Not into the whole ‘running 26.2 miles through London until your legs feel like jelly and you can’t remember your own name’ thing? Fair enough!
But if there’s a keen bean in your life who’s running the London Marathon this weekend (Sunday April 26) and you want to keep track of their amazing journey, here’s what you need to know.
Your guide to the London Marathon with Time Out
Check out our guides to everything you need to know about this year’s race:
- ???? The marathon route (and best places to watch).
- ???? The best freebies that marathon runners can claim in London.
- ????️ The full weather forecast for central London on Sunday.
- ⏱️ All the start waves and timings.
- ⛔️ Full list of road closures across central London.
When does the race start?
Timings are staggered to avoid a gridlock (nearly 60,000 people might be in danger of getting in each other’s ways, eh?).
The ‘elite’ racers – pros competing for medals – go first, followed by the mere mortals. The elite wheelchair race gets underway from 8.30am, followed by elite women at 9.05am and elite men at 9.35am. Everyone else kicks off from 9.35am, though they’re separated into groups with different start times. Waves continue until 11.30am.
What’s the best way to track a runner?
Your safest bet is the TCS London Marathon App. Add their name or bib number to your tracking list and you’ll get updates every 5K. Your runner can enable a GPS device to ensure you get near-live updates – that way, you’ll never miss a step. The Wayfinder section of the app even predicts when they’ll pass certain landmarks. Spooky!
Other options include:
- Following them via the marathon’s website, again using their name or bib number.
- Keeping an eye on a third-party app such as Strava.
Basically, as long as you’ve got their bib number, you’re on to a winner.
How can you cheer someone on when they’re miles away?
What a sweet question! Happily, there’s a sweet answer, too. The TCS app has a so-called Belief Booster, which allows you to send messages that appear on screens along the track. So if your runner is flagging, they might well look up and see your words of encouragement emblazoned on their route.
Is the marathon on TV?
You betcha! Coverage starts on BBC One from 8.30am-2pm. From that point, trusty old BBC Two takes over until 6.30pm.
How can you pick someone out from the crowd?
Another adorable question. BBC iPlayer will host livestreams of Tower Bridge from 10.30am and the finish line from 12.30pm. You’ll need to be eagle-eyed to spot your runner moving faster than the speed of sound, though.
How to view the results
Can’t wait for your runner to pat themselves down, grab a cool beverage and tell you how they got on? You don’t need to! The marathon’s aforementioned app and website will be updated with the results, while sites such as Marathon Guide and Run Through will keep you posted too.
Want to watch IRL? Here’s where to watch the London Marathon
Plus: The London Marathon 2026 full weather forecast
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