The Big Half 2026, a 13.1-mile half-marathon event, will take place in London on an unspecified date, covering four boroughs including Tower Hamlets, Southwark, Lewisham, and Greenwich. A record 1.33million people entered the London Marathon 2027 ballot, highlighting growing popularity for mass-participation running events in the capital. The event will feature a relay component, where groups of up to four people complete equal legs of the half-marathon distance together. Road closures will begin as early as 4am on Sunday and remain in place until 2-4pm that day.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-04,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The Big Half, a half-marathon event in London, will take place on Sunday and involve road closures in several areas of the city. Multiple roads across *Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Lewisham, and Greenwich* will be closed from between 4am and 8am to remain in place until between 2pm and 4pm on the same day. The event includes a 13.1-mile route that covers four of the six boroughs included in the full London Marathon, starting near *Tower Bridge*. A record 1.33 million people entered the London Marathon 2027 ballot, showing growing popularity for mass-participation running events in London.
Written for “Big Half Marathon Course” on 2026-09-05,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
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The event will also include the New Balance Big Relay - sponsored by the sports footwear brand - which will see groups of up to four people complete equal legs of the half-marathon distance together.
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groups → include → distance
It comes as a record 1.33million people entered the London Marathon 2027 ballot, showing a growing popularity for mass-participation running events in the capital.
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people → come → capital
Everything you need to know about the Big Half 2026
What is the Big Half route?
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route → need → Half
The 13.1 mile route covers four of the six boroughs included in the full London Marathon, namely Tower Hamlets, Southwark, Lewisham, and Greenwich.
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route → cover → Marathon
The Big Half begins near Tower Bridge, before heading into Limehouse and towards Canary Wharf.
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Half → begin → Wharf
The run will then loop around to Wapping and back across Tower Bridge.
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run → loop → Bridge
Runners will then make their way through Rotherhithe and Surrey Quays, before the home stretch Greenwich - where the full London Marathon usually starts.
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Marathon → make → stretch
As runners cross the finish line, the Cutty Sark will be in view, marking a picturesque finish to the 13.1-mile run.
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Sark → cross → run
The relay route will be the same as the Big Half route, but participants will join at different points in the race.
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participants → join → race
Read More
These points are near Tooley Street, at Harbord Square in Canary Wharf, outside Wapping Rose Gardens, and at Salter Road in Rotherhithe.
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points → read → Rotherhithe
The Big Mile will begin at 2:30pm at Creek Road, heading towards Deptford.
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Mile → begin → Deptford
The route will then go back on itself through Greenwich, finishing at the Cutty Sark.
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route → go → Sark
The Big Half officially kicks off at 8:30am.
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Half → kick → 8:30am
Participants have four hours to complete the race.
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Participants → have → race
Those who don’t finish within the time will have to run on the pavement to complete it.
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who → finish → it
The stations closest to the finish line include Cutty Sark on the DLR, Greenwich, Deptford, or Maze Hill stations.
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stations → include → stations
What roads are closed?
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roads → close → ?
Multiple roads across Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Lewisham, and Greenwich will be closed to allow for the Big Half.
Road closures will begin from between 4am and 8am on Sunday and remain in place until between 2pm and 4pm on the same day.
Full list of road closures during the Big Half
- Tower Bridge Approach 04:00 - 14:00
- Tower Bridge 04:00 - 14:00
- Tower Hill 04:00 - 14:00
- East Smithfield 04:00 - 14:00
- Limehouse Link Tunnel 04:00 - 14:00
- Aspen Way 04:00 - 14:00
- The Highway 06:00 - 14:00
- Butcher Row 06:00 - 14:00
- West India Dock Road 06:00 - 14:00
- Trafalgar Way 06:00 - 14:00
- Churchill Place 06:00 - 14:00
- North Colonnade 06:00 - 14:00
- Upper Bank Street 06:00 - 14:00
- Bank Street 06:00 - 14:00
- Heron Quays 06:00 - 14:00
- South Colonnade 06:00 - 14:00
- Canada Square 06:00 - 14:00
- Cabot Square 06:00 - 14:00
- West India Avenue 06:00 - 14:00
- Westferry Circus 06:00 - 14:00
- Westferry Road 06:00 - 14:00
- Salter Street 06:00 - 14:00
- Limehouse Causeway 06:00 - 14:00
- Narrow Street 06:00 - 14:00
- Garnet Street 06:00 - 14:00
- Wapping High Street 06:00 14:00
- Thomas More Street 06:00 - 14:00
- Tooley Street 06:00 - 15:00
- Jamaica Road 06:00 - 15:00
- Brunel Road 06:00 - 15:00
- Salter Road 06:00 - 15:00
- Redriff Road 06:00 - 15:00
- Quebec Way 06:00 - 15:00
- Canada Street 06:00 - 15:00
- Surrey Quays Road 06:00 - 15:00
- Lower Road 06:00 - 15:00
- Lower Road 06:00 - 15:00
- Evelyn Street 06:00 - 15:00
- Deptford Church Street 06:00 - 15:00
- Creek Road 06:00 - 16:00
- Greenwich Church Street 06:00 - 16:00
- College Approach 06:00 - 16:00
- King William Walk 06:00 - 16:00
- Nelson Road 06:00 - 16:00
- Greenwich South Street 06:00 - 16:00
- Greenwich High Road 06:00 - 16:00
- Romney Road 06:00 - 16:00
- Trafalgar Road 06:00 - 16:00
- Haddo Street 12:30-15:30
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Row → close → Bridge
