The ballot for the London Landmarks Half Marathon opens today (June 10). Running a half marathon is an achievement in itself – here’s why
“What an great event to be a part of and an amazing way to see the capital,” enthuses Nick Jones, 39 from Manchester having completed his first London Landmarks Half Marathon, in April 2025 (next year’s event opens today – June 10).
“It got a little tough towards the end but the crowd lined the whole route and finishing in Trafalgar Square to all the cheers and the noise was incredible.”
For many ultramarathon and marathon runners the idea of a 13.1 mile/21.1km ‘half’ may seem like little more than a training run, but for the 20,000 runners taking part in the London Landmarks, on a sunny Spring day, the challenge was real enough.
“I had plenty of reasons to run this,” says Jones. “I’ve been struggling with my weight and drinking too much – but I wanted to set a better example for my daughters. I also had the opportunity to help out some friends by running to raise money for a great cause – Max’s Mission to Move.”
With plenty of motivation in place, Jones just needed to get into enough shape to be sure he’d be able to completed the course which takes in the capital’s Embankment, Bank of England, Fleet Street and Trafalgar Square among other highlights.”
“I’d not run seriously for a few years so one my place was confirmed I started doing regular park runs, the odd midweek 10k around work and home life.
I was upping the distance slowly but then I was told my cholesterol is high so I switched my diet, trying to eat vegan a couple of times a week and cutting down on the booze. I found that getting up early than I normally would for runs sets me up for the day really well mentally.”
Jones set himself a target time of 2 hours 30 minutes. “I smashed it,” he says, laughing. “My actual finishing time was 2h 25!”
Strategy for a successful half
According to James Thie, Head Coach at Coopah, the official training partner of London Landmarks Half Marathon, picking a Half Marathon that captures your imagination can be a big motivational factor too.
“Most cities around the UK, Europe and the World host half-marathons. They close of parts of the city and you get the unique opportunity to see the place from a very different perspective.”
James Thie recommends following a similar course to Nick Jones, in selecting to do a few 10ks during your training for a half marathon.
“The 10km distance provides the perfect opportunity to step up to the half marathon distance. Ideally, if you’re currently running 10km comfortably, then a shorter plan into a ‘Half’ is possible in around 7-8 weeks.”
He also advises allowing yourself time to build up to the event, especially if, like Nick Jones, you’ve not run much lately.
“The key to adaption and improvement, is the right balance of rest and recovery. Also, don’t just think longer is better – under distance and faster training is still very beneficial to your half marathon plan.”
“Runners often find they are able to run a parkrun (5km) PBs while training for a Half marathon – they have an increase in endurance and strength and in return hitting a good 5km pace will also keep your running more efficient and economical.”
Users of the Coopah training app can create bespoke training plans to fit around their lives, with additional workouts, yoga sessions and recovery days built in too.
All designed to make the half marathon a successful and rewarding event – as Nick Jones discovered. “London was great, and my daughters loved the medal I got. Most importantly it’s inspired me to run more and I’ve entered the Manchester marathon, I don’t think I’d have had the confidence to do so if I hadn’t get that half under my belt too.”
7 tips for half marathon success
Coopah Head Coach James Thie on your Half ‘must haves’.
- Plan ahead: Read all race info and sort your travel and parking early to avoid race-day stress.
- Prep your kit: Lay out clothes and pin your race number to the front of your top the night before.
- Dress smart: Stay warm before the race in old layers you can discard. Second-hand is perfect.
- Fuel right: Eat a familiar breakfast – nothing new! Aim to eat 2–3 hours before the start.
- Stick to your nutrition: Use the same gels and snacks you’ve trained with – no surprises!
- Hydrate early: Start sipping water the day before and continue throughout race day.
- Stay positive: There will be tough miles – break the race into chunks, focus on small goals, and don’t fear walking.
For a two-week free trial with Coopah use code LLHM2 https://coopah.com/
London Landmarks 2025
- Fastest male: Stefan Otway in a time of 1:08:38
- Fastest female: Vicky Knight in a time of 1:10:45
- Total runners: 20,031
Register for 2026: https://llhm.co.uk/
