Victoria Park Half Marathon: Route and location ahead of the east London race

East London’s beloved ‘People’s Park’, officially Victoria Park, will once again be hosting its annual half marathon this coming weekend.

Participants will be racing to complete 6.75 laps of a route that covers much of the park’s eastern and central sections.

Two other races, a 10k and a 5k, will also be held on the same day, meaning plenty of runners taking to the park’s flat, scenic course over the duration of the morning.

With so much open green space, spectators will be welcome and no doubt milling around as the race kicks off, with coffee and other treats available at the event village.

A photographer will also be there on the day, with pictures to be made available on organiser Run Through’s website after the race.

For those getting ready to run, or anyone who wishes to simply stop by, here is what you need to know.

What time does the Victoria Park Half Marathon start?

The three races taking part on the day, the half marathon, 10k and 5k, each have different start times.

The half marathon begins at 9.30am, the 10k at 10am, and the 5k at 10.15am.

However, if you are running, you will need to be ready to collect your race packs earlier, with the half marathon pick-up time between 8am and 9am, the 10k between 8.30am and 9.30am, and the 5k between 8.45am and 9.45am.

For anyone who entered before September 29, your race pack should have arrived in the post.

There will be guided warm-ups for each race, which for the half marathon will be 20 minutes before it begins, and 15 minutes for the 10k and 5k.

One thing worth noting: headphones are not permitted, due to runners being required to remain aware of their surroundings at all times.

What is the Victoria Park Half Marathon route?

Runners taking part in the half marathon will be sticking to a route covering much of the central and eastern sections of the park.

Beginning on the side closest to Cadogan Terrace, the route heads round along the southern edge of the park as far as Grove Road. It then turns back on itself, taking runners through its centre, and into the north-eastern corner, before beginning the course again.

On the final lap, runners will, once they have run through the central section of the course, head into the event village, located near the starting point on the park’s eastern edge.

How do I get to the Victoria Park Half Marathon?

Victoria Park is easily accessible by both foot and cycling, with multiple parking spaces also available nearby.

By public transport, Hackney Wick is the closest station, which is just the other side of the A12.

Bow Road and Mile End are located south of the park, and are about a 20-minute walk.

Alternatively, for those coming into Bow Road, the 488 or 276 buses are available from Bow Bus Garage, and for Mile End, the 277 or 425 can be caught from Grove Road.