Why Should You Take Part in the Ealing Half Marathon this Year?

With marathon season about to start here in the UK, people from all walks of life are getting their running shoes on to begin training. Whether you’re a newcomer to the scene or a seasoned pro, the Ealing Half has loads to offer those looking for a unique and interesting half marathon.

But what makes the Ealing Half so special, and why do we think you should sign up for this year’s race? Read on to find out.

What is the Ealing Half Marathon?

Unsurprisingly, the Ealing Half Marathon is a half marathon run through Ealing! It starts and finishes in Lammas Park and takes a 13.1-mile single lap through Central and West Ealing.

We’ve specifically chosen the course for it to be suitable for runners of all abilities. However, there is a small amount of undulation on the course, so note it’s not completely flat. We don’t think it’ll pose too much of a challenge for someone who’s already committed themselves to running a half marathon!

Why Choose the Ealing Half?

We founded the Ealing Half in 2012 in the wake of the London Olympics. Since then, we’ve refined the course and the event itself, and now we’re super proud to offer it as an annual event.

All that’s great, but why do we think you should choose the Ealing Half for your running calendar? It’s got plenty of unique selling points, including:

1. The Location

Ours is the only fully road closed half marathon in West London. As such, it gives runners a great opportunity to experience the area while running a course that’s as unique as its location.

Thanks to the support of the local communities, we’re able to host our event across some of our favourite locations across the area

In the 10 years since the first event, the Ealing Half has become a point of local pride. Former residents return to the area specifically to watch (or take part in) our half marathon and it’s become a real community-focused event.

2. We Keep It Personal

It’s not every day you run a large-scale half marathon in London and see your country’s flag displayed or a sign wishing you a happy birthday. We make a real effort to give our event a personal touch that you won’t find at other events of this size. It’s why we describe ourselves as the half with a heart!

Considering we host 7,000 runners and still take care of all the security and amenities you’d expect from an event of this size, we’re proud of the level of consideration we’re able to offer. It’s something plenty of our runners have spoken about, so come check it out for yourself.

3. The Awards Speak for Themselves

The Ealing Half Marathon has won gold for the best half marathon of the year 3 times, silver 3 times, and has been shortlisted every other year. While we don’t like to boast (OK, maybe we like to boast a bit), this meant we beat all the big-name races like Royal Parks and The Great North Run.

Anyone familiar with the marathon scene in the UK will understand what an achievement this is. For those who aren’t, here’s some context: The Great North Run is the largest half marathon in the world and has been running for more than 40 years! As a comparatively young running event, this is an impressive win for us.

Speaking of awards, we offer a bespoke medal to runners of the Ealing Half. So, whether it’s your first half marathon or your hundredth, you’ll have a new medal to add to your collection.

4. We Focus on Our Community

The Ealing Half Marathon is a community-focused event. It’s been a foundational principle since day 1 and it’s why we specifically chose Ealing as the location for our half marathon.

You’ll really feel a sense of community on race day. The streets are lined with thousands of spectators, and local businesses get involved in support roles. Our event creates a feeling of local pride, and it’s something we’re always glad to bring to Ealing. In the past, we’ve had more than 30,000 spectators lining the route, which looks about as impressive as it sounds.

But the support goes both ways. One of our main goals is to drive sustainable innovation in our community, and we do this via fundraising initiatives linked to the race. Our race partners and volunteers help us achieve this, and we’re always thankful for the community vibes we experience on the day.

As a runner in the Ealing Half, we hope you’ll experience this too. The sense of community and pride in Ealing on race day is something to behold, and we can’t wait for you to see it for yourself.

5. It’s Suitable for All Runners

The Ealing Half isn’t too difficult in terms of layout and undulation. We’ve designed it this way so it can be suitable for anyone willing to take on a half marathon. We also offer places for elite runners who have qualifying times on other UKA measured courses.

Along with this, there are spaces for runners of all abilities. That said, make sure you sign up early if you want to take part because you’d be surprised how quickly our 7,000 places sell out.

Sign Up for the Ealing Half Today

Sure, we might be biased, but we think the Ealing Half Marathon is an event that any budding or seasoned runner should do at least once in their running career. Of course, we’ve got the awards to back up our bias, so come and see what all the fuss is about this September.

Sign up is already open for the 2023 Ealing Half Marathon, which will be held on Sunday 24th September, starting at 9am. Make sure you sign up quick because it won’t be long until it’s sold out!