London Marathon
Saturday, April 24 and Sunday, April 25, 2027 · London, UK
Updated Oct 17, 2026
Site of the first sub-2-hour marathon in a record-eligible race in history (Sabastian Sawe, 1:59:30 at the 2026 edition); the same race produced Tigst Assefa's 2:15:41, the women-only world record. The flat profile is conducive to records, but London also carries one of the deepest recreational fields in the sport, with a heavy charity-runner share that pulls the average finish time long compared to faster-course WMMs.
London Marathon elevation gain
The London Marathon has 420 ft (127 m) of elevation gain and 531 ft (161 m) of loss over 26.2 miles (42.195 km).
Is the London Marathon hard?
No, not as marathon courses go. The London Marathon scores 3.9/10 on the Kenyan Running Difficulty Index, the 8th easiest of the 12 marathons we rate.
The median race-day temperature is 11.5°C (53°F).
The score is built from four factors: hills, race-day weather, turns and bridges, and the late miles where a runner is most likely to lose time. See the score breakdown.
Pacing the London Marathon
Training for the London Marathon?
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The score breakdown
The Kenyan Running Difficulty Index combines four weighted factors. The heaviest weight (35%) is on Tactical Brutality. That is what a Kenyan coach watches first: where the field actually blows up.
- Course Friction score reflects congestion + narrow streets + Tower Bridge severity.
Score confidence: preliminary. Computed from public course, weather, and prize data.
Course profile
- Elevation gain
- 127m / 420ft
- Elevation loss
- 161m / 531ft
- Surface
- paved smooth
- Bridges
- 1 (moderate)
- Late-stage climbs (after mile 18)
- None significant.
- Profile notes
- Predominantly flat. Notable downhill segment at the 5km mark. Macro profile is fast; micro layout is technical due to narrow streets.
Race day
- Date
- Saturday, April 24 and Sunday, April 25, 2027 (two-day race, 2027 only)
- 2025 finishers
- 56,640
Weather (historical)
- Median temp
- 11.5°C
- Humidity
- 65-80%
- Wind
- Historically minimal wind
Prize money
- Total purse
- Full breakdown not published by organizer; top-line figures shown below
- Winner
- $55K
- 2nd / 3rd
- $30K / $22.5K
- Course record bonus
- $25K
- World record bonus
- $125K
- Time bonuses
- Sub-2:02:00 (M) / Sub-2:15:00 (W) yields $150,000
- Notes
- Elite appearance fees include performance clauses linked to finishing.
Course records
Recent winners
Top East African winners (Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Uganda) across the last 10 verified editions: 10 men, 9 women.
| Year | Men's winner | Time | Women's winner | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Sabastian Sawe (KEN) | 1:59:30WR | Tigst Assefa (ETH) | 2:15:41 |
| 2025 | Sabastian Sawe (KEN) | 2:02:27 | Tigst Assefa (ETH) | 2:15:50 |
| 2024 | Alexander Mutiso Munyao (KEN) | 2:04:01 | Peres Jepchirchir (KEN) | 2:16:16 |
| 2023 | Kelvin Kiptum (KEN) | 2:01:25 | Sifan Hassan (NED) | 2:18:33 |
| 2022 | Amos Kipruto (KEN) | 2:04:39 | Yalemzerf Yehualaw (ETH) | 2:17:26 |
| 2021 | Sisay Lemma (ETH) | 2:04:01 | Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN) | 2:17:43 |
| 2020 | Shura Kitata (ETH) | 2:05:58 | Brigid Kosgei (KEN) | 2:18:58 |
| 2019 | Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) | 2:02:37 | Brigid Kosgei (KEN) | 2:18:20 |
| 2018 | Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) | 2:04:17 | Vivian Cheruiyot (KEN) | 2:18:31 |
| 2017 | Daniel Wanjiru (KEN) | 2:05:48 | Mary Keitany (KEN) | 2:17:01 |
Training for London Marathon?
A static plan is a starting point. What changes when a Kenyan coach reads your week-by-week training is the part a generic plan can't do. Take the free 5-question quiz to get matched.
Sources
- https://www.londonmarathonevents.co.uk/london-marathon/article/2025-tcs-london-marathon-breaks-guinness-world-records-title-largest-number
- https://www.londonmarathonevents.co.uk/london-marathon
- https://www.tcslondonmarathon.com/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Marathon
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabastian_Sawe
- https://www.olympics.com/en/news/sabastian-sawe-2026-london-marathon-breakdown-stats-splits-world-record
- https://www.londonmarathonevents.co.uk/london-marathon/article/sawe-smashes-two-hour-barrier-make-sporting-history-2026-tcs-london
- https://www.npr.org/2026/04/26/nx-s1-5800057/kenya-sabastian-sawe-first-person-2-hour-marathon-london