Royal Parks Half Marathon

The Royal Parks Half Marathon is an annual half marathon run each October through four of central London's Royal Parks: Hyde Park, The Green Park, St James's Park, and Kensington Gardens. Launched in 2008 by the Royal Parks Foundation as London's first half marathon, the event has since raised more than GBP 70 million for over 1,200 UK charities and now draws more than 16,000 runners a year, including over 16,500 finishers from 85 countries at the 2024 edition. The single-lap, closed-road course starts on South Carriage Drive in Hyde Park and finishes in Kensington Gardens in front of the Albert Memorial and Royal Albert Hall, passing Buckingham Palace, Horse Guards Parade, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, and crossing The Mall twice along the way. The route is generally flat with some gentle undulations and roughly 95 meters of total elevation gain, and runners have a four-hour cut-off from the start of the final wave. For 2026 the race carries new headline sponsorship from Oysho, its first year as title sponsor following a July 2026 announcement; the event is officially branded the 'Oysho Royal Parks Half Marathon' for this edition, though the sponsor-neutral 'Royal Parks Half Marathon' is used here given how recent that deal is. Entry runs primarily through a free annual public ballot, which for the 2026 race opened 26 January and closed 6 February 2026, with results announced 12 February; runners who miss the ballot can still take part through Team Royal Parks or an official charity partner in exchange for a registration fee and a minimum fundraising commitment.