Great South Run 2026: dates, route and getting there

Portsmouth is about to get busy again. The AJ Bell Great South Run returns to Southsea over the weekend of 17 and 18 October, with the main 10-mile race starting at 10:35am on the Sunday. It is one of the UK's most popular running events and has been going since 1990, so whether you are running it or just heading down to watch, it is worth knowing how the weekend actually shapes up.

The 10-mile course is flat and fast, and it takes in a lot of the city. The first couple of miles pass St George's Street, Old Portsmouth and Gunwharf Quays, before the route heads into the heart of the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, where you run past HMS Victory, the Mary Rose and HMS Warrior. From there it loops near the city centre, past the Portsmouth Museum and Art Gallery, and out towards Southsea Common, before turning back along the seafront with views across the Solent. It finishes a short walk from The D-Day Story, the only UK museum dedicated to the Normandy landings, which also houses the Portsmouth Visitor Information Centre.

If the 10 miles feels like a bit much, there is a full family line-up on the Saturday. The 5k starts at 9:00am, the Junior race (2.5km) at 10:30am, and the Mini (1.4km) at 12:00pm. The 10-mile race is for anyone aged 16 and over, the 5k is 14+, the Junior is for children aged 9 to 15, and the Mini is for 3 to 8-year-olds, who all need to run with a parent. Prices sit at £53 for the 10 miles, £33 for the 5k, and £22 each for the Junior and Mini races, with a limited-time offer on the main race from £33.

Getting in and out is the part that catches people out. The PR4 Park and Ride runs to Southsea Common on both days, starting at 7:00am on the Saturday and 6:20am on the Sunday, and it takes about 20 minutes to reach Clarence Pier. It picks up near M275 exit 1, and a day return is £5 for up to five people, which you can buy on the First Bus app or from the driver in cash, card or contactless. A few streets close over the weekend, and the Sunday closures mean buses cannot get as close, so there are alternative stops after 9:20am on the day.

Entry includes a finisher's medal, T-shirt and bag, a free training plan, on-course entertainment, a live tracking app, hydration stations, a finisher's village, timed results, closed streets, a marked and marshalled route and full medical support. Race packs, with your number, timing chip, wave colour and approximate start time, are sent out about two weeks before, and there is a self-service bag drop on the day. Results are published after the race, and official photos appear in real time at a MarathonPhotos.Live station. A couple of things to flag: there is no filming, streaming or photography allowed inside the naval base, and the Mini race requires an adult to run alongside.