The 2024 London Marathon begins with the elite women’s race at 9.25 a.m., followed by the elite men’s race at 10 a.m.
The London Marathon this year is scheduled for Sunday, April 21st, and is expected to draw 50,000 runners.
Starting at different times, the wheelchair and elite races get underway. The wheelchair field gets underway at 9.05 am BST. The elite men’s race begins at 10 a.m., and the elite women’s race begins at 9.25 a.m.
The public and celebrities who participate in the mass participation race begin running at 10 a.m. and continue in waves until 11.30 a.m.
The London Marathon route, which begins at Blackheath and ends at The Mall, will remain unchanged from previous years.
The famous London route passes by some of the most well-known locations in the city, such as Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, and Tower Bridge.
What is the prize money for the London Marathon in 2024?
There’s a lot of money up for grabs at the London Marathon this weekend.
The prize money for both the men’s and women’s races is equal and is awarded in US dollars:
- 12th – $1,000
- 11th – $1,500
- 10th – $2,000
- 9th – $3,000
- 8th – $4,000
- 7th – $5,000
- 6th – $7,500
- 5th – $10,000
- 4th – $15,000
- 3rd – $22,500
- 2nd – $30,000
- 1st – $55,000
What roads could be closed?
Although there hasn’t been an official confirmation yet, pay attention to the following roads:
- Charlton Way
- Shooters Hill Road
- St John’s Park
- Charlton Road
- Old Dover Road
- Little Heath
- Charlton Park Lane
- Artillery Place
- John Wilson Street
- Woolwich Church Street
- Woolwich Road
- Trafalgar Road
- Creek Road
- Evelyn Street
- Surrey Quays Road
- Salter Road
- Brunel Road
- Jamaica Road
- Tower Bridge
- The Highway (south side)
- Narrow Street
- Westferry Road
- East Ferry Road
- Marsh Wall
- North Colonnade
- Poplar High Street
- Commercial Road
- The Highway
- Byward Street
- Upper Thames Street
- Victoria Embankment
- Birdcage Walk
Which landmarks along the way are visible?
- Mile 6: Cutty Sark
- Mile 12: Tower Bridge
- Mile 18: Canary Wharf
- Mile 22: The Tower of London
- Mile 25: The London Eye
- Mile 25: Big Ben
- Mile 26: Buckingham Palace
What is the number of runners in the marathon?
This Sunday, there will be 50,000 runners at the London Marathon, an incredible number.
This amounts to marginally more than 48,000.
Because of this, expect record-breaking numbers, so bear that in mind if you plan to visit London this weekend.
What course will the London Marathon take in 2024?
The route course has not changed in recent years – starting at Black heath the route winds through Charlton and Woolwich before heading back into Greenwich.
After that, it travels west to Bermondsey and north to Surrey Quays before crossing the river at Tower Bridge.
The race circles Canary Wharf and the Isle of Dogs after traveling east on The Highway, then passes through Blackwall, Poplar, and Limehouse before making a turn back to The Highway.
After that, runners go west, passing the Monument, Cannon Street, Black friars, the Tower of London, the Embankment, and the Thames, looping south to Westminster Bridge.
After that, they go west down Birdcage Walk, past Buckingham Palace and onto The Mall, where they conclude.
Expect a chilly start on Sunday
The London Marathon participants have been advised by the Met Office to prepare for a cool start to Sunday morning.
Meteorologist Alex Deakin provided his weather prediction for the 2024 London Marathon.
“You’ve probably been training in the rain and under the influence of low pressure if you’ve been training hard for the marathon,” he remarked. This weekend’s weather patterns are changing, and for many of us, Saturday will be a great day thanks to the high that is rolling in.
“There will be a bit of a northerly breeze and quite a bit of cloud around across the southeast now that the high is sticking around for Sunday and the big race, but as it starts to edge back a bit further west.”
Which celebrities are competing in the race on Sunday?
Several well-known people are running the London Marathon on Sunday.
It’s going to be a star-studded race with everything from football club owners to soap opera icons.
The following are some names you may see on Sunday:
- Romesh Ranganathan
- Emma Barton and Jamie Borthwick
- Chloe Meadows
- Phil Dunster
- Natalie Pinkham
- Joshua Patterson
- Izzy Christiansen
- Sir Jim Ratcliffe
Sadly, last year’s winner passed away.
Kenya’s Kelvin Kiptum won the men’s race in 2023, while Sir Mo Farah, a British athlete, finished ninth in his final London marathon.
Kiptum sadly passed away in February 2024 at the young age of 24.
The London Marathon organizers have scheduled a 30-second clapping segment to honor him prior to the elite male race.
In 2023, Dutch runner Sifan Hassan won the women’s championship.
Why do marathons last for 26.2 miles?
Greece is the ancient world where the marathon originated.
The history of the marathon begins in 776 B.C., when a messenger had to run from Marathon to Athens with word of a Greek military triumph.
After completing the 40 km (24.8 mi) distance, runners have set out to equal the accomplishment.
Nevertheless, the distance was increased to 26.2 miles for the London Olympic Games in 1908.
Start times for the London Marathon in 2024
Before Sunday’s major race, here are all the times you should be aware of:
- 8.15am – Elite wheelchair men’s and women’s races
- 9.00am – Elite women’s race
- 9.40am – Elite men’s race and mass start
Remember that some runners might not cross the start line until approximately 11:30 am due to the astronomical number of participants.
Where to watch London Marathon in 2024
The race on Sunday will be on BBC iPlayer and BBC One.
Coverage on BBC One will start at 8.30 am and continue until 2.15 pm on the channel.
After that, it will air on BBC Two until 3 p.m.
From 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., viewers can watch the race live for free on the BBC Sport website and iPlayer.
