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Great South Run

South Run Is Great Again

Launched in 1990, the Great South Run sails on with 25,000 entries...

A week before the AJ Bell Great South Run weekend in Portsmouth and Southsea on Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th October, runABC South has been informed the classic event is set to see its biggest turnout in almost a decade.

Entries for the 10-mile event sold out weeks ahead of the event. A limited number of places remain for the Great South 5K and the Junior & Mini Great South Run, with people encouraged to enter quickly to avoid missing out.

The historic run that started in 1990 will see an incredible 25,000 runners in the stunning seafront events this year. The action kicks off on Saturday with the Junior & Mini Great South Run and the eagerly anticipated Great South 5K. Around 1,000 people entered the 5K race and 1,200 children aged 3-15 will join the Junior (2.5K) & Mini (1.2K) events.

The main event on Sunday will see more than 23,000 runners in one of the world’s most popular 10-mile road race events. The fast and flat course takes runners on a scenic tour of Portsmouth and Southsea, including Portsmouth's Historic Dockyard and Southsea Castle, with stunning views towards the Isle of Wight. The course records are 45:15 by Joseph Ebeyu (Kenya, 2010) and 50:43 by Eilish McColgan (GB, 2021).

The event is renowned for its incredible atmosphere, with tens of thousands of supporters lining the streets each year, and hundreds of charity cheering stations and music points on the route, providing much-needed motivation to the runners.

Many of the UK’s top athletes will be racing to be crowned 2024 Great South Run champion, joining the honours list of past British winners that includes Gary Staines, Sir Mo Farah, Chris Thompson, Marc Scott, Jack Rowe, Ben Connor, Alison Gooderham, Liz McColgan, Marian Sutton, Jo Pavey, Paula Radcliffe, Gemma Steel, Eilish McColgan and Lily Partridge.

One of this year’s highlights will be the celebrations for two-time Olympian and triple Great South Run champion Chris Thompson as this race marks his retirement from professional athletics aged 43.

For more information, or to view the event guide visit the Great South Run website here.

Previous results and reports are at the runABC South race listing here.

Photo courtesy of Great South Run

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