Run Hackney

Last weekend I did the first ever Run Hackney half marathon: a closed road race looping around the streets of Hackney and the Olympic park taking in Hackney Downs, Clapton, my street, Haggerston, Broadway Market, Victoria Park and the Olympic park.
For the first of its kind, I was amazed they managed to get over 12 000 people signing up making it one of the top 10 biggest half marathons in the UK! It was amazingly well organised with texts giving your time as soon as you’d finished, regular water bags to keep you hydrated (amazing, never seen them before), a flat course, loads of volunteers, a great race village, cheering crowds throughout and sunny weather (although perhaps too sunny, people were collapsing everywhere towards the end).
I have to admit, my training had stumbled in the last 4 weeks leading up to it causing a painful second half but I am definitely up for repeating it next year to improve upon my time.
The atmosphere everywhere was electric with thousands of people lining the streets cheering us on with steel bands playing and children high fiving all the runners.
The entry price is a bit steep (over £30) but it was worth it in the end and I was so impressed with the speed at which the roads were cleared up after the runners past (cycling home afterwards it was almost all done).
If you’re looking for an event that isn’t as difficult to get into or as long as the London marathon but want to experience something similar then I highly recommend signing up next year. The overground doesn’t run on Sundays before 9am which caused some transport issues for some considering the early start time and the Olympic park sections were a little bit exposed and boring (running up and then back down the same road was a bit soul destroying) but apart from that everyone who took part with me said they had loved pounding the tarmac for 13.1 miles in Hackney.
Nice job Hackney. The borough was ranked worst place to live in the UK less than 10 years ago and, boy, have they turned things around since then.