The Royal Parks Half Marathon returns to London on Sunday, with thousands of runners set to take to the capital's streets. The event, first launched in 2008, bills itself as the first and only half marathon through the centre of London.
It was set up by The Royal Parks charity as an annual fundraising initiative to help conserve and enhance London's Royal Parks, while enabling charities of all sizes to be involved in a major challenge event. The event has raised over £80 million for more than 1,900 UK charities.
Route and Start Time
The 13.1-mile route takes in many of the capital's world-famous landmarks, passing through four of the capital's eight Royal Parks - Hyde Park, Green Park, St James's Park and Kensington Gardens. Starting in Hyde Park and finishing in Kensington Gardens, more than 18,000 runners will pass Horse Guards Parade with views of the London Eye, run along The Mall twice, and pass both Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace.
Although there are some gentle undulations, it is a generally flat course, making it a good option for both beginners and experienced runners attempting to set personal best times. Participants will cross the finish line in front of two iconic London landmarks - The Albert Memorial and the Royal Albert Hall.
The event officially kicks off at 8.45am. The Event village and Baggage Tent will be open from 7.30am, with wave loading opening from 8.05am. Participants have until 2pm to complete the race, with the Event Village closing by 4pm.
Getting There and Best Viewing Spots
Due to local road closures, public transport is the best bet to reach the event. Many Tube stations are within walking distance from the start and finish lines, including Hyde Park Corner, Green Park, Knightsbridge, South Kensington, Victoria, Marble Arch, and Lancaster Gate. There are planned engineering works on Race Day on the Circle line from Edgware Road to Aldgate via Victoria and on the District line from Tower Hill and Edgware Road to Ealing Broadway, Kensington (Olympia), Richmond and Wimbledon.
There are plenty of great places to watch along the route. The Mall is located between Mile 1 and 2 and between Mile 4 and 5 on the route, allowing spectators to spot runners in two directions. Serpentine Road in Hyde Park also sees runners in both directions - between Mile 5 and 6 and between Mile 8 and 9. The Albert Memorial is the perfect spot near the finish line to cheer runners home.
Road Closures
Many central London roads will be closed for the event. Roads within Hyde Park will be closed from 12.01am on Sunday October 11 until 5am on Monday October 12. Roads within St James's Park will be closed from 6am until 6.30pm on Sunday, and roads within Westminster will be closed from 7am until 12.30pm.
Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens will be open to the public as usual throughout the weekend, but users may be directed to different gates to access the Parks on Sunday. Emergency vehicle access will be maintained across the route at all times, and drivers are advised to plan their journeys in advance and allow additional time.
