Warrington Running Festival road closures, route and entry

It was staged for the first time last year, with organisers hailing the event as a real success, and they were keen to see it return for 2022.

Thousands of runners are set to take to the town’s street tomorrow, Sunday, to test themselves running across the town.

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

What is happening?

Warrington Running Festival is now in its second year, offering a half marathon, 10k or 5k in and around Warrington town centre.

Starting and finishing at the town hall’s iconic Golden Gates, the event has a road closed, flat and fast route that provides the perfect opportunity to push yourself to a chip timed, personal best.

Thousands of people are due to take part in the highly anticipated event, which starts at 9am and ends at around 2pm.

Included in the entry fee are chip timed results, a unique themed medal, post-race goodies and free official race photographs

Each mile will be accurately marked out, and there will be plenty of helpers to cheer you on around the course and on your way to the finish line in the heart of Warrington.

What is the route?

The half marathon is a mostly flat, road closed route, with a slightly undulating middle section offering PB potential.

Starting and finishing at the iconic Golden Gates, the route loops around the Howley Quay area alongside the Mersey, before taking a tour of Victoria Park, Black Bear Park and the Transpennine Trail – all on flat, hardstanding paths.

The route crosses Cantilever Bridge to enter the more undulating section of the route, around Stockton Heath and Grappenhall.

After crossing back over the Cantilever, it is a flat sprint back to the Golden Gates for the finish.

What road closures are in place?

Here is the full list of closures authorised by Warrington Borough Council:

Sankey Street – 7am to 1pm

Winmarleigh Street, Wilson Patten Street and Bridgefoot – 8.30am to 12.30pm

Mersey Street and Church Street – 8.30am to 10.15am

Farrell Street, Holmsfield Road and Howley Lane – 8.45am to 9.50am

Wharf Street – 9am to 10.15am

Knutsford Road (eastbound) 9am to 10.15am

Warrington Running Festival road closures (Image: Newsquest)

Knutsford Road (westbound) – 9am to 12.30am

Wash Lane and Loushers Lane – 9.15am to 10.40am

Ackers Road and Station Road – 9.20am to midday

Grappenhall Road – 9.20am to 11am

Stockton Lane and Chester Road – 9.30am to midday

Grammar School Road – 9.40am to midday

Bridge Street, Rylands Street and Suez Street – 9.50am to 12.30pm

The final Runners will be back in the event village at Bank Park by 12.30pm, when all highways will reopen.

All residents in housing opposite Victoria Park will have access via the town side of St Mary 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 last year.

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

Following last year’s event, he said: “To actually come here and organise an event like this was aspirational.

“We do events all over the country and some huge races, but to come to Warrington and close down the town centre to get all of these runners on the road doing something I have been involved in my whole life – it is quite special.”

“Next year we are quite confident that when we get it all right, we can double the size of the event, get 3,000 runners here and make it even bigger.

“There is a big appetite for this event in Warrington.”