are running. This road will be very busy with runners so take care when crossing and wait for an opportune moment.
Sale
- Start at Sale tram station where you can grab a coffee from the award-winning Grapefruit coffee on the left side of the exit.
- Cross over to Broad Road between mile 21 and 22 of the course, where participants will start to feel fatigue setting in. After cheering your heart out, continue down Broad Road and take a breather in Worthington Park.
- After a stroll, take the park exit on Cheltenham Drive and continue down this road until you reach Northenden Road. Turn right and continue in this direction, until you reach the broadway where there are some nice cafes and coffee shops (we recommend Café Amphora - simply turn left down Hope Road for this hidden gem serving up the best homemade cakes!)
- To reach Sale tram station once more, continue back to Northenden Road and continue walking.
- Note: If crossing the route please be careful and watch out for runners.
Altrincham
- Start outside Altrincham station and head towards Stamford New Road on the A538. Follow the route, cheering on participants and enjoying the live music (you can also grab a coffee from the popular Two Brothers Coffee, if you can’t wait until reaching the town centre!)
- Follow the route right round to Regents Road and up to Market Road. Follow this up to Altrincham Market which is an incredibly popular foodie haven. Note; this area will be extremely busy at peak times.
- Grab some food or coffee from the market and continue to Stamford Quarter by turning right down Shaw Road. Have a mosey around the shops and when you’re ready, head back towards the station via Cross Street.
- After all the excitement, seek a calm moment in Stamford Park - a short walk from the town centre. Simply cross over from Cross Street onto Moss Lane and continue until you reach the small but peaceful park, containing a charming café, children’s playground and some much needed peace and quiet!
- Finally, we suggest heading back to the tram station and going to the city centre (26 minutes of the green / purple line to Deansgate) where you can meet your participant for a celebratory drink.
- Note: If crossing the route please be careful and watch out for runners.
Chorlton-cum-Hardy
- Start outside Chorlton-cum-Hardy tram station. Turn right onto Wilbraham Road and right again on Barlow Moor road. Follow the route up to Manchester Road, where the atmosphere will be truly electric in the final stages of the event.
- On Manchester Road, make sure to sample some local food from The Beagle or Barbakan Delicatessen. Our walking route takes you past the Barbakan Delicatessen (great for a sandwich) and loops down Claridge Road, before shortly turning right onto Longford Road.
- Continue down Longford Road to reach Longford Park which has plenty to do (including tennis courts). We then recommend taking the South exit onto Edge Road, where you can cheer on participants once more.
- Following the flow of participants heading towards Chorlton-cum-Hardy, turn off right at Whitelow Road and finally take a right at the well-known Beech Road. This is an independent street in south Manchester packed with fantastic shops, restaurants and bars.
- Beech Road is perfect for a short bar crawl, starting at the Horse and Jockey and finishing at The Lead Station. If food’s what you’re after, you’ll see some great spots such as The Laundrette (specialising in pizza).
- We recommend staying in Chorlton-cum-Hardy to repatriate with your runner, or jumping on the tram to the city centre.
- Note: If crossing the route please be careful and watch out for runners.
The finish area on Oxford Road will be very busy, so we highly recommend you meet your participant away from this area, perhaps somewhere where you can celebrate with a meal such as the City Centre, Chorlton or further South on Oxford Road itself.
We will have a selection of café, restaurants and bars which will be offering discounts and offers to all finishers on event day, spread out right across Greater Manchester. A full list will be available on this page close to event day.
1. City Centre
Manchester city centre has an abundance of great cafes, restaurants and bars that are perfect for a post marathon meet up. Whether you're just looking for a post run meal or want to really celebrate, look no further than Manchester's city centre.
2. Chorlton
Chorlton-cum-Hardy is a leafy suburb which participants pass just after mile 22 of the course. It’s a great spot to meet your loved one away from the crowds. The Beagle is a firm favourite for its good beer and pizza, or the Jane Eyre if you want something a little fancier.
3. Green Spaces
Greater Manchester boasts many green spaces for you to enjoy. Fortunately, our finish area is located near some of the best. We recommend using the map below to meet your participant once they have finished their challenge, why not pack a picnic, have a walk and make a wonderful afternoon of it.
Simply click on the park you'd like to visit and your Google Maps will direct you there.
We’re delighted to confirm that spectators will be able to get the estimated current locations, of all our runners on Sunday the 27th of April at the adidas Manchester Marathon.
How does this work?
Our timing points on the course will be placed at five locations (start, 10k, halfway, 30k and finish), and as a runner crosses this point their time will be instantly updated on the tracker. Between these points, the tracker will show a predicted location for each runner, based on their speed so far.
This should offer an excellent rough guide for when to look out for a friend or loved one on the course, or follow their progress at home.
Predicted tracking will be available from the button below.
We have created a handy article about other methods you can use to track their progress and be there with them every step of the way which includes tips on how to use:
- 'Find My' App on Apple Devices
- Share Location on WhatsApp
- Strava Beacon Feature
We hope these options are helpful and allow you to experience the event more closely with your participant on the big day. Although we discourage spectators at the finish line due to crowds, a finish line live streaming is available to watch through the website and our Manchester Marathon YouTube channel.
*Please be advised that spectator space around the finish line is very congested. We recommend you support at the suggested locations in the section below.
Use these handy tips to have the best experience supporting participants on their epic challenge.
Share pictures and videos on social media using #ManchesterMarathon and tagging us so that we can reshare your amazing pictures.
Visit the exclusive adidas adizero: For the Fast pop-up space at Impossible Manchester from April 24th - April 27th.
A live video stream of the finish line will be available to watch on the website and our adidas Manchester Marathon YouTube channel. Both the men’s and women’s Elite Races will be live until both winners have crossed the line at which point a finish line stream will remain live until the last finisher capturing each and everybody’s finish line moment! If you signed up for the supporter text, you will receive a message when your runner is 2 miles away making sure you can catch their finish line moment.
We'll be releasing a complete guide to on how best to support at the adidas Manchester Marathon including how to spend your weekend in Manchester. This will be available a couple weeks before the event
If you'd like to be informed about supporter information relating to the event then make sure to sign up to our newsletter using the form below. We'll then share this information via an email in the week leading up to the event.