Macclesfield Running Festival 2026

The Macclesfield Running Festival begins on the athletics track at Macclesfield Leisure Centre, directing runners onto closed roads for a 5K, 10K, or half marathon. It takes place in October in Macclesfield, Cheshire, offering chip timing for all three distances and routes that are professionally marked and measured. Each race follows a single-loop course from the town out onto Cheshire countryside roads before finishing back in Macclesfield. The event is designed for a broad field, not exclusively fast club runners: the shorter races are suitable for newer runners, while the half marathon provides experienced runners with a longer closed-road option. Local bands perform along the route, aid stations offer support, spectators gather in the town and countryside, and Macclesfield Harriers AC contribute to the event's atmosphere. Finishers are awarded a medal, free race photos, and post-race items.