London Marathon

26 Apr 2026 Blackheath to The Mall, London, London

About this race

Race details

Date

26 Apr 2026

Venue

Blackheath to The Mall, London

Location

🇬🇧 London, UK

Event duration

1 days

Athletes

50,000+

Average finish time

4:45

Course records

Men's record

2:01:25

Women's record

2:16:16

Average time

4:45

Divisions

GETTING TO THE START The London Marathon starts on Blackheath, in southeast London. The closest mainline stations are Blackheath (from London Bridge or Cannon Street, approximately 20 minutes) and Maze Hill (from London Bridge, approximately 25 minutes). Both stations are a short walk from the start village. Trains begin running from around 5:30am on race day and get extremely busy from 7am. Plan to be on a train by 7am at the latest. There are three separate start pens at Blackheath -- Red, Blue, and Green -- spread across different areas of the heath. Check your race number and start colour carefully before race day as they are not all in the same location. Allow at least 30 minutes to walk from the station to your correct pen. GETTING TO THE FINISH The finish line is on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace in central London. The nearest tube stations to the finish are Green Park (Jubilee, Victoria and Piccadilly lines) and St James's Park (District and Circle lines). Both are around a 10 minute walk from the finish area. Charing Cross mainline station is also close for trains south of the river. PARKING Driving to the start is strongly discouraged and road closures make it impractical for much of the morning. There is very limited parking near Blackheath and none reserved for runners. Public transport is the only realistic option. BAG DROP Bag drop operates from the start village at Blackheath. Bags are transported by lorry to the finish area on Horse Guards Parade and can be collected after you cross the line. Use the official branded bag provided in your race pack -- unofficial bags will not be accepted. Bag drop closes approximately 45 minutes before your wave start, so arrive with enough time to drop your bag and walk to your pen. START VILLAGE The start village opens from around 7am. There are toilets, bag drop, water, and a limited number of food stands. It can be cold and exposed on Blackheath in April -- bring a throwaway layer you do not mind leaving on the heath. Charity shops do very well from discarded running gear on marathon morning.

THE NIGHT BEFORE Lay out everything you need the night before -- race number, timing chip, kit, shoes, nutrition, and any gear you plan to drop in your bag. Eat a carbohydrate-heavy dinner at a reasonable hour and drink plenty of water through the evening. Avoid alcohol. Aim for an early night -- even if you do not sleep well, resting is better than nothing. RACE MORNING Eat breakfast 2.5 to 3 hours before your wave start. A familiar, easily digestible meal works best -- porridge, toast with peanut butter, or a bagel. Avoid anything new or heavy. Hydrate steadily through the morning but do not overdo it in the final 30 minutes before your start. CHECK-IN AND WAVE STARTS Arrival time varies by wave. Most runners should aim to be at Blackheath by 8:00 to 8:30am at the latest. The elite women start at 9:05am, mass waves follow from around 9:35am with the last waves departing around 10:10am. Check your specific wave time on your race confirmation. Latecomers are accommodated in a separate wave but this is not recommended. There is no formal bib check-in -- your timing chip is activated when you cross the start mat. Pin your race number to the front of your vest before you leave home. ON THE COURSE Water and Lucozade Sport stations appear every mile from mile 3 onwards. Lucozade gels are distributed at miles 13 and 22. If you plan to use your own nutrition, carry it with you. Do not rely solely on course gels unless you have trained with them -- they are Lucozade Orange flavour. The course runs from Blackheath through Greenwich, Deptford, Bermondsey, and into the City before heading through Canary Wharf at around the halfway point. The second half runs west along the Embankment before turning onto Birdcage Walk and finishing on The Mall. Tower Bridge at mile 12 is the loudest point on the course. Medical support and St John Ambulance volunteers are stationed throughout. If you are struggling, do not push through chest pain or collapse-level symptoms -- flag a marshal. NUTRITION AND PACING The most common mistake at London is going out too fast. The crowd energy on the first few miles through Greenwich is enormous and will pull you faster than planned. Stick to your target pace for the first 10km regardless of how good you feel. If you have any left in the tank after mile 20, that is when to use it. For most runners, taking on 30 to 60g of carbohydrate per hour keeps energy levels stable. If using gels, take your first at 45 to 50 minutes in. Take water at every station -- small sips rather than full cups. POST-RACE After crossing the finish line on The Mall, you will receive your medal, foil blanket, and finisher bag. Keep moving -- stopping immediately in the cold is hard on the body. Bag collection is on Horse Guards Parade, a short walk from the finish. The surrounding streets fill up quickly so agree a meeting point with friends and family in advance and be specific -- The Mall has no signal and is extremely crowded. Allow 48 hours before any significant exercise. Prioritise protein and carbohydrates in the hours after finishing, keep your feet elevated where possible, and stay well hydrated through the rest of the day.

THE BEST SPECTATOR SPOTS The London Marathon is one of the best races in the world to watch as a spectator. The course is accessible by tube and train from almost every point, and crowds are enormous throughout. These are the spots worth planning around. Blackheath Start (Mile 0) You can watch the start from the edges of Blackheath if you arrive early. This is particularly atmospheric for the mass start waves. Access via Blackheath or Maze Hill rail stations. Get here by 9am if you want a decent spot. Cutty Sark, Greenwich (Mile 6) One of the most iconic spectator locations on the entire course. The historic ship forms a dramatic backdrop and the crowds here are consistently loud. Accessible from Cutty Sark DLR station. Arrive early -- it fills up fast and the atmosphere by 10am is electric. Tower Bridge (Mile 12 / Mile 21) This is the single most spectacular viewing point on the course. Runners cross Tower Bridge at mile 12 heading into the City, then again nearby at mile 21 on the return. The cheering here is the loudest of any point on the route. Access via Tower Hill tube (District and Circle lines) or London Bridge station. Expect very large crowds -- get there by 9:30am for a good spot on the bridge approach. Canary Wharf (Miles 13 to 17) Less crowded than Tower Bridge but excellent for multiple sightings as the course winds through the Docklands. Accessible from Canary Wharf tube (Jubilee line) or various DLR stations. Good for seeing runners twice as the course doubles back. Embankment (Miles 24 to 25) Runners are pushing hard and hurting here. The noise from spectators on the Embankment is relentless and makes a real difference to finishing times. Accessible from Embankment or Waterloo tube stations. This stretch is shoulder to shoulder on race day. The Mall Finish (Mile 26.2) The finish line on The Mall is the most emotional point to watch. Runners turning off Birdcage Walk onto The Mall with Buckingham Palace ahead of them is one of sport's great sights. Access via Green Park or St James's Park tube. The finish area closes to general spectators before the last finishers cross, so arrive by late morning if you want to be in place. GETTING AROUND AS A SPECTATOR The key to a good spectating day is planning your tube journey between spots before you leave home. The Elizabeth line, Jubilee line, DLR and District line all run close to the course at multiple points. Avoid trying to travel by bus -- road closures make surface transport largely impossible until mid-afternoon. A realistic spectating route that lets you see your runner 3 to 4 times: start at the Cutty Sark around mile 6, travel to Tower Bridge for miles 12 and 21, then take the Jubilee line to Waterloo and walk to the Embankment for mile 24, finishing at The Mall. TFL updates live tube and DLR running information on the day. The Jubilee and District lines handle the largest volumes of marathon spectators -- expect crowded but running services. FINDING YOUR RUNNER Use the TCS London Marathon app to track your runner live. GPS tracking updates roughly every kilometre. Set up tracking before race day and share the link with others in your group so everyone knows where to position themselves. Agree a meeting point after the finish in advance. The Mall empties slowly and has no phone signal in the densest parts of the crowd. Horse Guards Parade is a good option as runners collect bags there and it is slightly less chaotic than The Mall itself. WHAT TO BRING Wear layers -- April in London can be cold and standing still for several hours is very different from running. Bring snacks as food stalls near popular spectator spots sell out early. A portable phone charger is worth having given how much you will be using the tracking app and taking photos. Signage for your runner is brilliant at London -- homemade signs and banners are everywhere and runners genuinely appreciate them, particularly on the Embankment where pace drops and motivation matters most.