ARUP and RSM UK are the winners at Great Birmingham Run Business Challenge

The winners have been revealed for the 2024 AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run Business Challenge and it was ARUP and RSM UK who won this year’s corporate bragging rights.

This year’s AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run took place on Sunday 5 May, with both the 10k and half marathon starting on Broad Street and finishing at Smithfield in the city centre.

More than 14,000 people signed up to take part and were treated to beautiful blue skies and thousands of cheering spectators along both the 10k and half marathon routes.

The Business Challenge is a popular part of the Great Birmingham Run, which encourages a healthy outlook for team members. It offers excellent team-building opportunities as workplaces compete for fastest-time trophies.

Edward Pryce, Tom Hull, David Hagan and Chris Lewis were the four fastest finishers in RSM UK’s team of half marathon runners with a combined time of 05:48:34. The Colmore Row-based audit, tax and consulting advisers take their half marathon winners’ plaque back to the city’s Business District to display with pride.

Among the other companies taking part in the half marathon challenge were Ridge Birmingham, Freeths LLP, BDO and Absolute Collagen.

Global engineering consultancy ARUP amassed a team of more than 40 runners for the 10k and Ellen Williams, Martin Hawkins, Darren Lindsay and Steve Fernandez were the four fastest finishers with a combined team time of 02:56:29. They can now display the 10k Business Challenge winners’ plaque in their new Centenary Way offices.

ARUP’s 10k runners beat teams from businesses across the Midlands including Beever and Struthers, DWF Law, Pinsent Masons, Solihull School and St Philips Chambers.

RSM UK entered a team of over 50 runners across the 10k and half marathon and have been raising funds for local charity Acorns. Co-captain Rishi Patel, who coordinated the team alongside colleague Scott Mortimer, said: “It’s been a brilliant experience for Scott and I working with Great Run, and seeing our half marathon team win the Business Challenge is the icing on the cake.

“We’ve loved seeing the enthusiasm from our team members signing up, getting active and training together. There was a real sense of excitement in the run-up to the event and it was even more special that we were able to raise funds for our local charity partner, Acorns.”

Paul Foster, Chief Executive of the Great Run Company, said: “Huge congratulations to our winners at ARUP and RSM and a huge thank you to all our Business Challenge teams for getting into the competitive but friendly spirit of the event.

“If you’re thinking of rounding up a team for next year, it’s worth considering how the Business Challenge is a great opportunity to focus on charity fundraising and supporting good causes. Great Run events have helped raise over £775 million for charity.”

The AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run is back on Sunday 4 May 2025. Enter now and save with an EARLYBIRD offer for a limited time. This year’s event was a complete sell-out, so get in early to secure your place on the start line, and bag yourself a saving. Visit here.