The London Marathon is a truly legendary marathon. It is one of only two World Marathon Majors held in Europe, alongside the Berlin Marathon. Why runners love the London Marathon: a flat, fast course that is perfect for performance, plus an ultra-scenic route through the city. As you tick off iconic London landmarks like Tower Bridge, Big Ben and Buckingham Palace, you will also soak up a uniquely British atmosphere and the UK’s huge passion for sport and running.
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The London Marathon course
The London Marathon course starts in Greenwich, famous for the Prime Meridian and its world-renowned clock. Multiple starting waves help spread runners out and keep the early miles smoother. Among the first major sights, marathoners pass the legendary Cutty Sark around km 10 (mile 6), then cross the River Thames on Tower Bridge around km 20 (mile 12). After that, you head into the famous Canary Wharf district around km 30.
You will need to avoid the marathon wall near the Tower of London, home to the Crown Jewels. Then you follow the Thames for several kilometres all the way to Westminster. The finish of the 42.195 km (or 26.2 miles) is in front of Buckingham Palace, in St James’s Park, with an absolutely electric finish-line atmosphere.
Overall, the London Marathon profile is flat, which attracts plenty of runners chasing a personal best. The depth at the front of the race, and especially under 3 hours, is even stronger than at the Paris Marathon, for example.
How to enter the London Marathon
To enter the London Marathon, you usually need to go through the ballot (lottery), almost a year before race day. It often opens in May for the following April. In many ways, getting a bib can feel even tougher than the lottery for the New York City Marathon. For non-UK runners, the odds of getting picked are roughly 1 in 10.
If you are selected, you will pay for your entry during the final registration step. The London Marathon entry fee in 2022 was £125.
If you are not successful in the ballot, you still have other options. For example, you can go through a specialised marathon tour operator.
You can also run for charity. Charity entries are a real institution in Great Britain. You run for a cause and ask friends and family to donate to your fundraising page. The list of eligible charities is available on the official London Marathon website, including organisations focused on cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and more.
London Marathon qualifying times
You can also register with a qualifying time based on your age group. 6,000 bibs are reserved for these runners, on a “first come, first served” basis. That means you need to be online the moment registration opens if you qualify.
| Age | Men | Women |
| 18-39 | sub 3:00:00 | sub 3:45:00 |
| 40-44 | sub 3:05:00 | sub 3:50:00 |
| 45-49 | sub 3:10:00 | sub 3:53:00 |
| 50-54 | sub 3:15:00 | sub 4:00:00 |
| 55-59 | sub 3:20:00 | sub 4:05:00 |
| 60-64 | sub 3:45:00 | sub 4:30:00 |
| 65-69 | sub 4:00:00 | sub 5:00:00 |
| 70-74 | sub 5:00:00 | sub 6:00:00 |
| 75-79 | sub 5:15:00 | sub 6:20:00 |
| 80-84 | sub 5:30:00 | sub 6:40:00 |
| 85+ | sub 6:10:00 | sub 7:10:00 |
A race made for serious and not-so-serious Guinness World Records
The London Marathon course record is held by Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge in 2:02:37. He has won the race four times (2015, 2016, 2018, 2019). On the women’s side, the London Marathon record belongs to Britain’s Paula Radcliffe in 2:15:25.
Beyond runners chasing an “absolute” time, a huge number of Guinness World Records attempts take place every year at London.
In 2021, there were Guinness World Records set in pyjamas (2:51), dressed as an alien (3:23), wearing ski boots (5:30), and more.
Training plan for the London Marathon
Got a spot for the London Marathon and want to nail it? Whatever your level, a personalised marathon training plan is a major advantage, whether your goal is a new PR or simply becoming a London Marathon finisher.
You will want to have your race paces dialled in, because it is easy to lose your rhythm in a big pack. Also, the mile markers can feel a bit unsettling if you are used to kilometres. At London, you get mile markers throughout the course, and kilometre markers every 5 km.
If you want a personalised marathon training plan, you can download the RunMotion Coach app and follow an adaptive plan that evolves with your fitness, your workouts and your goals.
And honestly, we would love to support you for this marathon. RunMotion Coach has a presence in London to introduce our app, built in France in the Alps 😉 If you want RunMotion Coach in English, simply switch your phone language to English.
Photo credit: Official London Marathon website