London is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It is also one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Would you like to see the city from a different perspective? Why don’t you discover the city while running the annual London marathon?
London Marathon was founded in 1981. It is the second-largest run in the United Kingdom. The biggest event is the Great North Run in Newcastle. Doesn’t it sound awesome to run a full marathon distance in London? The event is normally arranged in April every year, even though some changes were made due to COVID-19.
There are different races available. There is a part for professional runners and one for those who run for fun and to beat their own records and limitations.
It is important to notice that the number of applicants is way higher than the number allowed to participate in the race. As a result, you better be quick and pray if you want to run this marathon. According to official statistics, the number of applicants often surpasses 400,000, while the number of people allowed to run is approximately 50,000 people.
Would you rather run somewhere else where you are sure to be accepted? You can read more about the Budapest marathon and Prague marathon by clicking the links.
London Marathon 2024
April 21st
More information: https://www.tcslondonmarathon.com/
Not only is the London marathon fantastic because of the competition itself. Every year the event supports a charity and gives lots of money to this cause. Throughout the years, they have supported organizations working for and helping cancer patients, people with learning disabilities, fighting global poverty, and many other causes.
The London Marathon route
London Marathon is among the top six marathons worldwide. It is one of six cities in the so-called “World Marathon Majors.” The other cities on that list are New York, Tokyo, Boston, Berlin, and Chicago. It is not a coincidence that lots of top athletes compete in the London marathon each year.
The total distance of the London marathon is 42.195 kilometers (26.219 mi). There are three different starting points.
- The ‘red start’ in southern Greenwich Park on Charlton Way
- The ‘green start’ in St John’s Park
- The ‘blue start’ on Shooter’s Hill Road.
The routes meet after approximately 4,5km,.From this moment on, they all use the same route. Runners will then see famous attractions such as Cutty Sark; they will run across the Tower Bridge while enjoying the view of the Tower of London, do a big round at the Isle of Dogs, before they return towards the Tower of London, the Monument, London Bridge, the Millenium Bridge (you should be able to see St. Paul’s Cathedral by then if you have the energy to pay attention to it), and then in the end across the Westminster bridge. Hopefully, the sight of Big Ben and the British Parliament will give you the energy to run the final distance along St. James Park to Buckingham Palace before you take a turn and run the final meters of the London marathon.
Is London marathon for you?
Have you ever run a marathon? If you have, then you know what you are in for. There are no big elevation differences during London marathon, meaning that this is a quite nice run seen from that perspective. But, if you have never ran a marathon before, there are several things you should be aware of and take into consideration before you apply.
- You need to start the preparations early. Many people recommend that you start the preparations at least one year before the actual race.
- If you have much experience, then it is easier. But, if you start from scratch, give your body time to get used to the distances. Start with shorter distances and do runs of 5km, 10km, 15km, and 20km several times before you push your body further. It is easy to get injured if you suddenly push your body in ways it isn’t used to.
- Practice shorter distances regularly, and then do a longer run maximum once per week.
- Even though you want to get better, do not forget that you need to rest. You will often perform much better after a few days of rest than if you run every single day.
- Get into a habit of getting enough energy and hydration while running. You will learn this best through experience, so find out how you can run for more than 40km without hitting the wall.
It is also a smart thing to find someone you can run together with and prepare together with. We often experience periods when motivation decline and then it is important to have people around you who can help you and inspire you. And then, some weeks later, you might have to return that favor to the same person.
