THE inaugural Warrington Running Festival is now only a week away.

Thousands of runners are set to take to the town’s street next Sunday, September 26, for the race – the spiritual successor to the English Half Marathon.

Here is all you need to know ahead of the event:

What’s happening?

The Warrington Running Festival will see a half-marathon event return to the town for the first time since 2018.

An 11th edition of the English Half Marathon was cancelled at only six days’ notice in 2019.

While the race was due to return under the Warrington Running Festival guise with new operator RunThrough for 2020, the event was called off due to the coronavirus pandemic.

But thousands of runners are set to take to the streets on Sunday, September 26, for the half-marathon, 10km and 5km routes.

Both the half-marathon and 10km kick off at 9am, followed by the 5km and 9.30am and a kids’ race at 11.30am.

What is the route?

After departing from the Town Hall, runners will follow Wilson Patten Street and Mersey Street before completing a loop of the Howley area, crossing Bridge Foot and continuing along Knutsford Road.

The route will then head into Victoria Park and along the Black Bear Path and Trans Pennine Trail, before joggers head over the Manchester Ship Canal via the Cantilever Bridge and take in a lap of Stockton Heath and Grappenhall.

Returning north over the Cantilever Bridge again, the home straight will comprise of a run from along Knutsford Road from Latchford village to the town centre – wrapping up with a route taking in Bridge Street, Palmyra Square and Winmarleigh Street.

Warrington Guardian:

What road closures are in place?

The following streets will be shut to traffic at various times on the morning and early afternoon on Sunday, September 26:

  • Ackers Road
  • Bridge Foot
  • Bridge Street
  • Chester Road (A56)
  • Church Street
  • Church Lane
  • Farrell Street
  • Grammar School Road
  • Grappenhall Road
  • Holmsfield Road
  • Howley Lane
  • Knutsford Road
  • Lumb Brook Road
  • Mersey Street
  • Palmyra Square South
  • Rylands Street
  • Station Road
  • Stockton Lane
  • Wash Lane
  • Wilson Patten Street
  • Winmarleigh Street

Who are the organisers?

RunThrough hosts a number of races across the country, and were also responsible for the Tour of Britain event village in Bank Park earlier this month.

Race director Ben Green is from Grappenhall, and the route will wind its way past the street in Grappenhall on which he grew up.

Warrington Guardian:

Ben Green at the London Marathon with dad Graham after the pair set a world record for the fastest father-son marathon

The 35-year-old told the Warrington Guardian: "This is what I do for a living, changing people's lives and getting them into running.

"Now I’m finally able to do it in Warrington, where it all started.

"This is where I used to go out with my mates in town, and the track at Victoria Park where I used to do my training.

"The route is almost my childhood.

"It’s a strange feeling – I feel like everyone I know from school and all my family are going to be there, so everything has to be perfect.

"I don’t want to let anyone down – it’s an interesting pressure to have on your shoulders in a good way, because it’s only going to make the event better."

How do I enter?

Entry is still available – priced at £5 for the kids’ race, £26 for the 5km, £28 for the 10km and £32 for the half-marathon.

These fees include a medal, t-shirt, goodie bag and official race photographs.

Discounts are available for group bookings.

Click here to sign up.