A central London opening leads into the park running around Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. The landmark tour gives way to repeated-looking paths and turns later on.
01 Know what you are taking on
What is the race like?
The course, section by section
Open a section for the terrain and a practical pacing cue.
Hyde Park openingHyde Park and South Carriage Drive area
Park roads with gentle undulations
How to approach it Start at an effort you can maintain and allow the field to settle. Avoid weaving to recover a small delay.
Central landmarksBuckingham Palace, Horse Guards Parade and The Mall
City roads and turns
How to approach it Keep movement smooth and use the landmarks for enjoyment. Let official distance markers decide when to change effort.
Back into the parksHyde Park and Serpentine Road
Park routes and bends
How to approach it Check breathing, posture and fuel as the scenery changes. Returning to the park is not a cue for an immediate sprint.
Kensington GardensKensington Palace and Kensington Gardens
Generally flat park routes with gentle changes in level
How to approach it Build effort only if you can sustain it to the actual finish. Keep a considerate line around tired runners.
Finish and exitAlbert Memorial and Royal Albert Hall
Park finish followed by a walk to the event village
How to approach it Run through the timing line, then keep moving with marshals' directions. Use the final 2027 exit map to find supporters.
Official maps & course details
The following course details are from the edition shown. They help you understand the route while your edition’s final information is being prepared.
- Course
- A single 13.1-mile lap on closed roads, generally flat with gentle undulations.2026 reference course
- Parks
- The course passes Hyde Park, The Green Park, St James’s Park and Kensington Gardens.2026 reference course
- Landmarks
- The narrative includes Buckingham Palace, Horse Guards Parade, The Mall and Kensington Palace.2026 reference course
- Finish
- Kensington Gardens, beside the Albert Memorial and Royal Albert Hall.2026 reference course
The linked 2026 route is a planning reference. The 2027 course and race-day arrangements may change.
02 Choose your approach
Find your race strategy.
Choose your goal. These are our pacing suggestions, based on the published course, rather than organiser instructions.
My first finish
Start comfortably through the central landmarks.
Keep your routine when the route returns to the parks.
Break the later paths into the next marker and save enough for the actual finish approach.
A PB or time goal
Keep the opening below an all-out sightseeing surge.
Take smooth lines through the park turns and check elapsed splits.
Build the finish from the marked distance, not your first view of the event village.
If the weather or your pace changes
Park paths and exposed city roads can feel different on the same morning, so keep the plan responsive to what you actually meet. Check the forecast, bring a waiting layer and adjust the opening effort if it is warm or windy. On wet surfaces, take bends and painted markings carefully rather than chasing a perfect split. Use a drinking routine you have practised and the final station information. Keep a dry layer ready for the post-finish walk, especially if the weather turns cooler once you stop running.
03 Know what is on the course
Drinks, fuel & toilets.
2026 station information · Check the final 2027 guide for changes.
- Water
- Four water stations are listed, with toilets on the route and in the village.
- Gels
- Energy gels are not supplied in the 2026 guidance.
Turn the station list into your plan
Mark the stops you expect to use and the fuel you will carry. If you use a gel that needs water, pair it with a published water point. Practise the products and cup or bottle format before race day; you do not have to try every item offered.
04 Before the start
Your race morning.
Times are local to the event. Work back from your own wave, allowing for the walk, toilets and bag drop.
Your allocated start-wave time is not listed here. Use your entry email and final runner instructions for the time and assembly deadline.
Start & finish access
Earlier-edition arrangements
- Village journey
- Finishers walk or push back to the Hyde Park village to collect bags and meet supporters.2026 reference arrangements
- Start
- South Carriage Drive in Hyde Park, also the village and bag-drop location.2026
Pacers & course cut-offs
Earlier-edition arrangements
- Cutoff
- Four hours after the last wave starts; slower runners may be moved onto pavements with support.2026
- Pacers
- Flag-carrying pacers are offered, with their target times published in the event guide.2026
Bags, kit storage & collection
Earlier-edition arrangements
- Baggage
- Small backpacks are accepted; the reference FAQ provides no showers or changing facilities.2026
Kit rules & accessibility
- Wheelchair policy
- Limited day-chair places include assisted participation; handcycles, racing and motorised chairs are excluded, with prior organiser contact required.
- Assistance policy
- Eligible participants can request a free assistant-runner place from the organiser.
Earlier-edition arrangements
- Headphones
- The 2026 FAQ permits headphones while requiring runners to follow marshals and signs.2026
Your allocated wave, event emails and final runner instructions take priority. Read the guide for your distance before travelling.
05 Make the day work together
Supporters & getting around.
Plan your support
A park-based viewing plan can work better than chasing the central opening. Check the spectator map for open gates and crossings, then agree a named reunion point outside the runner-only finish.
The places below are viewing ideas from the linked route or spectator guide. Use your edition’s access map for barriers, permitted crossings and any crew restrictions.
Central landmark section
Choose an accessible pavement on the final route; some park paths and crossing points may be controlled.
Hyde Park finish surroundings
Leave room for the walk from the timing line to bags and the event village before your reunion.
2026 reference course on current site
Official spectator or route informationMake the cheer easy to find
Agree a named point, the side of the road and your likely arrival window. Share your bib number for official tracking. Pick a separate reunion beyond the finish exit and a backup if the phone signal is poor.
06 Before you book
Entry, fees & time limits.
The organiser invites registration of interest for the 2027 ballot and other entry routes. This is an updates signup, not a confirmed race place.
Check official entry optionsWhat you need to enter
Check the organiser’s current age, eligibility and documentation rules before booking. These requirements have not yet been confirmed for this edition.
Read the entry rules- 2027 entry process
- Ballot and other entry details will be sent to people who register interest.
Stay in the loop
Email me event updates.
Spend more time training and less time checking. Get the key updates for your race, straight to your inbox.
07 Make your training relevant
Practise for this course.
One thing to rehearse
Practise longer steady running with turns late in the session, and drinking from the format in the current runner guide.
08 Put your plan together
Useful before race day.
Plan your pre-run fuel
Explore meals and snacks around the time you have before running.
Explore the fuel plannerMake race fuel feel familiar
Understand how to practise taking carbohydrate during longer runs.
Read the guideUnderstand your everyday fuel
Learn how carbohydrate supports your running and recovery.
Read the guideA plan that fits your life.
Running, strength or both, with feedback and adjustments as your training develops.
Official race information
Use the organiser’s information for current entry terms, the published route and your final runner instructions. Course resources show their edition where it is known. Pacing and training suggestions are The Runner’s Journal’s guidance and should fit your experience, health and conditions.