The Manchester Regional Arena is part of the Sportcity complex in east Manchester and it’s one of the best athletics facilities in the north of England. The eight-lane track was built as part of the 2002 Commonwealth Games legacy and has hosted national and international competitions since. The infield has throws and jumps facilities. The main stand holds a few thousand for events. It’s a proper athletics venue, not a track painted onto a school field.
For the general public, the arena runs regular track sessions. You can book a lane for individual training or join coached group sessions. The track surface is the modern synthetic type — fast, forgiving on joints, and well maintained. If you’re a club runner, several Manchester athletics clubs train here regularly. Manchester Harriers, Sale Harriers Manchester and others use the facilities for track work, and there are open sessions most evenings.
The Sportcity parkrun happens here every Saturday morning at 9am. It’s a flat, fast course — three laps around the Sportcity complex — and regularly attracts 200-plus runners. If you’re chasing a PB, this is one of the quicker parkrun courses in Greater Manchester. The surface is good, the course is accurate, and the marshals are reliable.
Competition events through the spring and summer bring in athletes from across the region. Northern Athletics championships, inter-club leagues, and open meetings give you a chance to watch competitive athletics up close. Entry to watch is usually free or a couple of quid. Seeing a decent 800m or long jump competition in person is genuinely exciting, even if you’ve never followed athletics beyond the Olympics.
The arena is on Alan Turing Way, next to the Etihad Stadium and the velodrome. Buses from the city centre, or drive and park on site. The whole Sportcity area is easy to reach and has improved significantly over the years.
Whether you run competitively, jog for fitness, or just want to do parkrun somewhere flat, the Regional Arena is a quality facility that’s open to everyone.