AJ Bell Great South Run

The AJ Bell Great South Run returns to Southsea on Sunday 18 October, with the main race starting at 10:35 am. It's a 10-mile road race that's been running since 1990, and it's still one of the most recommended dates on the running calendar. The course is flat, fast and paved, closed to traffic and run with salty air and sea views along the South Coast. You'll pass the Spinnaker Tower, the Southsea seafront and the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, where you run right past HMS Victory.

It's a big one — around 26,000 runners take part, and hundreds of thousands have crossed the finish line since it first started. Millions of pounds have been raised for charity over the years, too. The race starts at Avenue De Caen and finishes at Clarence Esplanade, so it's a good bit of the seafront to take in while you're at it.

The main event isn't the only thing on. The weekend includes a Great South 5K on the Saturday before the main race, plus Junior and Mini races for the younger ones, so there's something for different ages and distances. It's all part of the Great Run Series, whose events run across the UK.

High-profile guests have popped up over the years, with celebrity runners like Hugh Dennis and Iwan Thomas taking part, and figures like CBBC's Radzi and Team GB Olympian Lizzie Yarnold pulling the starting trigger. For this edition, Iwan Thomas MBE is the official race starter. Entry is £53.