Eilish McColgan isn't just here to make up the numbers in the Docklands; the British half marathon record holder arrives at The Big Half this Sunday with a goal that goes beyond the podium: securing her direct ticket to the inaugural 2025 European Running Championships. After an injury-plagued period that forced her to miss the Commonwealth Games, the Scot is hunting for her third title in the capital (following her masterclasses in 2022 and 2024), knowing that only the top four British women to dip under 71:30 will punch their ticket to Brussels.
The battle for British supremacy
This year's start list is a minefield for any contender. McColgan will go head-to-head with 2023 defending champion Calli Hauger-Thackery, in a duel that promises blistering splits from the starting gun near Tower Bridge. There will be no room for tactical drafting; this is a race against the clock and the ghosts of past injuries. In the men's field, Jack Rowe has a date with destiny: he is chasing a fourth consecutive victory to surpass the record of the legendary Sir Mo Farah. Rowe, boasting a 1:00:17 PB set in New York earlier this year, is the man to beat, but he’ll need to keep a close eye on Paulos Surafel and Jake Smith if he wants to avoid bonking in the final miles toward the Cutty Sark.
A leg-breaker of a course
While the 13.1-mile profile looks fast on paper, seasoned runners know that the cobbled sections and tight turns around Greenwich can shred the quads of the unprepared. While the elites fight for glory and European qualification, the event showcases its community spirit with the New Balance Big Relay, and the explosive The Big Mile, where managing lactate levels over just 1,600 meters is key to avoiding a total collapse before the line. With temperatures potentially hitting 24 degrees, hydration and pacing will be the difference between a PB and hitting the wall on the London tarmac.