Friday Night Under the Light 5k race review

I recently took part in my very first Friday Night Under the Lights 5k race in Battersea Park. If you’re considering entering the next edition, here’s what you need to know and my honest thoughts about this race.

About Friday Night Under the Lights 5k

Friday Night Under the Lights 5k races take place every few months in Battersea Park in London. Most editions are 5k races, but the last one of the year in December is a 5 mile race.

They are notoriously fast, with the current 5k record being 13:36 on the men’s side (held by Jack Rowe) and 15:50 on the women’s (held by Holly Archer).

The race is divided in 3 waves. The first wave sets off at 7pm, promptly followed by the second wave 2 minutes later. The final and fastest wave usually starts at 7:35pm.

What is the qualifying time to enter Friday Night Under the Lights 5k?

The current entry standard for the 5k races is sub 16:45 min for men and sub 19:45min for women.

How much does the entry cost?

The entry fee is £20.95. It only includes the race entry. There are no medals, post-race snacks or race photos.

How to pick up your race number?

Collection takes place on the day, at the Battersea Park bandstand. You will be given 2 race numbers (for the front and back of your top) and a chip to put on your shoe.

My honest review of Friday Night Under the Lights 5k

Although I was very nervous about this race because I was one of the “slowest” runners on the start list and I could potentially finish last (let’s be honest nobody wants to be in this position), I was also super excited to take part in my most competitive 5k to date.

I gave absolutely everything and achieved my sub 19min 5k goal, finishing in 18:56.

Watch some clips of the race and my debrief in this vlog:

The best things about Friday Night Under the Lights 5k

This race has a huge PB potential, not only is Battersea Park as flat as it gets, but each runner is fast, and being in such a strong field can only help you unlock some speed.
It’s greatly organised and there’s an awesome team of volunteers marshalling the course.
Unlike the Sri Chinmoy 5k events which also attract fast runners, the Friday Night Under the Lights are chip-timed. I personally found that the start was way less congested because people were less bothered about not being at the front.

Any negatives?

The race website (at the time of writing this review) indicates that waves have a “maximum of 60 runners per wave” to “maximise fast running opportunities”. In reality, this was not the case. My wave had 77 runners and the other 2 waves had over 60 runners.
The entry fee can seem a little expensive considering that there’s no medal, no post-race snacks or water and no race photos.
Although I was well under the women’s qualifying time of 19:45, I was on paper one of the slowest women in this race. It could suggest that this event is intimidating for women who are 19 minute 5k runners but may feel like they don’t belong. I personally don’t feel like this event was really encouraging participation from “slower” runners. It felt like the actual qualifying time was sub 19.

That being said, I’m really glad I got over my “imposter syndrome” and raced, because I got my sub 19 minute 5k PB and the quality of the field definitely helped!

I will most likely take part in future editions of this race, but not until I bring my 5k time down to 18:40 ish, to be able to stay in a pack for longer.