The HOKA Hackney Half arrived in East London this weekend with all the subtlety of a brass band in a lift, bringing more than 27,000 signed-up runners to a sold-out Sunday race and setting the tone for a new chapter in London’s biggest half marathon.
East London, Fully Awake
There are running events, and then there are those mornings when an entire borough appears to have laced up, shouted encouragement at a stranger, and briefly forgotten that Sunday is meant for lying down.
On Sunday, 17 May, Hackney did the latter.
The HOKA Hackney Half headlined the wider HOKA Hackney Moves festival, sending runners through some of the borough’s best-known streets and landmarks, including Hackney Town Hall, Mare Street, Hackney Wick and Victoria Park, before the finish at Hackney Marshes.
It was part race, part street party, part collective act of defiance against the notion that long-distance running should be a quiet, private suffering. Hackney, naturally, had other ideas.
Sam Tyas And Ciara Boyd-Squires Long Set The Pace
At the sharp end, where the racing gets serious and the rest of us merely admire from a safe distance, Sam Tyas was the first finisher in the HOKA Hackney Half, crossing the line in 01:06:35.
Chris Bruchhausen followed in 01:07:09, with Oliver Way third in 01:07:29.
The fastest female finisher was Ciara Boyd-Squires Long, who crossed the line in 01:14:54. Tessa McCormick was close behind in 01:14:58, while last year’s fastest female, Becky Briggs, finished in 01:16:49.
Those are serious numbers on a day that, for many runners, was less about splits and more about survival, celebration and the sacred post-race shuffle.
A Half Marathon With A Proper Hackney Pulse
The event was officially started by the Mayor of Hackney, Zoë Garbett, while the HOKA Hackney 5k was started by Cllr Dylan Law, Deputy Mayor of Hackney and Cabinet Member for Safer Homes and Housing Services.
Celebrity runners added another layer of curiosity for spectators, with Made in Chelsea’s Sam Thompson, broadcaster Clara Amfo, comedian Elis James and Married at First Sight star Leah Marie Tyrer among those taking part.
Still, the real stars were the thousands of club runners, charity runners, first-timers, pacers, volunteers and roadside cheerleaders who gave the day its texture. Half marathons depend on lungs and legs, certainly, but the best ones also run on noise, generosity and mild public chaos. Hackney supplied the lot.
HOKA Hackney Moves Becomes More Than A Race Weekend
Across the weekend, the HOKA Hackney Moves festival welcomed more than 60,000 people, turning the event into a broader celebration of fitness, music and local culture.
There were live performances, workouts and community moments across the festival, with one of the standout moments being a surprise performance from renowned DJ Norman Jay MBE.
That blend matters. The modern running event is no longer just a bib number, a timing chip and a banana in a foil blanket. The best ones create a reason for people to stay, watch, cheer, dance, bring the family and feel part of something even if they are not pinning a race number to their vest.
Hackney has always understood atmosphere. This year, under the HOKA title partnership, it leaned into it.
A New Title Partner, But The Same Community Core
The 2026 edition marked the first year of HOKA as title partner, building on a long-standing relationship with the event.
That gives the HOKA Hackney Half a sharper brand identity, but the more important detail is that the community work remains central rather than decorative.
The Hackney Academy, a 12-week programme providing free coaching, kit and race entry, supported 50 runners from Hackney and surrounding boroughs. Many of them completed their first-ever half-marathon this weekend.
More than 40 local community organisations and over 60 Community Champions were also integrated into the event, helping ensure the festival reflects the borough rather than merely borrowing its streets for a few hours.
That distinction is important. Plenty of events pass through a place. The better ones belong to it.
Schools, A Free 5K And £4m Raised For Charity
The weekend also saw the return of the free Hackney Community 5K on Saturday, alongside an expanded schools’ challenge that allowed thousands of young people to complete their own half-marathon journey and cross the finish line.
Charity remained a major part of the event’s identity, with thousands of runners taking part in support of good causes. More than £4m was raised for the event’s official charity partners.
This year, Single Homeless Project was the Headline Charity Partner, alongside a wider group of national and local charities.
For a race that sells out and draws big crowds, that charitable engine gives the HOKA Hackney Half more weight than the average Sunday procession of sweat, foam rollers and optimistic pacing plans.
The Organisers Look Ahead
Ian Allerton, Managing Director, Motiv Sports UK, said: “We’re incredibly proud to see the HOKA Hackney Half and HOKA Hackney Moves continue to grow as a celebration of everything that makes this community so special. Big thank you to the runners, community and everyone involved.
“From elite runners chasing times, fundraisers supporting powerful causes, to first-timers crossing the finish line, and from our community partners to the thousands of supporters lining the streets, this weekend truly captured the spirit of Hackney.
“With HOKA as our title partner, we’re excited to keep building on this momentum and creating even more opportunities for people to experience the joy of movement.”
How To Enter The 2027 HOKA Hackney Half
For runners already eyeing next year, entries for the 2027 HOKA Hackney Half go on sale on Monday, 18 May.
Runners must pre-register via the official event website to receive the entry link: www.hackneymoves.com
Given this year’s sold-out field, waiting around may not be the wisest tactic. Half marathons in London have a habit of disappearing faster than dignity on the final mile.
The HOKA Hackney Half has now stepped into a new era with a title partner, a swollen festival footprint and the sort of local energy most events would happily bottle and sell at the expo. East London did not just host a race. It put on a show, then sent everyone home with sore calves and a story.
