It’s rare to find a half marathon event in London that doesn’t have a ballot entry, but The Big Half is one of those hallowed few.
Competitors in The Big Half take on a route that goes through four London boroughs – Greenwich, Lewisham, Southwark and Tower Hamlets – and has an atmosphere the organisers describe as “unmissable”.
The course follows a similar route to the first half of the London Marathon, starting near the Tower of London and passing by Canary Wharf, crossing Tower Bridge and finishing by the Cutty Sark in Greenwich.
How to enter the Big Half 2023
Because there is no ballot required to guarantee your spot in The Big Half, all you need to do is sign up and pay your entry fee on the Big Half website.
Entry to the half marathon costs £56, but if you live in an area that the race passes through, you can bag yourself a £10 discount. You’ll also get a £2 discount if you’re part of a UKA-affiliated running club.
The Community Entry route is also returning for 2023. This is a means of encouraging underrepresented communities to apply for the race. This is defined as a local group or organisation, community sports club, school or local charity in London that benefits its local community. This entry costs £10.
For the Big Half 2023, your entry fee gets you a race place, a medal and a New Balance finisher’s T-shirt. But if you’re feeling like doing your bit for the environment, you can choose to opt out of the T-shirt and have a tree planted instead.
Charity entries for The Big Half closed on 1st March.
When is The Big Half 2023?
The Big Half this year will be taking place on Sunday 3rd September.
The first two editions of the race acted as a preparation run for the London Marathon, having taken place in early spring. However, in 2021 it moved to a September date because of COVID-19 restrictions in the spring, with 2022 and now 2023 following suit.