The Kingston Half Marathon returns on Sunday 4 October 2026 with a route that offers runners rather more than 13.1 miles through south west London.

Starting and finishing in Kingston's Ancient Market Place, the race brings together a flat course, long stretches beside the River Thames and landmarks spanning centuries of British history.

The first five miles take runners through the streets of Kingston before reaching Teddington Lock. From there, the course crosses Kingston Bridge and follows Barge Walk, providing around three miles of riverside running on the approach towards Hampton Court Palace.

History is difficult to avoid along the way. Kingston Bridge has origins dating back to the 12th century, while Hampton Court Palace provides one of the route's most recognisable sights. Runners also pass close to Kingston's Coronation Stone, associated with the crowning of Anglo Saxon kings including Æthelstan.

The race itself has now become part of Kingston's more recent history. First staged in 2016 as the Royal Borough of Kingston Half Marathon, it was created by local organiser Peter Wedderburn of Quicksilver Events. The inaugural race attracted 692 runners and the event has since grown substantially.

There is plenty of incentive for faster runners too. Ugur Altam of Belgrave Harriers holds the men's course record of 1:08:14, set in 2024, while clubmate Sarah Astin established the women's record of 1:16:50 in 2022.

One change for 2026 is that the Kingston 10K will not take place. Organisers have given the distance a rest year while they work on creating an improved course, leaving the Half Marathon to take centre stage this October.

More than 2,000 runners are expected to take part, with the final miles bringing the field back towards the Ancient Market Place and a finish in the heart of Kingston.

For anyone who likes a little history with their Half Marathon, there can be few courses where so much of it is packed into 13.1 miles.

A limited number of places remain and you can enter via the runABC race hub here.

Image courtesy River Thames Running on Facebook.