Merton set for new half marathon as route revealed, bringing a 13.1-mile race past the All England Club and through some of south London’s best-known green spaces.

Run South London is due to make its debut on Sunday 14 March 2027, starting and finishing in Morden Park.

The course will also take runners towards Wimbledon Park and Wimbledon Common, with Morden and Raynes Park among the neighbourhoods included in the event.

For anyone used to seeing Wimbledon fill with tennis fans each summer, the half marathon promises a very different kind of sporting crowd.

This time, the spectators will be cheering for neighbours, friends and first-time distance runners as well as seasoned competitors.

The moment likely to draw the most attention comes when participants run alongside the All England Club, home of the Wimbledon Championships.

Yet the organisers are making a point of looking beyond that famous stretch of the route.

The Great Run Company and Merton Council, which are delivering the event together, want the race to reflect the borough’s streets and communities as well as its sporting heritage.

That balance could decide whether the Merton half marathon feels like a local fixture rather than simply a race passing through.

Wimbledon drew more than half a million guests for the 2026 Championships, a reminder of how accustomed the area is to welcoming large sporting crowds.

A March running event would bring that energy at a different time of year, with the course extending into parts of Merton visitors might otherwise miss.

For runners, the appeal is easy to picture: a start in Morden Park, stretches near familiar commons and a landmark usually associated with grass courts rather than running shoes.

For residents, the question will be how a major race fits into an ordinary Sunday.

People planning journeys around Morden, Wimbledon and Raynes Park should watch for practical travel and access information as the event approaches.

Those details will matter to families coming out to support runners and to businesses preparing for a busier morning.

Organisers hope the race will encourage more people to get active while giving local high streets, cafés, shops and hotels a lift.

That potential boost is welcome, but it remains an ambition rather than a guaranteed payday for every business along the way.

The longer-term goal is to establish Run South London as a regular date on the capital’s running calendar.

Organisers also want people across south London to feel enough ownership of the event to welcome it back year after year.

That is a bigger challenge than laying out a memorable half marathon route.

It means making space for local supporters, giving residents clear information and ensuring the attention reaches beyond Wimbledon’s most recognisable venue.

For now, the revealed route gives prospective runners a compelling first picture of the new race.

On 14 March, Merton’s parks, commons and neighbourhood streets are set to share the spotlight with one of tennis’s most famous addresses.