Are you preparing for London's community half-marathon? The Big Half is back on Sunday, 7 September 2025 and everyone is invited to participate in the race described as 'a vibrant, inclusive half marathon that celebrates the diversity of London'.

This is the race where you can rub shoulders with GB Olympians and elite international athletes from overseas, while celebrating with the communities of four London boroughs: Greenwich, Lewisham, Southwark and Tower Hamlets, through which the route passes.

The course is flat and fast – net elevation gain 218 feet – starting near Tower Bridge and finishing by the famous Cutty Sark in Greenwich, taking in Canary Wharf, Wapping, Tower Bridge, Rotherhithe and Deptford on the route.

Last year, defending champion Jack Rowe (Aldershot, Farnham and District AC) justified wearing bib number one as he retained his title in 1:02:35. Eilish McColgan (Dundee Hawkhill Harriers) regained the trophy she had won in 2022 to take the elite women's race in 1:09:14.

There were over 20,000 entries and a record 16,457 finishers last year. The inaugural The Big Half in 2018 had 11,518 finishers. You can review the 2024 highlights through our report here.  

Also on the same day is The Big Mile, a free event on the finishing stretch of The Big Half, and The New Balance Big Relay, which allows groups of four to split the half-marathon distance equally and complete the course as a relay team.

The event aims to inspire runners of all backgrounds to enjoy the benefits of running and to celebrate and represent London’s diverse population. As such, a special £10 community entry route is available to encourage entries from underrepresented community groups based in the local area. In 2024, 25% of participants were from ethnically diverse communities.

General entries are sold out, but you can still apply for a charity place. Click here to find out how to apply for charity entry and be a fundraising hero for a cause you care about. 

The Big Half is a world-class mass participation event, organised by London Marathon Events, over the half-marathon distance. Click here to view The Big Half participant guide and click here to read more about The Big Mile. 

Previous results and news stories are at the runABC South race listing here.

Photo courtesy of The Big Half