The Royal Parks Half Marathon has been described as Britain's 'most beautiful half marathon' by virtue of its blend of expansive parks decked in autumnal finery and the capital's iconic landmarks. With huge crowd support, a flat, fast course and a food festival at the finish line, there's something for everyone at this popular event.
Run through four of the eight Royal Parks; Hyde Park, The Green Park, St. James’s Park and Kensington Gardens.
Run past Buckingham Palace, The London Eye, The Houses of Parliament, the Royal Albert Hall and much more.
Sustainability leads the way over the flat and fast course to the inspirational Food and Fitness Festival.
The Royal Parks Half Marathon, presented by Royal Bank of Canada, was set up by The Royal Parks charity as an annual fundraising initiative to help conserve and enhance London’s eight Royal Parks for everyone, while enabling charities of all sizes to be involved in a major challenge event.
Since then the event has exceeded all expectations, raising nearly £65 million for over 1,200 UK charities. It’s a key part of raising awareness of The Royal Parks as a charity, funded by donations and events like the Royal Parks Half.
The money raised by this event for The Royal Parks helps to keep the magic of eight vital green spaces alive, teach children and adults about the natural world, care for wildlife and conserve historic monuments.
The aim is to make race day as green and sustainable as possible and have committed to reaching net-zero by 2027. Right now 66% of all waste from the event is recycled and more work is being done. This event aims to protect, not just the parks but also, the wider world around us for everyone.
South Carriage Drive
Hyde Park
London
Greater London
SW1X
UK
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The Royal Parks Half Marathon, presented by Royal Bank of Canada, is a unique challenge event. Run on closed roads with a festival atmosphere, it’s a landmark day for both runners and supporters alike.
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.
Every year thousands of runners take part in this event and fundraise for charity. While this is hugely beneficial to the charities it gives the runner advantages too, from supporting a cause that is close to your heart to securing a place in this highly sought-after event and much more.
Committing to raising money for charity gives you motivation to get outside and run, plus all of these extras which will elevate your event experience:
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 videos for social media, branded imagery and testimonials from previous runners.
Whether this is your first run or your fifth, 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. Experts include Runningwithus, Full Potential and Olympic champs.
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.
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. Many 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!
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.
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.
Charities buy places in this event, then give them to runners who agree to raise money for the charity – these are called charity places. Charity places are a great way to support a good cause and get a place in the event, especially if ballot entries are closed.
Running a half marathon and charity fundraising go hand-in-hand - which charity will you run for?