Since its inaugural edition on March 29, 1981, the TCS London Marathon has grown into one of the world's most prestigious road races, blending elite competition with an extraordinary charitable legacy. Founded by former Olympic champion and journalist Chris Brasher alongside Welsh athlete John Disley, the event has been staged every year and has been held in the spring annually since 2010. Today, it is led by Race Director Hugh Brasher, the son of Chris Brasher, and Chief Executive Nick Bitel, who continue to build on the vision that transformed the race into a global sporting spectacle.

The marathon is contested over a fast, predominantly flat course that winds its way around the River Thames. It starts from three separate locations in Blackheath before the fields merge and head towards a memorable finish on The Mall, beside St. James's Park. The route has remained remarkably consistent throughout its history, with only minor adjustments. The most significant came in 1982, when the finish was temporarily relocated from Constitution Hill to Westminster Bridge because of construction work, before returning to its current home on The Mall twelve years later.

The event has evolved dramatically over the decades. In 2022, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) became the title sponsor, succeeding Virgin Money and ushering in a new era for the marathon. Participation continues to reach remarkable levels, with around 40,000 runners taking part in the 2021 in-person race, another 40,000 completing the virtual edition, and more than 350,000 people entering the public ballot for the 2022 event, highlighting the race's immense global appeal.

Beyond its popularity, the London Marathon has become synonymous with record-breaking performances and unforgettable moments. More than one million runners have crossed its finish line since 1981, while participants have raised over £1.4 billion for charitable causes, making it one of the world's largest annual fundraising events.

The race has consistently provided the stage for marathon history. At the 2026 edition, Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa successfully defended her title by setting a women's-only world record of 2:15:41, improving the mark she established in London a year earlier. In the men's race, Kenya's Sabastian Sawe produced one of the greatest performances in marathon history, winning in 1:59:30 to become the first athlete to complete the full 26.2-mile marathon in under two hours in an officially sanctioned competitive race.

London has also witnessed some of the sport's greatest champions rewrite the record books. The men's course record prior to Sawe's historic run was established in 2023 by the late Kelvin Kiptum, who surpassed the previous mark set by fellow Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge, the four-time London Marathon champion widely regarded as one of the greatest marathon runners of all time. The wheelchair races have been equally memorable, with Marcel Hug setting the men's course record in 2022 and Catherine Debrunner establishing the women's course record, reinforcing the London Marathon's reputation as one of the fastest and most iconic marathon events in the world.

Bekele sets world master record finishing 5th in 2022 clocking 2:05:53. He says he can run faster!

2022

2023

World Record 2026