Lace up your running shoes, Londoners – because the healthiest night out in town will soon be zooming into the capital city. Friday Night Lights (the brains behind London’s most fun-filled running events) has partnered with Hackney Moves (the masterminds behind the outrageously popular Hackney Half marathon) to bring a brand new running festival to London in May.
Now, I’m still not entirely sure why, but Londoners just can’t seem to get enough of pounding the pavements these days. Everywhere you look, high heels are being traded in for Hokas – and places for this year’s Hackney Half were snapped up faster than we could say ‘Usain Bolt’. So, if you missed out on a sought-after spot in that event; then this event could be right up your street athletics track.
Credit: @fridaynightlights.run via Instagram
The Hackney Quarter
So, this new kid on the (running) block is called the Hackney Quarter. See what they did there? The event will start with a 10k chip-timed race around the Olympic Parkbut that’s about as serious as it gets. Following the 10k, there will be an additional 5k ‘party run’ – think music, energy, and the highest of vibes. And after that, it’s time to party at Riverside Eastwith drinks, DJs, and a whole load of post-race offerings.
The Hackney Quarter marks FNL’s biggest event to date. With over 2000 runners bringing the energy, it’s set to be simply run-derful. Participants will cross the finish line and be handed a custom FNL finishers cup and a well-deserved free pint, before they had in to the party. The afterparty will be headlined by Farhannah (Friday Night Light’s resident DJ), and there will be plenty of post-race sessions to get stuck into, including yoga, sports massages, and physio.
First you run; then you have a whole lot of fun. Now, that’s a race I think I could finally get on board with.
The Hackney Quarter is taking place on May 16 (the Friday before the Hackney Half on the Sunday), from 5.30pm-11.30pm. Find out more and join the waitlist here.
