Manchester Marathon: Elevation Profile, Course Map & Pace Calculator
The UK's second-largest marathon and one of Europe's fastest-growing, marketed — accurately — as flat and fast. From Old Trafford the course loops through Sale, Altrincham and Timperley on wide suburban roads, with nothing an even-pace plan can't handle. Mid-April conditions are cool; a headwind on the exposed return stretch is the usual complaint.
The Manchester Marathon is fast, with only modest elevation change — rated 2/5 on our difficulty scale. Over the official 42.195 km (26.2 mi) the course gains about 340 ft (100 m) and loses 360 ft (110 m), with roughly level start to finish. Grade-adjusted pace says the toughest stretch arrives at kilometre 20 (near mile 12.5), demanding about 6% more effort than the same distance on flat ground. The steepest pitch on course reaches 3.7%.
Course stats
| Distance | 26.2 mi (42.195 km) |
|---|---|
| Location | Manchester, United Kingdom |
| Total ascent | 340 ft (100 m) |
| Total descent | 360 ft (110 m) |
| Net elevation | -16 ft (-5 m) |
| Steepest grade | 3.7% |
| Difficulty | 2/5 |
| Field size | ≈40,000 runners |
| Race day | Mid-April |
| Elevation from | EA LIDAR Composite DTM (GB, 1 m) |
Bare-earth terrain model, smoothed over 500 m — it measures the ground, not the rooftops.
Kilometre-by-kilometre splits (grade-adjusted)
Grade-adjusted (GAP) splits for a 4:00:00 finish, computed from the course's elevation profile with the Minetti gradient-cost model: uphill kilometres get more time, downhills less, at even effort. Splits scale proportionally for any other goal time — the interactive pace calculator on this page computes them exactly.
| Kilometre | GAP pace /km | GAP pace /mi | Elev Δ | Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5:37 | 9:03 | -7 ft (-2 m) | 5:37 |
| 2 | 5:39 | 9:05 | -4 ft (-1 m) | 11:16 |
| 3 | 5:41 | 9:09 | -2 ft (-1 m) | 16:57 |
| 4 | 5:33 | 8:56 | -15 ft (-4 m) | 22:30 |
| 5 | 5:38 | 9:03 | -6 ft (-2 m) | 28:08 |
| 6 | 5:44 | 9:14 | +5 ft (+2 m) | 33:52 |
| 7 | 5:58 | 9:37 | +29 ft (+9 m) | 39:50 |
| 8 | 5:30 | 8:51 | -20 ft (-6 m) | 45:20 |
| 9 | 5:40 | 9:08 | -2 ft (0 m) | 51:01 |
| 10 | 5:35 | 8:58 | -12 ft (-4 m) | 56:35 |
| 11 | 5:44 | 9:14 | +5 ft (+2 m) | 1:02:19 |
| 12 | 5:47 | 9:19 | +11 ft (+3 m) | 1:08:07 |
| 13 | 5:42 | 9:11 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 1:13:49 |
| 14 | 5:40 | 9:06 | -3 ft (-1 m) | 1:19:28 |
| 15 | 5:38 | 9:04 | -6 ft (-2 m) | 1:25:07 |
| 16 | 5:43 | 9:11 | +3 ft (+1 m) | 1:30:49 |
| 17 | 5:49 | 9:21 | +13 ft (+4 m) | 1:36:38 |
| 18 | 5:41 | 9:09 | 0 ft (0 m) | 1:42:19 |
| 19 | 5:38 | 9:05 | -5 ft (-1 m) | 1:47:58 |
| 20 | 5:50 | 9:23 | +15 ft (+4 m) | 1:53:48 |
| 21 | 6:02 | 9:43 | +37 ft (+11 m) | 1:59:50 |
| 22 | 5:14 | 8:25 | -52 ft (-16 m) | 2:05:04 |
| 23 | 5:45 | 9:15 | +7 ft (+2 m) | 2:10:49 |
| 24 | 5:41 | 9:09 | 0 ft (0 m) | 2:16:30 |
| 25 | 5:34 | 8:58 | -12 ft (-4 m) | 2:22:05 |
| 26 | 5:38 | 9:05 | -5 ft (-1 m) | 2:27:43 |
| 27 | 5:41 | 9:09 | -1 ft (0 m) | 2:33:24 |
| 28 | 5:39 | 9:05 | -4 ft (-1 m) | 2:39:03 |
| 29 | 5:38 | 9:05 | -5 ft (-1 m) | 2:44:42 |
| 30 | 5:40 | 9:07 | -2 ft (-1 m) | 2:50:22 |
| 31 | 5:41 | 9:08 | -1 ft (0 m) | 2:56:02 |
| 32 | 5:40 | 9:08 | -1 ft (0 m) | 3:01:43 |
| 33 | 5:36 | 9:01 | -9 ft (-3 m) | 3:07:19 |
| 34 | 5:35 | 8:59 | -11 ft (-3 m) | 3:12:54 |
| 35 | 5:42 | 9:10 | 0 ft (0 m) | 3:18:36 |
| 36 | 5:54 | 9:29 | +22 ft (+7 m) | 3:24:29 |
| 37 | 5:44 | 9:13 | +5 ft (+1 m) | 3:30:13 |
| 38 | 5:42 | 9:11 | +2 ft (0 m) | 3:35:55 |
| 39 | 5:44 | 9:14 | +6 ft (+2 m) | 3:41:39 |
| 40 | 5:42 | 9:11 | +2 ft (+1 m) | 3:47:22 |
| 41 | 5:41 | 9:09 | 0 ft (0 m) | 3:53:03 |
| 42 | 5:51 | 9:25 | +18 ft (+5 m) | 3:58:54 |
| 42.2 | 5:39 | 9:06 | -1 ft (0 m) | 4:00:00 |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Manchester Marathon flat or hilly?
The Manchester Marathon is fast, with only modest elevation change (2/5 difficulty). Total ascent is about 340 ft (100 m) over 26.2 miles.
How much elevation gain does the Manchester Marathon have?
About 340 ft (100 m) of total ascent and 360 ft (110 m) of descent, for a net change of -16 ft (-5 m). Elevation is sampled from EA LIDAR Composite DTM (GB, 1 m) and smoothed over 500 m, so it will not match a GPS watch step for step.
What is the hardest part of the Manchester Marathon course?
Kilometre 20 (near mile 12.5) is the toughest split on the course by grade-adjusted effort. Grade-adjusted pace puts it at roughly 6% more effort than flat running. The steepest grade on course is 3.7%.
When is the Manchester Marathon?
The Manchester Marathon is typically held in mid-April. The next edition is expected around April 15, 2027. Confirm the exact date on the official race website.
How many runners take part in the Manchester Marathon?
The field is roughly 40,000 runners.
What pace do I need to run the Manchester Marathon in my goal time?
At an even pace: 3:00:00 needs 6:52/mi (4:16/km); 3:30:00 needs 8:01/mi (4:59/km); 4:00:00 needs 9:09/mi (5:41/km); 4:30:00 needs 10:18/mi (6:24/km); 5:00:00 needs 11:27/mi (7:07/km); 5:30:00 needs 12:35/mi (7:49/km). On this course, grade-adjusted pacing shifts a few seconds per mile between uphill and downhill splits — the pace calculator on this page computes those splits for any goal time.
Plan your Manchester race
Marathons with a similar profile
- Bayshore Marathon — 350 ft (110 m) ascent
- Barcelona Marathon — 350 ft (110 m) ascent
- Toronto Marathon — 380 ft (120 m) ascent
- London Marathon — 410 ft (120 m) ascent
How Manchester Marathon ranks
- Flattest marathon courses — ranked 10 of 20 (340 ft (100 m) of climbing)
- Biggest marathons by field size — ranked 6 of 20 (≈40,000 runners)
Official race site: https://www.manchestermarathon.co.uk/