The University of Bristol Run Series

Whatever your running experience, we invite you to join us for one, two or all three of the virtual events in our Run Series in 2021. Be a part of our supportive running community of students, staff and alumni, and discover the positive impact that getting active can have on your everyday, this year.

How to take part

Sign up

Find the event(s) you want to register to take part in and register online.
Purchase an exclusive Run Series medal and/or t-shirt during sign-up.

Community

Join the University of Bristol Strava club and individual Strava event
Join our Run Series community group on Facebook
Meet the community in our 'Faces of the Run Series' blog miniseries
Share your training with us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter using #BristolUniRun #WeAreBristol

Training and support:

Visit our support hub for advice and guidance to help you to the finish line, curated by our in-house experts:

Exclusive training plans for each event
Blog posts running safety, nutrition and wellbeing
On-demand mobility classes for runners
Warm-up and cool-down examples

Cross the finish line:

Run, walk or jog teh distance between the event start and end dates.
Send a screenshot of your completed race to sports-events@bristol.ac.uk

Join us for one, two or all three of our events below. All events in the Run Series are free to enter.

Run Series Virtual 5k - 20 to 21 March 2021
The virtual 5k run kicks off our 2021 Run Series on 20 and 21 March.
Run Series Virtual 10k - 8 to 16 May 2021
Build on your 5k training and sign up to complete a virtual 10k between the 8 and 16 May.
Run Series Virtual Half Marathon - 18 to 26 September 2021
Take part in the half marathon, our 21.1 km Run Series finale, between the 18 and 26 of September 2021.
Great Bristol 10k (in-person event) - Student & Staff entry
Run with the crowds at the in-person Great Bristol 10k on 19 September 2021. Discounted entry for Students and Staff at the University of Bristol before 23 August.
Great Bristol 10k (in-person event) - Alumni and Friends
Run with the crowds at the in-person Great Bristol 10k on 19 September 2021. Discounted entry for Alumni and Friend of the University of Bristol before 23 August.
Great Bristol Half Marathon (in-person event)
Run with the crowds at the in-person Great Bristol Half Marathon on 19 September 2021. Discounted entry for Staff, Students, Alumni and Friends of the University of Bristol before 23 August.
Sign-up - Junior 5k Mini-Series
A 5k Mini-Series for our junior users aged 11-16 years who wish to take part in the Run Series. Run, jog or walk a 5k during each of the Run series event dates and receive a free 5k medal! Parent, carers, friends and family can sign up to the mini-series to run with your Junior runner.

Sports Medicine Clinic

To help avoid or treat any injuries you may sustain during your training, we'd recommend getting in touch with our Sports Medicine Clinic, where we offer Physiotherapy, Sports massage, Osteopathy & Acupuncture.

Run Series Performance T-Shirts

A‌dd a #WeAreBristol performance t-shirt for £6 during the registration process, or grab one later via the University of Bristol Online Shop.

Crafted from a lightweight Neoteric™ fabric, our t-shirts wick sweat away from the skin to ensure you stay cool and dry during your training and events.

Performance tees are available for contact-free click and collect, or UK and International delivery.

Run Series Medals

Run Series - medals banner ‌

Bespoke Run Series medals have been created for each event in the series, featuring Bristol's iconic landmarks. Receive all three medals and interlock them to create an exclusive Run Series medallion!

Medals are available to purchase individually for each event during the sign-up process, on via the University of Bristol Online Shop.
Alternatively get all three medals for free if you sign up to the Whole Series (Whole Series sign up available until 20 March).

Medals will be made available for collection or delivery after each event in the Series. If you are participating in the Whole Series and are receiving medals for free, medal collection for all three events will take place after the final event in September to allow for verification of full-series completion.

Faces of the Run Series

We'll be shining the light on individuals who have signed up to one, or more, of our virtual events in this series, and sharing what brought each to our virtual community this year. Get to know your fellow participants, and put a face to the Facebook profile, email address or Strava user you've only had the opportunity to meet in 2D - until now!

Meet Vicky Dickson - Business Development Officer

Meet Rushab Shah - Bristol SU Sport and Student Development Sabbatical Officer

Meet Tiegan Ball - Wellbeing Sports Liaison Officer, Bristol SU

Meet Brandon Dobson - Lead Activator for Sport, Exercise and Health

Meet Roy Kiruri - Bristol SU International Students Sabbatical Officer

Charities: Healthy Minds & NHS Charities

In 2020, when The Great Run Company had to make the decision cancel the Great Bristol 10k due to Covid-19, over £4,000 was raised for Healthy Minds and NHS Charities Together thanks to those of you who donated your registration fees rather than getting a refund.

From your feedback, the Bristol Run Series will continue to support both charities and you will be given the option to add a donation when you sign up to any of our Run Series events.

Healthy Minds

Our virtual 10k runners can still go the extra mile & combine their training with fundraising for the University of Bristol’s Healthy Minds programme. Support your own mental & physical wellbeing whilst raising funds to support the wellbeing of our students. 

NHS Charities Together

NHS Charities Together provides a forum for nationwide fundraising & advocacy campaigns; specialist advice & guidance; bespoke conferences & training opportunities, as well as access to online resources & support through exclusive member pages on our website.