The countdown is on! With just over two weeks to go, stars of the UK hit show Gladiators are gearing up to kick-start this year’s AJ Bell Junior & Mini Great Birmingham Run in spectacular style at Alexander Stadium on Saturday 2 May.

Expect big energy from the very first second as the TV stars ring the starting bell, sending hundreds of young runners racing around the city’s world-famous track. And the excitement doesn’t stop there after the finish – the stars will be waiting to celebrate with high fives, photos, and plenty of finish-line smiles.

Set inside the iconic Alexander Stadium, home to global athletics and host of the 2026 European Athletics Championships this August, this is a rare chance for Brummie youngsters to run where future records will be made.

The Junior & Mini Great Birmingham Run puts young runners centre stage: Minis (aged 3-8) take on a 1.5km course, while Juniors (9-15) tackle 2.5km, making it the perfect, high-energy introduction to running in a truly world-class setting.

Adding even more star power, Matty Campbell and Karenjeet Kaur Bains, better known as Bionic and Athena, will be there to fire up the crowd and cheer every runner across the line.

There’s still time to enter the 2026 fun at greatrun.org