Ali Brownlee 5K

The Ali Brownlee 5K starts and finishes at Centre Square in the heart of Middlesbrough, running a flat, fast, traffic-free route through the town in tribute to Ali Brownlee, the beloved BBC Radio Tees "Voice of the Boro" who died in 2016. The course incorporates the Riverside Stadium, home of Middlesbrough Football Club, taking runners past the ground before heading back to the town centre finish. The route is entirely on closed roads, making it accessible to first-timers as well as competitive runners chasing a fast time. Held alongside the Middlesbrough 10K as part of the Middlesbrough Runs weekend, and relaunched in 2026 under new organisers Events of the North, run by Steve Cram and Allison Curbishley, it's open to entrants aged 11 and over. Finishers receive electronic chip timing, a medal and goody bag, with water and a celebratory Teesside parmo waiting at the end.