About The Course
Total Distance: 26.2 miles / 42.2km
Each race will start at Smithfield, also the venue for the Birmingham 2022 beach volleyball, basketball 3×3 and wheelchair basketball 3×3 competitions.
The Birmingham 2022 Marathon is made up of distinct sections. An 18km loop which all athletes will complete twice. From Smithfield, the athletes will head south out of the city towards Bournville.
This is followed by a 6.2km section through the city centre, which finishes in Victoria Square, the location for the Town Hall and the Council House.
The Looped Section
At the end of Sherlock Street the route passes over the Belgrave Middleway via Belgrave Interchange and onto the Pershore Road (A441), the start of the looped section of the course.
Only 2km into the course, the athletes will go past the internationally renowned Edgbaston Stadium, home of the women’s cricket T20 competition for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
After going past Edgbaston Stadium, the athletes will turn left into Cannon Hill Park.
The athletes will continue along Pershore Rd towards Stirchley and Bournville and enter the most southern section of this large loop.
The athletes will then head back towards the Pershore Road via Bournville Village Green and Sycamore Road, continuing north, past Edgbaston and back to the Belgrave Interchange for the start of the second lap.
The City Centre Section
After completing the second lap of the southern section – 36km - the athletes will continue straight over the Belgrave Middleway back onto Sherlock Street and then turn left onto Hurst Street.
The route passes through the Chinese Quarter and Gay Village, via the Hippodrome Theatre, towards New Street Station.
From New Street Station, the athletes will pass through Paradise Circus and complete a loop in front of Centenary Square, taking in the ICC, REP and Library of Birmingham, before continuing north toward the Jewellery Quarter, passing the Chamberlain Clock and St Pauls Church after 41 km, before making their way into the City Centre for the final kilometre.
The final kilometre of the route winds its way through the Colmore Business District area before turning right onto Colmore Row and travelling past St Phillip’s Cathedral.
The Athletes will travel down Colmore Row into the finish line at Victoria Square, right outside Birmingham Council House and the Town Hall.
