The biggest half marathon in the Midlands area is now managed by the Great Run team and has benefited greatly from their experience. This race already attracts a fantastic field of runners, charity and others from all over the world. The course provides music for you to enjoy on the way around and views of The spectacular Bullring and the famous Edgbaston Cricket Ground.
As you line up with your fellow runners, you are taken aback by the sea of colour made up by the number of charity and club runner's vests. There is a definite charity feel to the event which The Great Run team have tried to orchestrate. You are made to feel very welcomed by the people of Birmingham and there is a true party atmosphere which you can't help but get caught up in. When the race starts, a number of waves are released at different times to prevent the race bottlenecking as a few of the streets at the beginning are a little narrow. Once you get going, you can enjoy everything the race has to offer, city centre roads and leafy neighbourhoods. The route does not boast the sights of some of the other big city races but with the number of bands and the level of support, you almost do not notice. The last few miles will feel very steep and you will be pleased to hear that the mighty Gebrselassie of Ethiopia said exactly the same thing when he did the race. As you finish, you are rewarded with huge crowds, big cheers and plenty of charities can be seen congratulating a number of the other 15,000 runners who took part.
This is a true charity half marathon so make sure you plan to fundraise as much as you can. Aim for £750 upwards and make sure you plan your calendar well to fit in your fundraising tasks. Check out the run for charity fundraising A to Z for some great ideas to help you reach your target.
The people of Birmingham really get out in force to support this race and the Great Run team have definitely helped take it to the next level. The charity support has been allowed to grow considerably and you will see charity banners and teams with their charity t-shirts supporting teams of runners.
You are taking on a city half marathon, so take up a half marathon training plan and make sure you are doing plenty of road running. Don't spend all of your time on the treadmill.
The Great Run team have done a good job of helping to reorganise this race. The information before the race is very good and introducing a wave start was exactly what the event needed. The medal and goody bag are not bad but just about in keeping with an event of this size.
4 out of 5 stars
To choose a charity to support in this event click here or if you already have a charity in mind click here
