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Christmas Lights Running Tours 2024
Jingle all the 5 or 10k on a guided running tour through London's Christmas lights with festive tunes pumping as we go-ho-ho.
Back for our 9th year in 2024, choose from three different tours, each taking in a different set of London's twinkling festive lights. Each date has a guide pace to keep you in your comfort zone.
Tickets are limited and often sell out - book early to get your preferred date.
Earlybird runs until 31st October 2024
RUNNING TOUR 1:
Classic Christmas Lights 10k and 5k
Starts/ends: Charing Cross
Back for its 9th edition and on a brand new route for 2024, our Classic Christmas Lights Tour takes you through the world-famous displays of Mayfair and the West End. From Carnaby Street to Regent Street, Marylebone, Bond Street and many more, tick off all the best central London displays on a run you'll never forget.
RUNNING TOUR 2:
Christmas Lights in the City 10k and 5k
Starts/ends: London Bridge
Run through the glittering City of London and Borough at Christmastime on a 10k or 5k tour. Festive tunes will accompany you as you follow your guide (through quieter streets than Classic) and explore the City's best displays and Christmas history along the route.
This tour was new for 2023 and we'll be following the same route.
RUNNING TOUR 3:
NEW: Christmas in Chelsea and Battersea 10k and 5k
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Starts/ends: Victoria station (10k), Sloane Square (5k)
On a brand new tour for 2024, you'll follow your Christmas-loving guide through the extravagant displays, doorways and trees of Chelsea, Belgravia and take a visit to Battersea Power Station at its festive best.
Dates and paces
This is a running tour, not a race. We run at the pace of the gentlest runner among us and we don't leave anyone behind. Each tour has a guide pace to keep you in your comfort zone.
Festively fast
Sub 10 minute miles.
You usually run 10k in under 1 hour
CLASSIC 10K
CITY 10K
FULL
FULL
Sunday 24th November 5pm
Friday 6th December 7pm
Sunday 22nd December 4pm
Saturday 7th December 4:00pm
FULL
CHELSEA 10K
Thursday 5th December 7pm
Wednesday 11th December 7pm
Merrily Medium
10-12 minute miles.
You usually run 10k between 1hr and 1hr 15 mins.
You usually run 5k between 31 and 37 mins
CLASSIC 10K
CITY 10K
CHELSEA 10K
FULL
FULL
FULL
FULL
FULL
FULL
FULL
Sunday 17th November 4:30pm
Friday 22nd November, 7pm
Saturday 23rd November 4:30pm
Sunday 24th November 6pm
Tuesday 26th November 7pm
Thursday 28th November 6:30pm
Saturday 30th November 5.00pm
Sunday 1st December 4pm
Tuesday 3rd December 7pm
Friday 6th December 6:30pm
Sunday 8th December 4:30pm
Monday 9th December 6:30pm
Tuesday 17th December 7pm
Wednesday 18th December 6:30pm
FULL
FULL
FULL
FULL
FULL
FULL
FULL
Saturday 23rd November, 6:30pm
Sunday 24th November 4pm
Sunday 1st December 4pm
Tuesday 10th December 7pm
Monday 16th December 6:30pm
Saturday 21st December 4:30pm
FULL
Saturday 30th November 5pm
Tuesday 3rd December 6:30pm
Thursday 12th December 7pm
Saturday 14th December 4pm
Saturday 21st December 5pm
FULL
FULL
FULL
FULL
FULL
Gentle jingle
12-13 minute miles.
You usually run 10k between 1 hr 15 mins and 1 hr 20 mins
You usually run 5k between 37 mins and 40 mins
CLASSIC 10K
FULL
FULL
FULL
Monday 18th November, 6:30pm
Thursday 21st November, 7pm
Saturday 23rd November, 5pm
Saturday 23rd November, 6.30pm
Sunday 24th November, 4:30pm
Wednesday 27th November, 6:30pm
Thursday 28th November 6:45pm
Friday 29th November 6:30pm
Sunday 1st December 4.30pm
Sunday 1st December 5pm
Tuesday 3rd December 6:30pm
Wednesday 4th December 6:30pm
Tuesday 10th December 7pm
Monday 16th December 7pm
Tuesday 17th December 6:30pm
Thursday 19th December 6:30pm
Sunday 22nd December 5pm
FULL
FULL
FULL
FULL
FULL
FULL
CITY 10K
Saturday 23rd November 4:30pm
Friday 29th November 6:30pm
Saturday 30th November 6pm
Thursday 5th December 7pm
Saturday 7th December 6:30pm
Saturday 14th December 5pm
Tuesday 17th December 6:30pm
FULL
FULL
CHELSEA 10K
Sunday 1st December 6pm
Wednesday 4th December 6:30pm
Saturday 7th December 6pm
Saturday 14th December 6:30pm
Sunday 15th December 5:30pm
Friday 20th December 6:30pm
FULL
CITY 5K
Tuesday 26th November 6:30pm
Saturday 30th November 4:00pm
CHELSEA 5K
Sunday 1st December 4pm
FULL
FULL
CLASSIC 5K
FULL
FULL
FULL
Wednesday 20th November 6:30pm
Sunday 24th November 4pm
Wednesday 11th December 7pm
Sunday 15th December 4pm
Walk/run intervals
"jeffing" - mixing up short intervals of gentle jogging with walking.
We'll aim for 1 minute of running: 30 seconds of walking but will adapt to the needs of the group
FULL
CLASSIC 10K
Saturday 23rd November, 5:30pm
Wednesday 11th December, 7pm
CITY 10K
Sunday 1st December, 6:30pm
FULL
CHELSEA 10K
Monday 16th December 6:30pm
Walking tour
CLASSIC 3K
Sunday 15th December, 6pm
+ more dates coming soon
These paces are not designed as cut-offs but to give you peace of mind when you sign up. If you've got any pacing-related queries please email josh@secretlondonruns.com. If you're on the borderline of groups, we recommend joining the faster one.
Private bookings 2024
Book your own private guide(s) for your running club, office or group of friends to explore London's Christmas lights at a date/time of your choice. 15+ runners. Limited availability left.
Merry reviews
"A brilliant event, I'd thoroughly recommend this to any Christmas-loving runner! Fab fun, great atmosphere, knowledgeable and friendly guide, everyone was made welcome it was such a super & unique way to see the festive lights."
LARISSA
5* TRIPADVISOR REVIEW
"Took part in the Yule Jog 10k last night - 24 Santa’s, 1 reindeer and 2 elves (I was one of them)! Absolutely brilliant tour, Matt was an amazing leader, funny and entertaining and kept us all together. Had an amazing time, so much fun and all ready for Christmas now! Highly recommend! The biggest question is what’s the costume next year?!"
JANE DAVIS
FACEBOOK RECCOMENDATION
"What a fantastic evening! A great way to see the lights, some of which I didn’t even know existed! Sophie was excellent with great guiding all the way round and lots of information about the sights, traditions and general facts about the places we visited. A definite for next year."
KIRSTY
5* TRIPADVISOR REVIEW
"I organised a private Christmas lights 10k running tour for my running mates and have to say from the ease of booking to the actual event itself it was fantastic! Our tour guide Cat was great fun and knowledgeable and we had lots of laughs along the way. The route was fab as we got to see so many wonderful light displays that normally we wouldn’t get the opportunity to admire and had lots of fab photos taken whilst singing along to festive tunes. Thanks Cat and to the Secret London Runs team - we will be back"
HAIDEE
5* TRIPADVISOR REVIEW
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Luggage storage
There is no official bag drop for this event. However, Luggage Hero have given a 2-hour free storage discount to all Secret London Runs customers - booking fee and optional insurance applies, plus charges for storage over 2 hours.
Our routes are circular, meaning you can take advantage of the discount provided and store your warm clothes for after the tour. Luggage Hero are not affiliated with Secret London Runs in any way.
Luggage Hero facilities are usually small shops with a back room and aren't lockers. It's your responsibility to store your bags before the tour begins - please allow plenty of time.
If lots of you need to use the facilities, we recommend that you pool your items into one bag!
Use this link for the discount.
FAQS
HOW FAST DO I NEED TO BE?
Our tours are about having fun and celebrating Christmas. No one's setting any PBs. We operate on a strict "no one gets left behind" policy, which means we run at the pace of the gentlest runner in our group. Each group has a guide pace to keep you in your comfort zone, so please pick the pace that best suits you. To be inclusive, the Gentle Jingle is often very gentle, so if you usually run within the pace guidelines of 'Merrily Medium' or 'Festively Fast' then please do sign up for those. There is one walking date this Christmas too.
IS THERE A BAG DROP?
There is no official bag drop. However, Luggage Hero are giving all secret London Runs 2 hours of free storage across their London facilities (booking fee and optional insurance applies). All our running tours are circular to help you use luggage storage. You'll get the link when you sign up.
DOESN'T IT GET BUSY?
The City tour is very quiet. The Chelsea tour is also less crowded. The Classic tour can get busy, but we've been doing this a long time and know lots of sneaky back alleys to get up to the lights that avoid the crowds. We also have a good idea which nights to avoid (e.g. Saturdays in December). Book the earliest November nights if you're worried about crowds.
ARE CHILDREN WELCOME?
Accompanied children are welcome at any tour where they are comfortable with the guide pace, with an adult who takes full responsibility for their safety.
WHAT IF I NEED TO CHANGE MY DATE?
When you book online you'll get a link to change your booking any time up until one-week prior to your tour. You're also welcome to email hello@secretlondonruns.com
WHAT DO I NEED TO BRING/WEAR?
Wear your festive best, and clothes suitable for running/walking. We just need your name at registration - there's no need to print off your ticket.
I'VE BEEN ON YOUR CHRISTMAS TOURS BEFORE - WHAT'S NEW THIS YEAR?
The classic route is new this year, but it will visit many of the same streets as previous years. This year we'll be visiting the lights at Marylebone which we didn't do last year.
The Chelsea route is brand new - we've never taken runners on this route before.
The City tour was new last year, and we're following the same route in 2024.