How do I enter the TCS London Marathon?

The main routes in are the public ballot (lottery), a Good For Age qualifying time (UK residents only, competitive fastest-first allocation), or a charity place with a fundraising commitment. The ballot opens the day after race day and closes within days, so you need to act fast.

What is the time limit for the London Marathon?

The official cutoff is 8 hours from the last wave start. If you fall behind that pace you'll need to move to the pavement, but the organisers will support you to the finish line.

Is the London Marathon a Boston qualifier?

Yes. London is a AIMS-certified World Marathon Major course and times are accepted by the BAA for Boston qualifying purposes. Approximately 11.4% of 2025 finishers ran a Boston Qualifying time.

What is the elevation profile like?

The course is very flat, with 246 feet of total elevation gain according to the official race organisers. It runs from Blackheath (around 115 ft above sea level) and trends downward to near sea level, with only minor rises through Trafalgar Square in the final miles.

What is the typical race-day weather?

April conditions in London vary widely. Historical averages show a high around 60F (15C) and a low around 45F (7C), but race days have ranged from near-freezing to 75F. Light winds are typical, though headwinds along the Thames stretch are possible.

How big is the field?

The 2025 race had approximately 54,530 finishers, making it one of the largest marathons in the world. The 2026 edition broke the Guinness World Record for the largest number of finishers in a marathon.

What are the course records?

The men's course record is 1:59:30, set by Kenya's Sabastian Sawe in 2026, the first sub-two-hour marathon run in a competitive race. The women's course record for a mixed-sex race is 2:15:25, set by Great Britain's Paula Radcliffe in 2003.

Sun, Apr 25 · 2027LondonSince 1981

TCS London Marathon

London runs from leafy Blackheath to the grandeur of The Mall, on a flat, fast course that has produced more world records than any other. The crowds are relentless, the course rewards discipline, and the finish in front of Buckingham Palace is genuinely hard to beat.

FlatWorld MajorLotteryBQ Hotbed

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LONDON · GB

London

SUN, APR 25

2027

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Race Overview

EST. 1981

London is one of those races people talk about for years, and once you run it you'll understand why. It starts from three separate points in Blackheath and Greenwich and converges around mile 3 in Woolwich. The first half takes you west through Greenwich, past the Cutty Sark, and across Tower Bridge at mile 12, where the crowds pack the bridge and the roar is real. Save something there. The second half loops through Canary Wharf, which has tight corners and can disrupt your rhythm if you let it, then tracks back west along the Thames past the Tower of London and through Trafalgar Square. The final two miles down the Embankment and onto The Mall are flat and fast. It's the moment you've been waiting for.

The course is genuinely PR-friendly when the weather plays ball. April days range from cool and grey to surprisingly warm, and on hot years times slow noticeably. Hydrate from mile one. Getting in is its own challenge. The ballot opens the day after the race and closes within days, with over a million people applying for around 50,000 places. Your realistic options are the ballot, a Good For Age time (UK residents only, fastest-first), or a charity place, which most runners end up using. It's a hard ticket, but it's worth every bit of the effort to get there.

Field size

~56k

56,000 finishers

BQ rate

25%

Among the highest in the US

Time limit

8:00

Generous cutoff

Entry

Lottery

Annual draw + charity

Course records

Men

1:59:30

Sabastian Sawe

2026

Women

2:15:25

Paula Radcliffe

2003

The Course

175 ft total gain

Total ascent

↑175 ft

Total descent

↓220 ft

Net elevation

↓45 ft

Highest point

180 ft

Lowest point

6 ft

Course shape

Point to point

Different start and finish

London is a point-to-point course with negligible net drop, so don't expect the elevation profile to hand you a PR. Total gain and loss are both modest, and the course stays close to sea level throughout. The first half runs through Greenwich and Bermondsey before crossing Tower Bridge around mile 12, which is the emotional peak but not a pacing concern. The second half follows the north bank of the Thames toward Westminster. Miles 18-22 can feel exposed and mentally flat, with the crowds thinning before the final push to The Mall. The course is largely flat and wide, with gentle bends rather than sharp turns. Paving is consistent. Wind off the river in the back half is the main variable to plan around.

DIFFICULTYFLATPR-FRIENDLYMODERATE

View official course map Past results

Race-Day Weather

10-year median

Low

45°F

High

60°F

30°MARATHON-IDEAL 45–60°80°

What to expect

Late April in London typically means a cool morning and a mild afternoon. You'll probably start in the mid-40s, which feels good in the early miles, so resist the urge to overdress. By the finish it can be pushing 60, and if the sun comes out that back half gets warmer than it looks on paper. It's usually manageable, but London can surprise you with wind off the Thames or an unseasonably warm day. Have a throwaway layer for the start and don't skip the water stations.

Entry

LOTTERY · CHARITY

The general ballot is the main entry route and the most competitive in the sport, with roughly 840,000 applications for around 17,000 ballot places in recent years. Guaranteed entries are available through Good for Age qualifying times, official charity partners, and a small number of 'ever present' and championship slots.

Register on race site

Logistics

For runners travelling in

Closest airport

LHR

12 mi

from the start

≈ 19 min transferOn the doorstep

What to expect

Most travelling runners fly into LHR, about 12 miles from the start, right on the doorstep by rideshare or transit, roughly a 19-minute trip. Stay close to the start in London so you're not fighting race-morning closures and transit on tired legs. Arrive a day early to clear the expo and bib pickup, and build in buffer for gear-check and corral entry.