London Marathon

The London Marathon (also known as the TCS London Marathon for sponsorship reasons) is an annual marathon held in London, England. It was started by athletes Chris Brasher and John Disley in 1981 and usually takes place in April. The course is mostly flat and follows the River Thames. It begins in Blackheath and ends at The Mall.

The marathon has many different races. There is a mass race for anyone who wants to join, races for top male and female long-distance runners, elite wheelchair races for men and women, and a shorter 3-mile race for athletes under 17. In 2026, a new 5km run called Friday Night Lights will happen at Battersea Park the day before the main event.

Many people run the marathon to support charities. Since it began, the event has helped raise a lot of money for good causes. Since 2006, the London Marathon has been one of the World Marathon Majors, a group of the world’s best marathons. Famous runners have set very fast times during the London Marathon. The current fastest times are held by Kelvin Kiptum for men and Paula Radcliffe for women. There are also records for the wheelchair races, held by Marcel Hug and Catherine Debrunner. Since 2022, the race has been sponsored by TCS and is called the TCS London Marathon.

Editions

The London Marathon happens every year since it began in 1981. People run a distance of 26.2 miles. In 2020, 2021, and 2022, the race moved to October because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Only top athletes and invited wheelchair athletes could race in 2020. The course is mostly flat and follows the River Thames. It starts in Blackheath and ends at The Mall in London.

History

The London Marathon started in 1981. It was created by Olympic champion Chris Brasher and athlete John Disley. The first race happened on March 29, 1981, and many people wanted to join.

Since then, the marathon has become very popular. Many runners complete the course each year.

The event also includes a wheelchair race. This race began in 1983 and helped change how people think about athletes with disabilities. Today, the London Marathon is one of the biggest and most famous running events in the world.

Organisation

The London Marathon is led by Hugh Brasher as race director and Nick Bitel as chief executive. In the past, David Bedford and Bitel helped change the course, such as replacing a cobbled section near the Tower of London with a flatter path.

Medical care for the race is provided by doctors and over 1,500 volunteers from St. John Ambulance. They set up first aid stations along the route. The BBC shows live coverage of the event. There are different groups of runners, including elite women, wheelchair athletes, and elite men, followed by everyone else. There are plans for 2027 to possibly split the race over two days to allow more runners to join.

Course

The London Marathon has a flat path around the River Thames. It is 42.195 kilometres (26.219 miles) long. Runners start at three places: Greenwich Park, St John's Park, and Shooter's Hill Road near Blackheath. They all join together after a short distance in Woolwich.

Runners pass famous places like the Old Royal Naval College, Cutty Sark, Tower Bridge, and the London Eye. The race ends in The Mall, close to Buckingham Palace. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 race had a different, shorter route around St James's Park.

Results

Main article: List of winners of the London Marathon

The London Marathon is one of the top seven world marathons and part of the World Marathon Majors competition. In 1981, the first Men's Elite Race was tied between American Dick Beardsley and Norwegian Inge Simonsen. They finished in 2 hours, 11 minutes, and 48 seconds. The first Women's Elite Race that same year was won by Briton Joyce Smith in 2 hours and 29 minutes.

Wheelchair races began in 1983 with 19 participants. Over the years, many world records have been set at the London Marathon. Notable records include the men's record set by Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum in 2023 and the women's record set by Kenya’s Mary Keitany in 2017.

Amateur runners

The London Marathon is famous for its many amateur runners. They join each year, often wearing fun costumes to support charity. These runners make up most of the over thirty thousand participants.

Some amazing stories have come from amateur runners. In 2002, Lloyd Scott finished the race in a deep sea diving suit. In 2003, former boxer Michael Watson finished the marathon. Sir Steve Redgrave, an Olympic champion, raised a lot of money for charity through marathons.

Entry

Runners can enter the London Marathon in different ways. Many get their spots by raising money for charities. Others try a general lottery, but it is hard to get a spot this way. There is also a group for very fast runners called “Good for Age.”

The London Marathon helps charities raise lots of money. Since it began, it has helped raise over £1.4 billion, with £87 million raised at the 2025 London Marathon alone. This makes it one of the best events for charity in the world.

Mini Marathon

The Virgin Money Giving Mini London Marathon is a shorter race for young people. It is connected to The London Marathon. The race covers the last 3 miles (4.8 km) of the main marathon course.

This race is for children under 13, under 15, and under 17 from all 33 London Boroughs. Teams from ten English regions and three Home Countries also join in: Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. There is also a Mini Wheelchair race on the same day. The event serves as the British Athletics 3-mile Championships.

BBC live coverage

The BBC has shown the London Marathon every year since 1981, and they have broadcast it live since 1984. At first, David Coleman hosted without being seen. Now, main presenters on BBC One include Sue Barker, Jonathan Edwards, and Gabby Logan.

The BBC uses a special theme tune each year. This music comes from the film score of The Trap, a 1966 movie. The music was composed by Ron Goodwin and played by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.

Sponsorship and marketing

The London Marathon has had many sponsors over the years. It started with Gillette in the early 1980s. Then Mars, ADT, NutraSweet, and Flora took turns. From 2010 to 2021, Virgin Money was the sponsor. Beginning in 2022, the sponsor became Tata Consultancy Services.

Many other companies also use the marathon to promote their brands, such as New Balance, Lucozade Sport, and Fuller's Brewery.