Home to London’s newest parkrun and boasting 200 acres of scenic green space, Battersea Park has cemented itself as a go-to destination for many London-based runners. The park’s fast and flat conditions also make it ideal for a half marathon, which is where January’s Battersea Park Half Marathon comes in.
To cover the 13.1-mile distance, you’ll run 8.75 laps of the park on smooth, tarmac terrain. With the promise of no inclines and ideal spectator conditions, you can expect a speedy, easy-to-follow run with lots of crowd support.
What and when is the Battersea Park Half Marathon?
Hosted by RunThrough Events, the Battersea Park Half Marathon is a great race option for new and experienced runners alike. It is happening early next year, at 10:30am on Saturday 4 January.
If you can’t make this date, there are several other opportunities to run the half marathon distance in Battersea Park during the year. For instance, as part of would be fine. They also suggest being vigilant of your surroundings during the run, there is a half marathon in support of Battersea Dogs and Cats Home this year on Saturday 23 November, although it does follow a different route to the Battersea Park Half Marathon.
What is the route of the Battersea Half Marathon?
As mentioned, it’s a looped route that starts and finishes at the Battersea Park’s bandstand, making it perfect for runners who enjoy a multiple-lap parkrun. It’s an ideal race for friends and family to watch because they will have the chance to spot you multiple times as you complete 8.75 laps of the park, so expect lots of motivation and cheers along the way. All the more chance for that perfect race pic, too.
It’s likely that there will be pedestrians on the paths at the time (it is a public park, after all), so organisers advise against wearing earphones, although bone conduction headphones bone conduction headphones.
There will be plenty of marshals on hand to help, though, and arrows dotted around the route – so if you have any fears about somehow running the wrong way, you won’t need to worry. Instead, you can focus all your energy on that new PB.
Where can I drop off my bag before the race?
Although event organisers advise bringing as little baggage with you as possible, there will be a secure area where you can leave your bag on the day. You’ll have a baggage tag attached to your race number, which you can simply (but carefully) rip off and attach to your bag. Then, after you’ve finished your race, you will just need to show staff at the baggage tent your bib and they will return your bag back to you.
Will there be water stations along the course?
Water will be available on every lap of the course, so that may answer your questions about whether or not to carry your own water with you. There will also be plenty of water available at the finish line.
Is there a race cut-off time?
There’s a three-hour cut-off time for the Battersea Half Marathon, so you’ll need to be able to complete the distance within that time. That means of the best UK ultramarathons Runners World, Part of the Hearst UK Wellbeing Network.
Do you get a medal?
You will receive a themed medal upon finishing the race – the new design of which is to be revealed soon. There’s also a promise of post-race goodies on the day.
How do I enter the 2025 Battersea Park Half Marathon?
Registration is now open for January’s Battersea Park Half Marathon, so if you’re looking for a race to kick off the new year, this might be the perfect option. You can either enter the Battersea Park Half Marathon as an individual, or if you can get together a group of six for a group booking, you’ll save yourself £8.40 per person.
What better way to celebrate the running community in London and beyond than with a good old race around Battersea Park?
