The ballot for the 19th annual Royal Parks Half Marathon officially opens today (26 January 2026), with interest expected to be exceptionally high following last year’s record-breaking entries and a blockbuster 2025 event.
First launched in 2008 by The Royal Parks charity as a fundraising initiative, the event has grown into more than a race and is now one of the UK’s most celebrated half marathons. An unmissable event where human spirit and energy come together to support people, champion causes, support the Parks. From first-time runners and charity fundraisers to seasoned half-marathoners and families cheering from the side-lines, the Royal Parks Half Marathon delivers a unique mix of personal achievement, atmosphere, and purpose.
Taking place on Sunday, 11 October 2026, the race offers a stunning 13.1-mile route through four of London’s Royal Parks: Hyde Park, The Green Park, St James’s Park, and Kensington Gardens, and past iconic landmarks including Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament, Trafalgar Square, and the Royal Albert Hall. Closed roads and a festival-style atmosphere make it one of the UK’s most memorable half-marathons.
As one of the UK’s greenest major half-marathons, the Royal Parks Half Marathon pledges an ongoing commitment to sustainability, with sector-defining environmental initiatives, including a separate ballot for those residing outside the UK to reduce event related travel emissions, the removal of single-use plastic bottles and introduction of water refill stations across the event, plus compostable cups at water points. Runners receive medals crafted from FSC-certified wood and can also take part in the popular ‘Drop the Finisher Top’ initiative, choosing to plant aquatic plants along the edge of the Serpentine Lake, a stunning part the route, instead of receiving a finisher T-shirt.
Since 2008, the race has helped raise over £80 million for more than 1,900 UK charities, supporting national organisations like Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity, Mind, MacMillan Cancer Support and Prostate Cancer UK, as well as hundreds of local grassroots causes. Funds also directly help protect London’s Royal Parks, ensuring these green spaces remain thriving havens for all.
Last year’s event attracted a stellar line-up of celebrity participants, including presenter Jenni Falconer, former footballer John Terry, TV personality Jake Quickenden, The Traitors star Minah Shannon, and actors Adam Woodyatt and Stephen Mangan. Details of the 2026 celebrity line-up will be announced closer to race day.
Head of the Royal Parks Half Marathon, Liz Tack, said: “The Royal Parks Half Marathon continues to be such a special race for so many people. The atmosphere across the parks on race day is always electric, and paired with our uniquely beautiful route, it creates an experience that stays with runners long after they cross the finish line.
“We’re incredibly proud to have raised over £80 million for more than 1,900 charities since the event began, and we’re excited to build on that impact again in 2026 through the amazing fundraising efforts of our runners. Good luck to everyone entering the ballot and we can’t wait to welcome thousands of you back!”
This year’s ballot opens on the 26 January and closes on 6 February
