Royal Parks Half: should you enter next year's ballot? Honest Review

I took part in the 15th edition of the Royal Parks Half, an iconic half-marathon race that takes you around 4 of the Royal Parks in London. Considering entering the ballot for next year? Here’s what you need to know and my honest review of this event.

Please note, I did this race in October 2022. Some of my comments may not apply to future editions of this race as some things might change :)

Royal Parks Half-Marathon: key information

The Royal Parks Half is a half-marathon race in London that starts and finishes in Hyde Park. The course takes you along some iconic sights and streets such as Trafalgar Square and The Mall.

Alongside Hyde Park, the other parks you’ll run in or around are St James’ Park, Green Park and Kensington Garden.

We were about 16 000 runners for the 15th edition in 2022.

How to enter?

You can put your name in the two-draw ballot. When entering you can choose to pay your race fee upfront. It doesn’t guarantee you a place but it doubles your chances.

I personally didn’t pay upfront and got a spot. It’s not like the London marathon, most people will get a spot. And if you’ve not, you can run for one of the many charities taking part in this race.

How much does the entry cost?

For the 2022 edition the fee was £63.95. You’ll receive a medal and technical bamboo race T-shirt upon completing the race (although you can choose to plant a tree instead of getting the T-shirt).

What time does it start?

The race starts at 9:00. The 2022 schedule was as follows:

07:30: bag drops opens
08:40 runners enter their starting pens (based on their bib colour which is determined by the estimated finish time)
09:00 start of the race

Where are the start and finish lines?

In 2022 the race started and finished at the same place, near the Hyde Park Playground (south of the park).

How to get your race number?

If you’re based in the UK your race number will be sent out a few weeks before the event. You’ll be able to update your delivery address online.

If you don’t have a UK address you’ll need to collect your race number at the event village the day before the race.

What is the bag drop situation?

There is a bag drop at the race village. They do recommend to allow enough time as it is likely to be very. busy before the race.

What is the course like?

It’s a great course to take on some of the London sights and run in the beautiful parks. There are a few turns and some sections of the course are narrow which can make overtaking a little difficult.

There isn’t much elevation and no cobbled streets (unlike the Big Half) which makes for a smooth run!

You can check the course map with the splits and elevation over on Strava.

Can you get a PB at Royal Parks Half-Marathon?

Some runners will say that due to the narrow parts and the turns, the PB potential isn’t high. Although these factors can make you lose a little bit of time, you can largely make it back on the long, straight stretches and take advantage of the relatively flat course.

I got a new half-marathon PB and many other runners did. Whilst it may not be the go-to half marathon race for a PB, you definitely have a shot!

Royal Parks Half-Marathon race review

I filmed the race, check out the footage in this vlog :)

The positives

It was really well organised with plenty of marshals and a lot of signs telling you about upcoming turns / narrow sections.
They have pacers for a wide range of finish times.
It’s always a treat to run in the iconic areas of London and between the monuments and parks you always have something to look at.
The support from the crowds is absolutely incredible, especially in Hyde Park. It’s a really spectator-friendly course and the cheers definitely help! You can also write your name on your race number for personalised encouragements!

The negatives

It’s not a cheap race entry, but it’s the price to pay for these London races.
The GPS is all over the place! Don’t rely too much on your watch.
Once you’ve entered the starting area you’re pretty much standing still for 20 minutes.
The photos are not included in the price. I was personally a little disappointed to only have a few photos (I saw many photographers that were not taking photos when I ran past).
They are trying to make the event as eco-friendly as possible which is great, but the paper cups they hand out on the course are not practical at all when you’re running fast and trying to drink.

Would I recommend it?

If you’re looking for a half-marathon in London that is as much of an experience as it is a race, I would recommend entering the ballot!

I wouldn’t do it every year, but I’m glad I experienced it and it was much more fun that the other half-marathon I did in London (almost 7 laps around Battersea Park, never again).

If you find these race reviews helpful, a coffee would be very much appreciated :) And if you have any questions, feel free to get in touch via the contact form.