London, UK is one of the world’s great cities…and it is also so for running. With its grand parks, paths along the Thames, and historic sites…London is a treat for running, because so much of what’s interesting to see is accessible on foot. The running highlight in central London is undoubtedly its famous and historical Royal Parks: Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Green Park, St. James Park, and Regents Park are all relatively close together and are interconnected. Other running highlights include the paths along the Thames River, and the ‘lanes and mews’ of some of the quieter residential streets. Another great aspect about the running scene in London is the excellent transportation system allows you to run one way and “tube” it back. The expansion of bicycle accommodation in recent years has also opened up some new running options and connectors. A few particular points of advice for running in London: remember to LOOK LEFT when crossing the street; pack for chilly, wet weather running; bring reflective gear for those shorter winter days.
A wonderful additional resource for in-depth running info for London is this book, A Runners Guide to London. Our thanks to Hayden Shearman for his help with some of our London routes.