World Marathon Majors · London, United Kingdom
TCS London Marathon London
First run in 1981 and a founding World Marathon Major in 2006, London combines one of the fastest elite races in the world with the largest mass field of any marathon. In 2026 Sabastian Sawe ran the first record-eligible sub-two-hour marathon here (1:59:30), and a record 59,830 people finished.
- Next edition
- April 24, 2027
- Finishers
- 59,8302026
- Course record, men
- 1:59:30Sabastian Sawe, 2026
- Course record, women
- 2:15:25Paula Radcliffe, 2003
Course map
The route from start to finish, drawn from the real course track. Numbers match the landmarks below; small dots mark every 5 km.The route from start to finish, drawn from the real course track. Numbers match the landmarks below; small dots mark every 5 mi.
Course profile
Elevation along the course, lightly smoothed. Hover or tap the chart to read any point; numbered markers match the list below.
Point to point
- Total climb
- 75 m
- 14.5 km2.8 miStart routes merge in Woolwich
- 210.5 km6.5 miCutty Sark, Greenwich (between miles 6 and 7)
- 320.5 km12.7 miTower Bridge (just before halfway)
- 424.1 km15 miIsle of Dogs, Docklands and Canary Wharf (miles 15-20)
- 533.9 km21.1 miRainbow Row, Limehouse (just past mile 21)
- 640.9 km25.4 miHouses of Parliament and Big Ben, Parliament Square
- 742.1 km26.2 miBuckingham Palace, final turn onto The Mall
- 842.195 km26.219 miFinish on The Mall
What it’s like
A point-to-point route from three starts around Greenwich and Blackheath to The Mall. The opening miles are wide and net downhill, the middle section is close to flat, and there is a short rise before Tower Bridge; officially the whole course climbs about 75 m. Canary Wharf's tall buildings and underpasses can upset GPS watches and funnel wind. Crowds of roughly 750,000 make Tower Bridge and The Highway very loud. Late-April daytime highs in London are typically 13-16 °C, and the race is also the world's biggest single-day charity fundraiser.
How to get in
- Ballot
Public ballot
Places are drawn at random. For 2027, a one-off two-day event (Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 April), every ballot applicant was entered for both days; the ballot ran from 24 April to 1 May 2026 and will not reopen.
- Qualifying time
Good For Age (UK residents)
UK residents with a qualifying time can apply for about 6,000 places (3,000 men, 3,000 women), allocated fastest-first relative to age. The 2026 standards were sub-2:52 (men) and sub-3:38 (women) at 18-39, rising with age; the 2027 criteria are due to be published in autumn 2026.
- Charity
Run for charity
Runners can secure a place by committing to fundraise for one of the event's charity partners.
- Other
International entry
The organiser lists a separate international entry route for runners based outside the UK, in addition to the ballot.
- Club / local
Championship and British Athletics club entry
Separate routes exist for competitive runners who meet Championship Entry standards and for places allocated through affiliated British Athletics clubs.
Registration
The public ballot opens around race week and stays open for about a week: for the 2027 Double it ran from 09:00 BST on 24 April to 16:00 on 1 May 2026, with results sent in early July.
Plan your race
Facts checked against the official race website and the World Marathon Majors on September 28, 2026. Entry rules change every year: always confirm on the official site.