RECORD BREAKING LONDON LANDMARKS HALF MARATHON SEES OVER 20,000 RUNNERS RAISE NEARLY £14 MILLION SO FAR

An amazing 20,031 runners flooded London’s streets on Sunday 6th April for the biggest ever London Landmarks Half Marathon on record, raising £13.99M so far this year and contributing to a monumental £68 million raised for charity since the race began eight years ago.

The streets of the capital were awash with colour with participants running on behalf of over 700 charities. This year’s event included the first ever Tommy’s Wave, with over 2,000 runners creating a spectacular sea of pink running and fundraising specifically for pregnancy and baby charity Tommy’s, the owners of this event.

Wheelchair participants, visually impaired runners and their guides started the event, before the masses of runners set off rubbing shoulders with celebrities including, actor Stephen Mangan, Traitors star Harry Clark, singer Alexandra Burke, presenter Louise Minchin and Olympians Dame Kelly Holmes, Aimee Fuller and Eve Muirhead all running.

Making her debut appearance at the London Landmarks Half was Dame Kelly Holmes who not only ran but also officially started the race. Kelly said on finishing, “We did it! The atmosphere around there is incredible, the music, the energy, the crowds, the charities being supported – everything about it is brilliant!”

Also competing for the first time was Alexandra Burke who said on crossing the finish line, “What a privilege to run for Tommy’s! It felt like a real honour because of something I personally went through that I’ve never really spoken about publicly.  The atmosphere here in London today was just electrifying. With everyone on the streets of London cheering everyone on, you are fantastic, you are the reason all of us kept going today. Thank you for everything!”

Harry Clark, summed up his first London Landmarks experience “It was amazing, that was the best thing ever. When I got to 10K, that’s the furthest I’ve ever been, I thought nah, this isn’t a bit of me. I thought I can’t do this. but then the people, they just cheer the whole time, high fiving me, giving me water, it kept me going. It was the best thing I have ever done. I’ve got the bug and 100% I will be back next year!”

This year’s event started close to Downing Street, and marked the first year runners tackled the route in reverse. The course took them through historic Westminster under Big Ben, along the Thames Embankment towards the City to take in the old and new landmarks including the Bank of England, the Gherkin, the Shard, and the Tower of London, before heading back towards Trafalgar Square for a triumphant finish under Nelson’s Column.

2025 also saw the event welcome a new Official Sponsor – Royal Bank of Canada, marking the event’s largest sponsorship to date. This sponsorship saw Royal Bank of Canada bringing a new activation to the route, with a bespoke Lions of London experience, tying in with the event’s grand, quirky and hidden theme by showcasing the 10,000 lion statues discoverable around London, as well as the official Royal Bank of Canada mascot Leo the Lion, and a team of Royal Bank of Canada supporters.

Race Director for the London Landmarks Half Marathon, Lia Fyles, said:

“Today has been truly spectacular! With over 20,000 runners taking part, it’s incredible to see the event double in size since 2018. Surpassing £68 million raised for charity since we started is a huge milestone, and I couldn’t be prouder of everyone that took part, who fundraised and who turned out to show their support today. We couldn’t do this without any of you!

This event showcases the inclusivity of running and its ability to bring people together. We saw people from all walks of life cross the finish line today, each with their own inspiring story. You can feel the pride in every participant, whether they took part for a loved one or a cause close to their heart. Each year, we strive to make this a day to remember. It’s been magical!”

Stefan Otway was first across the finish line in a time of 1:08:38, garlanded with his medal by the Sheriff of the City of London.

The first woman to cross the finish line at the London Landmarks Half Marathon was Vicky Knight in a time of 1:10:45.

The first visually impaired runner was James Morrison who completed the course with his guide runner in 1:38:26.

The fastest assisted wheelchair participant was Susi Rogers Hartley, and the first non-assisted wheelchair finisher was Richard Reed*.

Prior to the first runners returning, the annual London Landmarks Charity Mascot Dash entertained the crowd as eight colourful characters competed in a 100M ‘sprint’ down the Strand to Trafalgar Square. In a close-run race, it was Dandelion Bear for Aching Arms who burst through the ribbon to take the Charity Cup, just pipping Tinny for Macmillan across the line.

LLHM 2026 will take place on Sunday 12th April 2026. To pre-register for a ballot place click here https://llhm.co.uk/pre-register-half

Photo credit: David Parry/PA

Check out the London Landmarks Half Marathon RIA Member profile here  .