Shoreditch Half shuts roads across Hackney and Islington this Sunday

Around 10,000 people are due to run the Saucony Run Shoreditch Half on Sunday 20 September. The 13.1 mile race is held on closed roads. It starts and finishes in Shoreditch Park.

When it launched last year the event was a 10k. This year it steps up to the full half marathon distance. Saucony is staging it with Motiv Sports UK, the firm that also runs the London 10K and the Hackney Half. Saucony’s vice president and general manager, Cameron Black, said seeing the race grow into a half marathon was “incredibly exciting”.

Shoreditch Half route and start times

From Shoreditch Park the course heads through Hoxton and Haggerston, then on to De Beauvoir Town and Stoke Newington before crossing into parts of Islington. Along the way runners pass sections of Hoxton Street Market and Regent’s Canal. Newington Green and Clissold Park are on the route too.

Waves leave from about 9am, and the last runners should be away by 9.45am. Groups C and D go between 9.10am and 9.20am. E and F follow from 9.20am to 9.30am. The final wave is G and H, setting off from 9.30am.

Runners should be at the Event Village by 8am at the latest, which leaves time to drop off bags and warm up before heading to the start. Supporters can follow a runner on the event app. Tracking begins once that runner crosses the start line.

Road closures in Hackney and Islington

The first closures come on Saturday 19 September. Grange Street and Bridport Place close from 2pm along the stretch running between Branch Street and Shoreditch Park, to make room for the start area.

At 5am on Sunday the finish area on Pitfield Street closes so the finish can be built. Mintern Street and Rushton Street close then too, and so does Bridport Place. This area should reopen by 4pm.

Hyde Road shuts from 5am on Sunday while the start pens go up. Penn Street and Poole Street close at the same time, and all three are due to reopen by 2pm.

Most other roads on the course close at 6.30am and reopen in stages, with the last due back by 3pm. Parts of Shoreditch Park are in use from Thursday 17 September until Monday 21 September while the event is built and taken down.

Hackney and Islington councils are suspending enforcement of their low traffic neighbourhoods for 24 hours. Organisers are asking both runners and supporters to travel by public transport. They warn that services close to the course will be crowded before the start.