​The Hackney Moves Wizz Air Hackney Half Marathon, London's largest half-marathon event, is set to take place on Sunday, May 18, 2025. This year, the race has attracted over 24,000 participants, reflecting its growing popularity. General entry places sold out in under two weeks, underscoring the event's high demand! Established in 2014, the Hackney Half has become a staple in the London running calendar, celebrated for its flat course that weaves through iconic East London landmarks. The race starts and finishes at Hackney Marshes, guiding runners past sights such as Hackney Town Hall, Broadway Market, and the vibrant street art of Hackney Wick. The event is renowned for its lively atmosphere, featuring live music and enthusiastic local support along the route, making it a favorite among both novice and seasoned runners!

It goes without saying that packing your running shoes, clothing and any nutrition you'll be taking is an essential step for your preparation! If you're traveling on the day, staying overnight or longer, you may need more items, but here's a few helpful options for race day itself to consider:

If you did not pay for race pack postage when registering, you will need to collect your race pack from the collection point in the Festival Village on the Friday or Saturday prior to the event - this will be found on Hackney Marshes, E9 5PF.

Details about collection times will be shared in closer to race day on the Hackney Moves Website here.

During the week leading up to your race, keep it simple with high-carb, familiar foods like pasta, rice, bread, and potatoes to keep energy up and your stomach happy. Carb-loading can help you feel fueled without overdoing it: spread your carbs throughout the day and stick with foods you’ve enjoyed in training. Avoid anything too fatty, spicy, or brand new - it’s not the time for surprises! Stay well-hydrated, and skip alcohol for a good night’s sleep. Rest, hydrate, and feel ready to hit the ground running!

We've got some more information on race week nutrition here!

Some runners find a short, easy run the day before helps shake out the legs and calm the nerves. If this has worked for you in the past, go for it! If not, consider some light foam rolling or stretching instead. Maybe a walk to keep those legs fresh could also be an option!

A Runna shakeout may be on the cards, keep your eyes peeled on our socials and Eventbrite. Ease yourself into race weekend and loosen up for the big day!

Details to be shared closer to the time! Stay tuned. 📌

Once you're packed, fueled, and hydrated, consider adding a light mobility session to your bedtime routine. Stretching can help release any tension and prepare you for a restful sleep before race day.

Please see information below from the race organizers from their official website:

'Additional race day information will become available to all participants in the weeks leading up to the event. If you have any questions or concerns in the meantime, please contact us at ‘hello@hackneymoves.com’

To give you an idea of what to expect, here is a link to the 2024 Race Day Guide - please note the 2025 Guide will contain updates and changes, so be sure to check back for the most current information closer to the event.'

Make sure to get that alarm set, and we recommend finishing any preparation the night before. The morning will be for fueling, traveling, and managing that excited/nervous energy!

The Hackney Festival Village will be pitched up on Hackney Marshes, E9 5PF, where all the action kicks off. The Sunday morning pre-race buzz makes for a lively (and busy!) commute, so we strongly recommend planning your journey well in advance. Roads around the Half Marathon route will be closed from 06:30, which could impact your usual travel routes.

You can reach the Festival Village on foot from several nearby stations: it’s about a 30-minute walk from Clapton, 20 minutes from both Hackney Wick and Homerton, around 25 minutes from Stratford, and roughly 20 minutes from Leyton. There will also be plenty of bike parking facilities available within the Festival Village—but don’t forget to bring a solid lock to keep your ride secure while you run or spectate!

The route starts and finishes in Hackney Marshes and winds through several areas of North East London including Hackney Downs, Dalston, and Victoria Park. For more information regarding the route, including first aid stations, water stations and more please check the official race organizer website here for the latest updates!

You’ll have the opportunity to fully utilize the race day workout provided by Runna. Expect pacing alerts and audio cues similar to those during your training runs, helping you stay on track. Pacing can be tricky with the excitement of the start line in Hackney, enjoy the moment but try to stick to your pace target! Set up Runna for pace or RPE cues, and ensure your devices are fully charged.

If you're using headphones, make sure these are suitable for running safely and consider leaving any music off for the first few miles/kilometres as things can be quite crowded on the roads! Equally, with such amazing crowds and support from fellow runners, you may want to soak it all in on your big Hackney Half race day, perhaps saving a few power ballads or pump-up jams for those tough latter stages around the Marshes!

A few more tips on race pacing for you here!

Meeting up with any friends or family who have come with you or are supporting you on the day can be tricky. Leave any spectating planning to them and focus on your run! After being presented with your medal, a goodie bag with a bottle of water and a snack (and a t-shirt if you've chosen one), you'll find yourself on Hackney Marshes back where you started!

With the tall buildings, huge numbers of people all recording their run and sending congratulatory messages and more, it's not uncommon to have problems with both your phone signal and GPS location finding/sharing. Fortunately, you'll find a selection of large numbers on the Marsh which act as great meeting points. Choose one in advance, maybe a memorable number (like your house number or birthday) to meet up with your friends more easily!
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By now you've certainly had plenty of experience recording your runs using Runna! We'd advise using the same method as you've been training with. With London's tall buildings and the sheer volume of fellow runners with their own devices, clashes and issues with your GPS can be common. You may also find that your completed run may be a little delayed uploading to Runna, as well as GPS hiccups or more, so be sure to save your activity and try refreshing your app with a good Wi-Fi connection or strong signal a little later!

Our Customer Experience team are on hand to help you within the Support tab of your Runna app, if you have further issues.

Check out more tips on how to troubleshoot common GPS issues here!

You've completed the Hackney Half, congratulations! Now it's time to celebrate, recover and remember the day fondly.

Hydrating, having a snack and loosening your shoelaces make for a good start in the immediate aftermath of your race. Pop on a warmer layer that you packed, or even your race day shirt - make sure everyone can see your medal (you've earned it!) and have a gentle stretch. Following the typical recovery from the long runs you've completed in training may not be as easy as normal with the excitement of post-race atmosphere, but be sure to take care of yourself!

Best of luck with your 2025 Wizz Air Hackney Half Marathon, and most importantly, have fun! You've GOT this! 💪

Take in the sights and have the best time - we will be with you every step of the way.

Check out the video below for more of our coaches' top tips for race day!