Running Events in United Kingdom

Running in the UK

The United Kingdom has a busy running calendar with the biggest and most hotly anticipated running event being the London Marathon at the end of April, with over 40,000 participants each year. Events like the Cardiff Half, Brighton Marathon and Edinburgh Marathon also draw big crowds, ranging from 10,000 to 22,000 participants. Expect to meet amazing people from all over the world, and probably get overtaken by a giant foam beer bottle.

What you need to know about running

Running is the world's most accessible sport. Parkruns, colour runs, 5k, 10k, half marathons, marathons, and ultras — all you need is a pair of trainers and off you go. Running events are hugely popular on Let's Do This and it's a sociable sport, so get some friends involved and achieve something extraordinary.

If you're just starting out, 5k and 10k events are great fun and definitely worth doing if you're training for a bigger challenge further down the line. Broadly speaking, running a 5k can take anything from 20 minutes to an hour, and a 10k anything from an hour upwards, depending on your goals and fitness. Getting used to the atmosphere of an event is important. You're much more likely to hit a better time if there's a crowd cheering you on and a big celebration at the finish line. Two of our favourites include the Vitality London 10k and the Asda Foundation Leeds 10k.

For the more experienced runners, check out our pages on the half marathon and marathon. The two most famous half marathons in the UK are the Royal Parks Half and the Great North Run, although there's hot competition from the Reading Half.

For the truly fearless, an ultramarathon is basically anything over the 26.2 marathon distance. 'Shorter' events will start at around 30 miles while the longest can be up to 150 miles. Dixons Carphone Race to the Stones is an example with great reviews from last year's runners. The key at these events is to make sure you're properly fuelled up and prepared for anything. In our experience, the crowds at ultra races are usually some of the friendliest. Expect to go slowly, chat to fellow runners and appreciate the scenery.

Training for a running event

Training can be tough, particularly if you're going it alone. Generally, runners find sticking to a training plan helps with motivation and achieving the Holy Grail of work/life/training balance. Whether you're about to tackle your first 5k or your second marathon, take a look at some of our pre-race training plans to help you reach your goals: 5k Training Plan; 10k Training Plan; Half Marathon Training Plan; Marathon Training Plan; Ultramarathon Training Plan.