Below are route maps and details for our much-loved Half Marathon and 10k route from 2022’s event. We are expecting the route for 2023 to largely follow our existing route, however road works within the city often require detours and this may result in some amends to the course for 2023. We will release our final route for the 2023 Run Leicester Festival in Spring 2023. In the meantime, you can check out the details of our existing routes below.
Run Leicester Half Marathon
Apart from a lot more musicians on route to give you the best race day ever…Our Run Leicester Half Marathon route remains unchanged from 2021. After the buzz of the start line you head out of Victoria Park and have a lovely long down hill straight into the city centre. We head straight across town via Charles Street and Belgrave Gate, and then it’s onwards along Leicester’s famous Golden mile on generally flat roads until you reach our first water stop approximately 3 miles in. As you head up Melton Road on the Golden Mile all Half Marathon runners should keep to the right hand lane and carry straight all the way to the city limits (the 10k race will branch off left at Loughborough Road’s junction with Melton Road.
Continuing further out of the city we head up through Thurmaston, and around to the top of Watermead Park before turning back into the park near the Hope and Anchor pub. This marks roughly the half way point as you start to head back into the city. You’re then treated to beautiful flat tarmac paths running alongside several of the stunning lakes in Watermead Park, with a very short but slightly steep hump back bridge to contend with before you reach mile 7.
We exit Watermead Park into Birstall via Whiles Lane, where there is one of our very few hills to deal with as you run back up to join the main road in Birstall. You are however rewarded with a lovely long gentle downhill that takes you all the way back to the city limits. Reaching Loughborough Road, we then follow wide tarmac paths that run parallel to the canal all the way back to the beautiful Abbey Park – where you will also find our final water station around mile 11.
From here we head through St Margaret’s underpass to get back right into the city centre, before running right through St Peter’s Square with the Highcross Shopping Centre towering above you, and up along the the entire length of Leicester’s High Street before reaching our iconic Clock Tower. You’ll the Town Hall before joining the wonderfully idyllic route up New Walk, which is your final hill that will take you all the way back to the finish line at Victoria Park.
Be sure to check out all of our updates on why you should be running Leicester on Sunday 30th October at runleicester.co.uk/why-run. It’s here you will find all the details of all the latest bands and entertainment we have lined up to keep you moving all the way round the Run Leicester Half Marathon!
Run Leicester 10K
Our all new Run Leicester 10k will follow the Half Marathon route with one key difference. Both races will start and finish at Victoria Park next to the War Memorial, and the 10k route will also give you a nice initial downhill on London Road, before passing through the city centre via Charles Street. As you reach Belgrave Gate and head out on Melton Road, you’ll continue straight up the Golden Mile – BUT all 10K runners will need to keep to the left hand lane, in anticipation of turning left down Loughborough Road at it’s junction with Melton Road. This split point will be well signposted and marshalled, however the earlier you can get into the left hand lane on Melton Road for the 10k route the less likely you will be to go wrong.
After the turn off, the route will run down Holden Street and cross over the canal before following the wide tarmac canal path past The National Space Centre, and into the beautiful Abbey Park, where you will find your only water station on the 10k approximately 4 miles into the route.
Leaving Abbey Park you’ll head back into the city centre via St Margaret’s underpass, then zig-zag right through the Highcross in St Peter’s Square, and down the High Street to the Clock Tower. We’ll also run past the Town Hall, before joining the idyllic New Walk pedestrianised zone. It’s here where you’ll need to dig deep for that final mile which is uphill back up to the finish line at Victoria Park.