National Road Relays 2026 at Sutton Park: your guide to 3 October

On Saturday 3 October 2026, clubs from across England head to Sutton Park in Birmingham for the English Road Running Association's National Autumn Road Relays. It's three championships in one day: the men's 6 stage, the women's 4 stage and the young athletes' 3 stage relays.

When and where

The relays are at Sutton Park, Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham B73 6BU, on Saturday 3 October 2026. They're English Championships, run by the English Road Running Association with England Athletics.

Start times

• 11:00: under 14 boys
• 11:05: under 14 girls
• 12:00: under 16 boys
• 12:05: under 16 girls
• 12:50: under 18 men
• 12:55: under 18 women
• 14:00: senior men (6 stages)
• 14:10: senior women (4 stages)

Distances

Every senior leg is 5.47km, for men and women alike. The young athletes run three legs of 3.88km.

The senior lap changed last year. The park installed a gate on the dog leg past the Jamboree Stone, so the course was reworked and each leg cut from 5.847km to 5.47km. It also meant that, for the first time, the women ran the same lap as the men.

Who can enter

The senior men's race is by qualification through the area relays: the top 25 A teams from each area, plus any B teams that finish inside that top 25. Clubs can enter up to three women's teams, and there's no limit on young athlete teams. Only a club's leading team can win team medals, and medals also go to the fastest stage times.

Every runner has to be registered with England Athletics (senior athletes can also be registered with another UK governing body) and must race in their registered club vest. If you're not sure where you stand, our guide to England Athletics registration explains it.

Entries close on 27 September

Entries are online only, through Nifty Entries, and close on Sunday 27 September 2026. There are no late entries. Fees are £72 per men's team, £48 per women's team and £36 per young athletes' team.

Team managers declare their runners online, using a link sent on the Wednesday before the race. Changes are allowed up to 12:00 on race day for the senior races and 10:00 for the young athletes, and there's no way to declare or change a team at registration. Full details and the entry link are on the ERRA website.

New age group names

If you're comparing with last year, the young athlete races have new names. What were the under 13, under 15 and under 17 races are now under 14, under 16 and under 18. Our guide to UK athletics age groups explains the change.

Last year: first time winners

The 2025 relays on 4 October were run in strong winds left behind by Storm Amy, with 76 men's teams and 65 women's teams on the start line. Both senior titles went to clubs that had never won them before.

Cambridge & Coleridge won the men's race after three bronze medals in a row. "We have been building for this for 16 years," said their team manager, Mark Vile. Tonbridge took third, and the fastest leg of the day was Jacob Cann's 15:30 for Western Tempo.

Vale Royal won the women's title a year after finishing second. Holly Weedall, still only 20, brought them home, having won titles at Sutton Park since she was in the under 13s. Bristol & West were second and Aldershot third, while Lincoln Wellington's Abbie Donnelly led the opening leg in 17:42.

In the young athletes' races, Brentwood Beagles won both the under 13 and under 15 girls' titles, with their under 13s taking a full minute off the race record. St Mary's Richmond, Chelmsford, Bracknell and Blackheath & Bromley also took titles.

Coming to watch

Sutton Park is open to the public, so it's easy to come along and support. Racing starts at 11:00 with the under 14s and finishes with the senior races in the afternoon. If you're making a weekend of it, the nearest athletics track is Wyndley Leisure Centre in Sutton Coldfield, and Alexander Stadium is a short drive away.

Why the relays matter

Relays are one of the few days in the calendar where a club's depth counts as much as its stars. Every leg matters, and plenty of club runners will tell you it's their favourite race of the year. If you'd like to be part of a team next year, our guide to choosing between a running club and an athletics club is a good place to start.