What’s the London Marathon?
The London Marathon has been an annual a part of the sporting calendar since launching in 1981, with the occasion elevating over £1.4bn for charity throughout that interval.
It is likely one of the Abbott World Marathon majors, essentially the most prestigious races over the 26.2 miles (42.2km) distance, sitting alongside Tokyo, Boston, Berlin, Chicago, New York Metropolis and – as of 2025 – Sydney.
The race historically takes place in April, though was moved to October from 2020 to 2022 as a result of Covid pandemic.
Sabastian Sawe gained the 2025 London Marathon
When does the London Marathon begin?
This 12 months’s wheelchair race will get underneath means at 8.50am on Sunday, adopted by the ladies’s elite race at 9.05am. The boys’s elite race and mass occasion beginning then start at 9.35am.
What’s the London Marathon route?
The race follows its conventional route once more in 2026, with all runners starting at throughout separate colour-coded begins (Pink, Blue, Inexperienced) in both Greenwich Park or Blackheath.
These all merge by Mile 3 close to Charlton to kind one route that journey by way of Woolwich in direction of the Thames and the Cutty Sark, earlier than heading by way of Deptford, Surrey Quays and Rotherhithe earlier than passing the 20km mark round London Bridge.
A basic view of the Tower of London because the mass participation race goes over Tower Bridge
The route heads east in direction of Canary Wharf and the Isle of Canines forward of looping again in direction of Shadwell and Wapping, then passes Tower Hill and heads in direction of Blackfriars earlier than working alongside the Embankment.
Runners have the London Eye to their left and Massive Ben forward of them because the go previous Westminster in direction of St James’ Park, passing Buckingham Palace for ending down The Mall. The course might be considered in extra element right here.
How many individuals will participate?
A document variety of contributors are anticipated to participate on this weekend’s race, following a world document of 1.13m poll purposes, with greater than 59,000 individuals anticipated on the beginning line.
The 2025 race had a document 56,640 finishers, which was the world document till the TCS New York Metropolis Marathon had 59,226 finishers final November.
Which celebrities are working the London Marathon?
4-time System One world champion Sebastian Vettel is working to boost funds for the Mind & Backbone Basis and the Grand Prix Belief, with legendary jockey Sir Anthony (AP) McCoy tackling his maiden marathon for the Matt Hampson Basis.
Olympians Dame Laura Kenny (working for The Ectopic Being pregnant Belief) and Sir Ben Ainslie (1851 Belief) are additionally scheduled to participate, together with former Arsenal and England captain Tony Adams (The Ahead Belief), ex-England cricketer Sir Alastair Prepare dinner (the Ruth Strauss Basis) and Laura Robson (Give It Your Max).
The cartoon character Daddy Pig (Nationwide Deaf Kids’s Society) can even participate in actual life and on display screen, with a runner racing in a specifically designed costume in addition to an upcoming episode of kids’s TV present Peppa Pig.
Skins actor Jack O’Connell (Alzheimer’s Analysis UK), Home of Guinness star James Norton (Breakthrough T1D) and McFly drummer Harry Judd are all scheduled to participate, with a full listing of celebrities set to run the 2026 TCS London Marathon accessible right here.
McFly drummer Harry Judd has ran a number of London Marathons
Who would be the London Marathon official starters?
Sporting icons Sir Mo Farah and Ellie Kildunne would be the official starters for the 2026 version, with Farah returning to the TCS London Marathon for the primary time since retiring from athletics in 2024.
Pink Roses Rugby World Cup-winning star Kildunne will likely be alongside him, having been a part of England’s Six Nations sport in opposition to Wales the day before today.
England’s Ellie Kildunne will be part of Sir Mo Farah as an official starter
Earlier starters of the London Marathon embrace Queen Elizabeth II, Sir Andy Murray, Lionesses Leah Williamson OBE, Jill Scott MBE and Ellen White MBE, Sir Steve Redgrave and Dame Kelly Holmes.
Which runners are anticipated to problem for victory?
The elite races embrace all 4 defending champions – Sebastian Sawe, Tigst Assefa, Marcel Hug and Catherine Debrunner, with the official elite begin listing accessible right here.
Assefa leads the ladies’s discipline after breaking the women-only document on her approach to successful final 12 months, though Olympic champion Sifan Hissan has withdrawn as a result of an Achilles damage.
The elite males’s race is more likely to be one other shut contest between Sawe and Jacob Kiplimo, who set the half-marathon world document earlier this 12 months, with Ethiopia’s Deresa Geleta and Kenya’s Amos Kipruto additionally more likely to problem for victory.
Document finishers are anticipated once more on the London Marathon
Hug will draw stage with British Paralympian David Weir as essentially the most profitable athlete in London Marathon historical past if he wins the boys’s wheelchair race, whereas Debrunner returns within the ladies’s wheelchair race after lacking the world document on the London course by simply two seconds final 12 months.
What’s the climate forecast for the London Marathon?
Circumstances are anticipated to be dry for Sunday’s race, with sunny intervals and lightweight winds all through the day. Temperatures are anticipated to be round 10 levels Celcius (50F) when the race begins, earlier than reaching highs of 17 levels (63F) by mid-afternoon.
Who has impressed on the London Marathon earlier than?
The late Kelvin Kiptum set the boys’s course document when he gained the 2023 version in 2:01:25, whereas Assefa gained in a document time of two:15:50 final 12 months.
Tigst Assefa celebrates successful the 2025 ladies’s elite race
Hug has gained the boys’s wheelchair races 5 years working, setting the course document throughout his 2023 win, Debrunner has gained the ladies’s wheelchair occasion 3 times within the final 4 years.
How can I observe the London Marathon?
Tons of of hundreds of spectators will line the streets of London, with the sections across the Cutty Sark, Tower Bridge and Canary Wharf among the many busiest for crowds.
The TCS London Marathon app supplies updates of runners at common intervals all through, with the monitoring listing permitting to observe a participant utilizing both somebody’s title or their bib quantity.
When can I enter the 2027 London Marathon poll?
The following version of the London Marathon will happen on Sunday twenty fifth April 2027. The general public poll to enter the 2027 version is scheduled to open shortly after this 12 months’s race.