First time I have done this run but it is basically an extension of the 10k run that I completed at the end of April. It was held on the same day as the Birmingham International Marathon, which took place in the morning, so the Great Run took place in the afternoon. The start time of 1:30pm was a little unusual but wasn’t as bad as it had initially seemed.
There were around 11,000 participants but the event was well geared up for so many people. The run started in waves (I was in the last wave - not sure why as I put in an average estimated time for the distance). The start for my wave was a bit late but there was plenty of entertainment at the start line.
Once underway, the course veered through Digbeth to Edgbaston cricket ground and Cannon Hill Park. The route here runs through some industrial areas - a bit tedious to be honest, but nice and flat. Being in the final wave meant weaving round lots of people. This generally wasn’t a problem as the closed roads generally allowed space for overtaking although I did get stuck behind some large groups of runners on occasions.
Once in the park, the route is relatively flat until you hit Bournville where there are a few undulating hills. This seemed to slow the pace considerably as many people started walking.
The route back to Birmingham followed Pershore Road, which is nice and flat, them through the industrial areas of Digbeth again. Finally, the run passed the Bullring and Moor Street station. Here, the enthusiastic crowds narrowed the field down to less than one lane. Whilst the support here was great, as it’s a small climb, barriers would have helped to control the crowd and keep the road free to allow overtaking.
After finishing, we received a medal, t-shirt and other usual goodies. The entry fee is higher than some events but includes a t-shirt so seems justifiable.
Would I do this again? Probably; it’s a well run and very well supported event but some small enhancements (grouping runners by estimated finish time, crowd control near Moor Street) would have helped to improve the event.