London Marathon 2027

London, considered the most iconic global city internationally, having a colossal impact on the arts 🎨, business, education, fashion and tourism, has to be on point when it comes to running 😎. And it didn’t wait for Finishers to prove it: the London Marathon is one of the most famous marathons in the world 🌍, with an official classification among the 6 intercontinental World Marathon Majors. Created in 1981 by former Olympic champion Chris Brasher, the event has seen the world’s best athletes pass through it. More than a simple endurance race, it’s a true people’s celebration that has carried on over the years 🎉.

Inspired by the prestige and reputation of the New York City Marathon, the London Marathon (or TCS London Marathon by its real name 😎), in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧, was a big success from the very first years 💪. The route isn’t just a simple loop where you only have to move your legs in rhythm—it’s a real journey through time and Anglophone culture, right in the country’s capital 🏴. The start is given in the southeast of the city, by Greenwich Park. Yes, yes—like the meridian 🌐. That’s when you realize we’re not talking about the little public garden around the corner, but a true monument that gave its name to one of the world’s most famous geographic terms 😅. And that’s nothing compared to what comes next: at km 10, you can cross paths with the Cutty Sark, the iconic figure of the National Maritime Museum ⛵️. But no boarding allowed—only a quarter of the route has been completed 🤪. After 20 km, you’ll have to switch banks, and for the occasion, Tower Bridge serves as the crossing 🌉. This unusual, medieval-looking bridge watches peacefully over the city. But it’s not over: the Tower of London, St Paul’s Cathedral, St James’s Park, and the final straight all the way to Buckingham Palace are each reasons in their own right to head to London in April for a wild race 🏃. All of it powered along and cheered on by an ever-present London crowd at every meter of the course 📣.

The greatest runners in the world have been there, and several world records have fallen there. At the same time, the profile is ultra-flat, with no elevation gain, and perfect for focusing on pace 💨. Kenyan athletes regularly battle it out for the title 🇰🇪, such as Martin Lel, Eliud Kipchoge, Amos Kipruto, Kelvin Kiptum or Sabastian Sawe. Event records keep dropping one after another, and Sabastian Sawe has held the best time since 2026, at 1 hour 59 minutes and 30 seconds 🏆. On the women’s side, a famous Brit named Paula Radcliffe set a world record in 2003, which lasted for more than 16 years 🤯. In 2026, Tigist Assefa also set a new marathon world record in a women-only race, winning in 2:15:41 🏆. But beyond the stratospheric performances put in by international runners, the London Marathon has its own accolades ✅. It’s the running event that raises the most money in the world for charities 💸. So not only can you perform there, you also contribute to one of the biggest global solidarity fundraisers 🫂. In total, more than a billion euros have been raised by the organizers. If that isn’t the most impressive of all the figures mentioned, it’s still the most deserving 🫶. 

Once the race is over, a real world of possibilities opens up to participants: the banks of the Thames 🐟, guided tours of the many historic monuments you just discovered, Big Ben, the royal guard… 💂 And if you’re a lover of London music, you can also head to Waterloo Station to "watch the sunset and feel like you’re in paradise" 🎸.

Don’t forget to come back with souvenirs and keychains filling your pockets, because once you’re back home 🧳, you’ll probably be homesick and you’ll pray for someone to "take you back to London" 🛬.