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PACERTRIP CITY EDITIONGB / RACE GUIDE

The Big Half

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

London
GB

JULIAN MASON from London, UK · CC BY 2.0Paul W, CC BY-SA 4.0Paul W, CC BY-SA 4.0Paul W, CC BY-SA 4.0Katie Chan · CC BY-SA 4.0

Race date in 332 days: Sep 5, 2027 Sun
City · Distance: London · 21.1km
Entry fee: £56.50From the 2026 edition
Status: OpenSee how to enter ↗

2027Date Sep 5, 2027 · Entry Sep 6, 2026 ~

2026Date Sep 6, 2026

Official website ↗D-day as of Oct 8, 2026

About the race Runner stories How to enter Course Race Prep Travel

Why you dream of this race

THE DREAM

ABOUT THE RACE

A day you'll remember,
long past the finish line.

Half marathon held in London on September 6, 2026.

It is run more as an occasion for the local community to run together than as a competitive time trial.

The road to your own record

Picture the course in advance
and find the pace that fits you.

When the city cheers

Streets lined with cheers, runners all around.
You'll be part of that scene.

The trip that follows the run

Take it slow with the finish still in you,
and meet the city all over again.

Stories from those who ran it first.

From the joy of finishing to the tough moments — read what runners wrote themselves.

Race reports: 2

Emma Kirk-OdunubiFinish time 1:56:56

“Overall, I loved the race, it had its challenges but a well organised race and route was fairly good and fast too.”

At London's Big half marathon, the runner passed through hot tunnels and ankle-testing cobbles, then drew strength from friends and spectators late in the race. Although 1 hour 56 minutes 56 seconds was their slowest half marathon time, finishing again after a hip injury meant a lot.

Read the original on Emma Kirk-Odunubi

Heart Runner GirlFinish time 02:55:09

“The lack of fluids and the weather definitely slowed me down a bit.”

At London’s The Big half marathon, the runner sweated heavily in a hot, humid tunnel and ran short of water between aid stations. Running over Tower Bridge was a highlight, but heat and insufficient hydration slowed the race to a finish in 2 hours, 55 minutes, and 9 seconds.

Read the original on Heart Runner Girl

We translated a short line from each public race report and summarized the experience. Finish times are as stated by the author, and past editions may differ from this year's weather and operations.

See it on video,
feel it through their stories.

Preview the course and read what runners who went before you wrote.

Finisher vlog

Nick Bester · Finisher vlog

View on YouTube

This may be from a past edition. Check the organizer for this year's course and operations.

The way in that fits you

YOUR ENTRY

How to reach the start line —
start with what fits you.

Here are the ways to enter and what each requires.
Check the organizer's page for whether entries are open.

From the 2026 edition

We'll fill this in once the official entry rules are out.

Official race website Entry options

From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

The 21.0975km I'll run

Know the course and time limit, and race day comes into focus.

Runners start · local timeFrom 09:00

Event	Start	Time limit
Half21.0975km	09:00	4h

START

Tower Bridge, London

Start · Google Maps

FINISH

Cutty Sark, Greenwich, London

Finish · Google Maps

Course starts on the highway near the north end of Tower Bridge and heads east.

After about 3 km, the route passes through the Limehouse Tunnel on mark and then continues past the Canary Wharf financial district.

There is a climb on the exit from the tunnel and again as you enter Canary Wharf,

and runners are advised that GPS signals may be unreliable in the stretch surrounded by high-rise buildings.

After that, course narrows through Limehouse on the return leg, and the Wapping section includes cobblestone pavement, so you need to watch your footing.

Between miles 7 and 10, the course crosses Tower Bridge again;

there is a gentle climb before the bridge, and the views open up on the bridge itself.

It then passes through Rotherhithe, Surrey Quays, and Deptford before finishing in front of the Cutty Sark in Greenwich.

Typical race-season temperature: around 15°C (58°F): Short sleeves or light long sleeves + arm warmers

Participant benefits

Pacers

Bag drop

To the start line,
step by step.

Pick up your bib, check your wave.
So on race morning, you can just run.

From the 2026 edition

Bib pickup

UK residents will receive it by mail; overseas participants and those who have not received it by 8/31 will receive it at Marathon House (190 Great Dover Street) on 9/3 (Fri) and 9/4 (Sat).

Stations & transport near the venue

Just tap your contactless bank card or phone — no card to buy

Getting to the start

Tower Hill area (near Tower Bridge start)

Official 2026 road-closure leaflet confirms the half marathon starts by Tower Bridge at 08:25, with major closures on Tower Bridge Approach,

Tower Bridge, Tower Hill, East Smithfield, Limehouse Link Tunnel and Aspen Way from 04:00-14:00.

The leaflet's route map labels 'TOWER HILL' near the start area (a well-known London Underground/DLR interchange),

though the leaflet itself does not explicitly instruct runners to use a specific Tube station.

Well-documented road-closure logistics, but oriented toward local residents/drivers rather than explicit spectator/runner Tube directions.

Getting to the finish

Greenwich area (near Cutty Sark finish)

The half marathon finishes next to the Cutty Sark in Greenwich;

several streets close 06:00-16:00, though local bus service is maintained on Romney Road, Nelson Road, and Greenwich High Road throughout the day.

The leaflet's map labels 'GREENWICH' near the finish area (a known National Rail/DLR interchange).

More details

No dedicated event shuttle found;

only local bus service maintained on specific Greenwich streets,

plus 18 numbered 'Vehicle Crossing Points' for local resident/vehicle access (not runner shuttles).

IC card

Oyster (Visitor Oyster) or contactless bank card

Works directly at the gates

More details

Contactless bank card or phone (Apple/Google Pay) works directly at gates with the same fares and daily/weekly caps as Oyster -- no separate card purchase needed for most adult tourists.

Visitor Oyster (GBP 10 fee) is worth it mainly for kids 11-15 (50% discount, needs Oyster not available via contactless), 7-day Travelcard starting mid-week,

or travelers worried about foreign-transaction fees / card acceptance.

Stations & transport near the venue

London runners can use either an Oyster card or simply tap a contactless bank card or phone wallet at the yellow readers -- both charge identical fares and daily/weekly caps,

so a contactless card avoids needing to buy a separate Oyster card.

A single Zone 1 Tube/Elizabeth line fare is about 2.90 GBP off-peak, and the bus Hopper fare is 1.75 GBP for an hour of unlimited buses.

Source · checked Aug 24, 2026 Source · checked Aug 17, 2026

READY TO RUN

From race morning to after the finish.

Your start time, fuel and bag drop.
Know them ahead and the run feels easier.

Aid station is located at miles 3, 6, 9 and 11.

Course includes several short uphill sections, including the Limehouse Tunnel exit,

the entrance to Canary Wharf and the climb before Tower Bridge, so pace needs to be managed.

There is also a short bridge climb about 500 m before finish.

The cobbled paving in Wapping is considered a section where runners need to slow down.

Times are local to London. Check the latest official information before the race.

A trip built around the race

STAY A LITTLE

MAKE IT A RUNTRIP

The race is one day,
the trip can be longer.

From a hotel that makes race morning easy,
to the meals and views you'll enjoy with the medal on.

Four Seasons Hotel London At Tower Bridge

Hotel · 543m

9.3/10(208)

View on Booking.com

London Floating Sauna

Sauna boat on the Thames River · Small · ₩70,482

View on GetYourGuide

Circolo Popolare

Italian Restaurant · London 1.2km

★4.8(42,000)

Map

The National Gallery

Art museum · London 197m

★4.8(64,000)

Map

Diego Delso / CC BY-SA 4.0

Citizenm Tower Of London

Hotel · 532m

8.6/10(8606)

View on Booking.com

City Tour London Double-Decker Bus & River Cruise Pass

₩79,226

The Big Half

About The Big Half — what makes it special

A day you'll remember,long past the finish line.

The road to your own record

When the city cheers

The trip that follows the run

The Big Half runner reviews and race reports

Stories from those who ran it first.

See it on video,feel it through their stories.

Finisher vlog

How to enter The Big Half — registration routes

How to reach the start line —start with what fits you.

The Big Half course map and elevation

The 21.0975km I'll run

Tower Bridge, London

Cutty Sark, Greenwich, London

Participant benefits

Pacers

Bag drop

Where and when to collect your The Big Half race bib

To the start line,step by step.

Bib pickup

Getting to the start

Getting to the finish

More details

IC card

More details

Stations & transport near the venue

From race morning to after the finish.

The race is one day,the trip can be longer.

Four Seasons Hotel London At Tower Bridge

London Floating Sauna

Circolo Popolare

The National Gallery

Citizenm Tower Of London

City Tour London Double-Decker Bus & River Cruise Pass

Dishoom Covent Garden

Hotels near the The Big Half start line in London

Hotels that make race morning easyHotels to rest in right after the finish

Four Seasons Hotel London At Tower Bridge

Citizenm Tower Of London

Tower Suites By Blue Orchid

The Tower Hotel, London

Entire Boat At St Katherine Docks 2 Available Select Using Room Options

Cheval Three Quays

Bridgeview Retreat, 2Bed 2Bridge

The Waterman's Arms

Ibis London Greenwich

Zedwell Greenwich

The Mitre by Innkeeper's Collection

Staycity Aparthotels, London, Greenwich High Road

Cosy Flat in the Heart of Greenwich

Luxury Greenwich 2Bed 2Bath Apt - Sleep 6 Guest- 1 min from station - close to Greenwich Maritime- Playstation provided

Time for you, before and after the finish

London Floating Sauna

City Tour London Double-Decker Bus & River Cruise Pass

London Big Bus, London Eye & Thames River Cruise Ticket

London Thames River Hop-On Hop-Off Cruise

London Musical 'Oliver!' Show Ticket

London Westminster to Greenwich Thames River Cruise

London: Thames Sightseeing Cruise with Hop-On Hop-Off Access

London City Cruise

Evening Food Tour of London’s Soho and Chinatown with a Local Guide

London Landmarks & Wine Tasting Half-Day Tour

London: Soho and Covent Garden Food Tour

Food Tour with a Guide - Discover British Food and London's History!

British Museum Afternoon Tea Experience in London

London Cheese & Wine Tasting Bus Tour

London Traditional British Food Tour

Paris–London Eurostar Train Ticket

London Luggage Storage Service

London｜Private airport pickup/drop-off service from London City Airport

London｜Private Airport Transfer Service to/from London Heathrow Airport

London Warner Bros. Studio Tour (Transportation Included)

London Bike Rental (BikesBooking)

London Car Rental (EconomyBookings)

London City Tour Bus & Westminster Abbey Entry Ticket

London Explorer Pass (Go City, 70+ Attractions)

London Pass (Go City, 100+ Attractions)

London City Pass

A day you'll remember,
long past the finish line.

See it on video,
feel it through their stories.

How to reach the start line —
start with what fits you.

To the start line,
step by step.

The race is one day,
the trip can be longer.

Trip prep too,
light and in one place.

With runners who dream of
the same start line.