A 1.4km junior race for children aged 3 to 8 across Southsea Common, part of the Great South Run weekend.
The AJ Bell Mini Great South Run is back at Southsea Common on Saturday 17 October, part of the wider Great South Run weekend that takes over the seafront. It's a junior race day, so it's all about the kids getting their own experience of the big event. There are two distances: the Mini is a 1.4km dash for ages 3 to 8, and the Junior is a 2.5km challenge for ages 9 to 15. Both run on safe, closed-road routes around the seafront, so you don't have to worry about traffic while they're out there.
Each child is entered and runs with a parent, so you're right there beside them for the whole thing. The atmosphere is built for families: there's music and entertainment on the course, fancy dress is encouraged, and every child gets a technical t-shirt and a shiny finisher's medal. There's also an event village with exhibitors, food, drinks, and photo opportunities, plus official event photos to look back on. The organisers are pushing a sustainable approach this time around, so finisher t-shirts are optional; if you opt out, your runner's fee is donated to the National Trust Woodlands Appeal instead.
The whole weekend is bigger than just the kids' races, though. The main Great South Run is the headliner, billed as the world's premier 10-mile road race, so the seafront will be buzzing with runners of all ages. If you're taking the kids, it's a good way to get them involved in the buzz without them having to tackle the full distance.
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Entry is £22 per child, and the accompanying adult runs for free and gets their own adult bib. The Mini is for ages 3 to 8, the Junior for 9 to 15, and both are on Saturday 17 October at Southsea Common.
