London Marathon

The London Marathon (also known as the TCS London Marathon for sponsorship reasons) is an annual marathon held in London, England. Founded by athletes Chris Brasher and John Disley in 1981, it is typically held in April. The course is largely flat and follows the River Thames, starting in Blackheath and finishing at The Mall.

The marathon includes several different races. There is a mass race for anyone who wants to join, professional 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 take place 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 over £1.4 billion for good causes. Since 2006, the London Marathon has been one of the World Marathon Majors, the group of the world’s best marathons. Famous runners have broken the marathon world record during the London Marathon many times. The current fastest times on the course are held by Kelvin Kiptum for men and Paula Radcliffe for women. Similar records exist for the wheelchair races, held by Marcel Hug and Catherine Debrunner. Since 2022, the race has been sponsored by TCS and called the TCS London Marathon.

Editions

The London Marathon has taken place every year since it began in 1981, with participants running a distance of 26.2 miles. In 2020, 2021, and 2022, the race was changed to October because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and only elite athletes and invited wheelchair athletes were allowed to compete in 2020. The course is mostly flat and follows the River Thames, starting in Blackheath and ending at The Mall in London.

History

The London Marathon began in 1981, created by Olympic champion Chris Brasher and athlete John Disley. The first race took place on March 29, 1981, with thousands of people applying to join. Since then, the marathon has grown very popular, with many runners completing the course each year.

The event also includes a wheelchair race, which started in 1983 and helped change how people think about athletes with disabilities. Over the years, the London Marathon has become one of the biggest and most famous running events in the world.

Organisation

The London Marathon is overseen 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 led by doctors, with help from over 1,500 volunteers from St. John Ambulance who set up first aid stations along the route. The BBC provides 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 participate.

Course

The London Marathon takes place on a mostly flat path around the River Thames. It covers a distance of 42.195 kilometres (26.219 miles). Runners start at three points in Greenwich Park, St John's Park, and on Shooter's Hill Road near Blackheath. They all meet up after a short distance in Woolwich.

As they continue, runners pass famous spots 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 used 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, who 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 who 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, who was told he would never walk again, finished the marathon. Sir Steve Redgrave, an Olympic champion, raised a lot of money for charity through marathons. And in 2025, Soh Rui Yong set a new record for the fastest marathon while wearing a suit.

Entry

Runners can enter the London Marathon in several ways. Many get their spots by raising money for charities, which is a big part of the event. Others try their luck in a general lottery, but it’s very hard to get a spot this way. There’s also a special 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, connected to The London Marathon. It 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, plus teams from ten English regions and three Home Countries: Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. There is also a Mini Wheelchair race on the same day, and the event serves as the British Athletics 3-mile Championships.

BBC live coverage

The BBC has broadcast the London Marathon every year since it began in 1981, and they have shown it live in full since 1984. Originally, David Coleman hosted without being seen, but more recently, main presenters on BBC One have included Sue Barker, Jonathan Edwards, and Gabby Logan.

The BBC uses a special theme tune each year from the film score of The Trap, a 1966 movie. The music was composed by Ron Goodwin and performed 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.