Royal Parks Half Marathon charity places for 2026

2026 date and details to be confirmed.

Timetable

• 07:30 | Event Village opens
• 09:00 | Race starts
• 09:30-09:45 | Final wave will begin

2026 date and details to be confirmed.

Overview

This stunning course threads its way through the beauty and majesty of four Royal Parks and past iconic landmarks including Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament and the Royal Albert Hall. Although there are some gentle undulations, it’s a generally flat course, making it fantastic for both beginners and experienced runners. Look out for your charity cheering squads on route!

Map

Key points

• 13.1 miles through the heart of London
• One lap on closed roads, starting and finishing in Hyde Park
• Takes in many of the capital’s world-famous landmarks
• Runs through four of London’s eight Royal Parks – Hyde Park, The Green Park, St James’s Park and Kensington Gardens
• Four water stations at mile 3, 6, 9, and 11
• Impress sponsors with your half marathon challenge

Headphones

You are welcome to wear headphones; there are no restrictions.

Cut off

4 hours.

There is a cut-off time of 4 hours after the last wave has started. This means participants need to maintain an average pace of around 18 minutes 19 seconds per mile (about 11 minutes 23 seconds per kilometre) to finish within the time limit.

Pacers

A team of experienced pacers will be present at the event. They are identified by a large flag carried on their back, displaying their predicted finishing time.

Event HQ

South Carriage Drive
Hyde Park
London
Greater London
SW1X
UK

Why run for charity?

Taking on a challenge like the Royal Parks Half Marathon is an amazing commitment and something to be celebrated. Every training session, every run in the grey light before dawn, in your lunchbreak, in the heat of summer or cold of winter, pushes you forward.

But you can do even more. By running for a charity you can make every step count double and share your achievements with those in need.

It’s not a one-way street either – running for a charity team gets you guaranteed entry to the race and connects you with like-minded runners in the run-up and race day, as well as giving you access to training and fundraising support.

Benefits of running for charity

When the going gets tough, your admirers step in! As 'masters of motivation', your chosen cause will spur you on and provide plenty of perks in the process:

• Fundraising support

  Charities know that raising money is all part of the challenge, which is why they provide advice, branded materials and a personalised online fundraising page to help the donations roll in. Think eye-catching videos for social media and traditional collection tins too.

• Training support

  Whether this is your first or fifth half marathon, you'll need to train for it! You'll receive an in-depth training plan with guidance, plus many charities have access to expert coaches and elite runners too, who can provide exclusive tips for your race preparation.

• Branded running kit

  When you show up on the day, people need to be able to see clearly that you're supporting a charity. Most charities will give you a branded and personalised t-shirt or vest to run in on the big day, and often a training top too.

• Support on the day

  When you're partway through your run and your energy is flagging, what you need is a boost from cheering spectators to keep you moving. Most charities set up a cheer station along the route, keeping an eye out for you to send up a huge cheer as you run past!

• Post-race recovery

  Refreshments and an indulgent post-race sports massage are often provided by charities for their runners. This is the perfect way to recover alongside other people who have run for that cause.

• Exclusive social groups

  You won't be the only person running for that charity, so it's well worth meeting other runners through the charity's invite-only social media pages! You can organise to meet up for training runs, chat with the charity's expert coaches and share tips and stories with each other to keep the motivation levels running high.

The Royal Parks Half and charity fundraising go hand-in-hand - which charity will you run for?

This was my 6th Royal Parks Half and still my favourite half. Also the first year accompanied by torrential rain but my goodness the charity support was still as strong as ever. A big thank you to All the supporters and organisers. Jeannette S

I did this event as my first ever half marathon and ran it for charity. The location of this event is stunning, going through the different parks and past Buckingham Palace and you would never know that 16,000 people were running. Andrianna C

Great Half-Marathon around the most beautiful parks and surroundings of London! The arrival in Hyde Park is amazing. Renaud B

I would say that although it was generally flat, this course is probably not a 'PB course', simply because there is so much to see. I found that even if I had wanted to push for a PB, I would have struggled, as a lot of people were stopping en route to take pictures. Kerry L

Massive shout out to the incredible marshals - they all had megaphones and they used them well, their support was amazing, especially as the weather was awful which probably put off some spectators. All in all, its a great race, highly recommended. Sophie B

My first half marathon and what a perfect way to start. The course was truly beautiful and took in some amazing sights of London., running down the Mall a highlight! Miranda C

Simply beautiful race through London’s Parks and past the cities iconic sites! One to run! Ian B

This is without a doubt my favourite event ever. Well organised, great route etc etc. This year was the first time I have run an event with a pacer and I have to say it made the experience even better, especially as someone who normally runs alone, I felt I was part of a team. I have done the London Marathon 3 times and this race still for me is so much better, great atmosphere and the route far more interesting. Gemma P

A fantastic event and a beautiful course, flat and fast and without doubt a PB course. Lee C

We were lucky enough to have a beautiful day for it and it was a great route...A sight seeing tour of London! Jessica L

Reviews thanks to RaceCheck

Charity runners receive goodies from their charity too!