The Royal Parks Half Marathon returns to central London on Sunday 11 October for its 19th edition, with a field of more than 16,000 runners. The 13.1-mile route links four of the capital's Royal Parks: Hyde Park, The Green Park, St James's Park and Kensington Gardens, with the Mall and Buckingham Palace among the landmarks along the way.
The course is regarded as fast, with less than 100 metres of elevation gain and closed roads. Last year's results underline that: Italy's Andrea Soffientini won in 1:09:53 and Britain's Alice Braham took the women's title in 1:16:48, with the top ten men all finishing under 1:14:00 and nine women breaking 1:25:00.
Charity running is central to the event's identity. Since 2008 it has raised more than £80 million for over 1,900 charities, including Great Ormond Street Hospital, Mind, Macmillan Cancer Support and Prostate Cancer UK, with proceeds also supporting The Royal Parks Charity.
The organisers have continued to emphasise sustainability. Finishers receive FSC-certified wooden medals, and the Drop the Finisher Top initiative allows runners to plant aquatic plants rather than receive a T-shirt, reducing waste at the finish.
The race falls on the same weekend as the Chicago Marathon and Melbourne Marathon, giving a busy mid-October calendar for road runners.