What to Know About the London Marathon
Of the 5 Marathon Majors I’ve completed thus far, London fights with Chicago for the top spot. I ran it in October 2022, one of the few times it was held in the fall instead of the spring. They had it in October in 2021 and 2022 because of the pandemic, and I wanted to run the fall edition because training through cold Chicago winters isn’t my favorite. I ran it with a charity [MS Society because my grandma had the condition], and I think I was lucky to do it that year before it got even bigger of a race. I also spectated the race in 2024, which was a ton of fun.
Below are a few logistical things I wish I’d known before running it, along with some other tips for London travel.
It’s a mostly flat course. There is a noticeable downhill around mile 4 and a few very small inclines on the course, but overall it is a flat, fast course, which makes for good PR conditions if the weather is nice!
There are 3 different colored wave starts. Make sure you know which color wave you’re in and go to the right location, as the start lines are not all in the same location. As you get off the train, you’ll eventually walk across a large grassy field. This is where you’ll see signs that point you in the right direction. The start area is easy to navigate and they had screens set up so you could see the start of the Pro races, which was cool.
There are a lot of iconic photo ops on the course. This is one of the few races I bought my picture package after the race because it wasn’t super expensive [compared to other races] and I had a lot of good photos. Areas of note for cool photos include: the Cutty Sark, a historic ship [around mile 6], the Tower Bridge around the halfway mark [on the second half of the bridge, they’ll get shots of you with the bridge in the background], and near the finish with Big Ben.
Water is served in small plastic water bottles at the aid stations. I wouldn’t call this the most Earth-friendly race with so much plastic being used. Watch your step through the aid stations so you don’t trip on any of the water bottles. And if you’re not bringing your own water [either in a handheld or hydration pack, which are both allowed], and it’s a warm day, consider holding on to the bottle if you don’t finish it at the aid station.
There is no food at the finish line. Unlike most races in the States, there is no banana or other food provided at the finish line. This was something I wish I’d known ahead of time, so I could pack food in my checked bag to start the recovery process. Also make sure you know where you’ll get your post-race meals. While I did get some food with my charity celebration post-race, it was harder to find a meal later in the day, as many kitchens close early on Sunday [compared to big cities in the States].
It’s a big party. Despite hitting a hard wall at mile 18 when I ran it [likely because of my poor fueling leading into it], London is the most fun I’ve had in a marathon. The crowds are electric and there were no quiet spots on the course. Some spots, like Tower Bridge, were almost deafening. Wear your name on your shirt because people will say it and it’s fun to hear it in a British accent. A lot of people also go for new Guinness world records on the course, so expect to see a lot of costumes. And if you’re having a rough day, like I did when I ran it, the crowd will most certainly pull you through. Prepare to have a blast!
Also worth noting, I found it a little harder to carb load in London – I don’t know if it was because of where I was staying or I didn’t know where to look, but consider bringing some of your own carb snacks if you’re traveling from outside of London to assist in your carb load.
Tower Bridge
If you’re spectating:
It’s easy to see people in multiple spots on the course. You can use the train to get around.
Make sure you tell your runner(s) where you’ll be and what side of the street you’ll be on [runner’s left or runner’s right]. Wearing something that sticks out is also helpful for them to spot you. It is a crowded race, both with runners and spectators. I spectated in 2024, and even though I was intently looking for people, I still missed a lot of my friends. It’s easier for runners to spot you so make sure they know where to look!
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Other London tips [not marathon-specific]:
Phone theft is somewhat prevalent in touristy parts of London. I had my phone literally snatched out of my hands by someone on an electric scooter in 2024 when I was looking at a map on a street corner. So have your phone on a lanyard or just keep it safe in your purse. If you are needing to look at a map for directions, consider putting in your headphones and listening to the directions instead.
Heathrow is really strict about toiletries fitting into the quart-sized bag. The first time I flew out of London I had to throw away a bunch of toiletries 🙁 So plan ahead when you’re packing so you know you’ll be able to fit all of your liquids into the quart-sized bag. And if you don’t bring your own plastic bag, they’ll give you one [which I honestly think is smaller]
Make sure you pack a UK plug adapter. Some hotels and AirBnB’s have them, but don’t count on it. Make sure you get one ahead of time so you can use your chargers and other things you need to plug in!*
Let me know if you’re running the London Marathon this year or if you’re hoping to next year!
*You can find some of my travel essentials, including the TSA-approved toiletry bag and UK adapter here.