sport
Birmingham Running Festival Launches September 6; Applications Close Next Month
Applications for the Birmingham Running Festival at Sutton Park close next month ahead of the September 6 start.
How we reported this
The Birmingham Running Festival at Sutton Park on September 6, 2026, opens the main phase of the local autumn running calendar, with entry deadlines set for August 17.
July marks the point where runners shift from weekly training to securing places in the larger events that define the second half of the year, as summer club sessions continue without interruption.
Named venues anchor the schedule
Solihull 5K starts from Malvern Park on August 9 with its own cutoff on July 27, while the Lone Wolf Birmingham trail race moves participants to Wyre Forest on September 19. Run Club Birmingham meets every Wednesday at 7:00 PM outside Edgbaston Stadium, and Holland & Barrett x Sport Relief Monday Miles begins at 6:00 PM each week.
These fixed locations give runners repeated access to measured routes inside established parks and stadium grounds rather than relying on ad-hoc arrangements.
Scale of participation sets expectations
The Great Birmingham Run has drawn more than 12,000 entrants in recent editions, providing a benchmark for the volume of athletes expected at the September half-marathon and 10k distances at Sutton Park. Organisers list the same application window for both distances, allowing direct comparison of field sizes once entries close.
Prospective participants can review the listed deadlines on the Running in the USA and Lets Do This sites to complete entry forms before the August cutoffs. Club sessions at Edgbaston Stadium remain open to drop-ins on the published weekly schedule.