🏃♂️🏃♀️ A festival of running in the capital on Sunday 7 September is set to feature some of Britain’s top long-distance athletes competing among a cast of 12,500+ taking part in the The Big Half. Spectating is free on the route.
London’s community half marathon starts by Tower Bridge and travels through four different boroughs before finishing at the Cutty Sark. The Big Half starts at 8.30am and is a spectator treat with strong domestic fields once again expected in the elite races.
2024 RACE REVIEW
In 2024, Team GB Olympian Eilish McColgan repeated her 2022 victory in the elite women’s race at the Big Half. Racing over the half marathon distance for the first time in 18 months, McColgan clocked an impressive 69:14. Calli Hauger-Thackery was second in a time of 69:35.
Jack Rowe (main picture above) claimed victory in the men’s elite race, defending the title he won in 2013. Rowe crossed the line in 62:35. Wales’ Jack Smith finished in second place as he continued his impressive comeback from long term injury.
Commonwealth T54 marathon champion Johnboy Smith claimed victory in the men’s wheelchair race. Sean Frame was second. In the women’s wheelchair race, Claudia Burrough took the spoils ahead of Joanna Robertson.
ELITE RACE HISTORY
The race has a rich heritage with none other than four-time Olympic gold medallist and six-time world champion Sir Mo Farah a three-time winner. Farah, the most decorated athlete in British track and field history won the men’s race in 2018, 2019 and 2022.
Eilish McColgan won the women’s race in 2022 in a course record with a winning time of 1:07.35 (see finish below). McColgan transferred her stellar track from that summer in which she won 10,000m gold and 5,000m silver at the Commonwealth Games followed by 10,000m silver and 5,000m bronze in the European Championships.
In the wheelchair races six-time Paralympic champion David Weir has the men’s course record of 47:18 and won the race in 2022 and 2023. Paralympic gold medallist Samantha Kinghorn triumphed in 2023 – on her debut in the women’s race – setting a course record of 52:05.
The 2025 edition of the Big Half is once again expected to feature some of the stars of GB long-distance running. Who will take the honours in 2025? The finish line at Cutty Sark is the place to find out!
THE BIG HALF – TIMINGS, TRAVEL & SPECTATING
🕘 Race start time is at 8.30am.
📍 The route
The Big Half route for starts on the north side of the River Thames by Tower Bridge. It passed through the four London boroughs of Tower Hamlets, Southwark, Lewisham and Greenwich. The finish at the iconic Cutty Sark in Greenwich (see below for map of route with mile markers).
🎟️ Spectating is free on the course.
Travel tips
To the race start. The nearest London Underground station to the race start is Tower Hill tube station on the District and Circle lines. Tower Gateway is the nearest Docklands Light Railway (DLR) station.
To the race finish. The nearest station to the Cutty Sark – where the race finishes – is Cutty Sark on the Docklands Light Railway (DLR). The DLR connects with other Underground lines at Bank, Tower Gateway and Stratford stations. Greenwich and Maze Hill overground stations are also nearby. Direct trains run to both from London Cannon Street and London Bridge. Plan your journey at the Transport for London website.
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