The sun blazed in the sky, leading to a rise in temperatures as an unprecedented number of runners kicked off the 45th edition of the London Marathon.
In the elite women’s category, Tigst Assefa secured victory with a women’s-only world record, while Sabastian Sawe took home the men’s title after completing the 26.2-mile race in just over two hours. For many participants, finishing the race remained their primary objective, even as they chased after personal bests.
Among the thousands of competitors running for their chosen charities were Julie Barnes and Debra Harrison from Hull. They shared their motto for the marathon with BBC London: “finish lines, not finish times.” Ms. Harrison is supporting the charity Fit Mums and Friends, while Ms. Barnes was fortunate enough to earn a spot through the lottery. Their singular goal was clear: “Just finish it.”
A group from Kidney Care UK included families of individuals who have benefited from the charity. Cassandra Gilbert-Ward, 35, informed BBC London that the organization had provided significant support to her family. “My stepdad was diagnosed with kidney failure in 2020 during the COVID pandemic; we were unaware of any issues until he reached complete kidney failure,” she explained.
Jamie Salmon mentioned that she and her partner were fundraising for Kidney Care, having had their two-year-old son receive treatment for kidney damage. “He will require lifelong medication and has been diagnosed with stage-two kidney disease,” she noted. “The ward where he received care at Great Ormond Street was funded by Kidney Care, making this cause extremely meaningful to us.” She expressed their joy at having raised £13,500 thus far.
The race director of the London Marathon announced that this edition hosted an unprecedented number of participants, surpassing 56,000—making it the largest marathon globally. Notable figures among the runners included seven-time Olympic cycling champion Sir Jason Kenny, McFly’s drummer Harry Judd, broadcaster Adele Roberts, and singer Alexandra Burke.
Olympic and world triathlon champion Alex Yee from Lewisham took on the challenge of his first marathon alongside the elite runners, while Eilish McColgan set a new Scottish record during her marathon debut.
Two protesters attempted to disrupt the event by throwing paint at Tower Bridge but were swiftly apprehended under suspicion of public nuisance.
The warm weather presented additional challenges, with temperatures expected to reach around 22°C (72°F), marking potentially the fourth hottest marathon in London’s history; the record high was 24.2°C (76°F) in 2018. However, many still managed to achieve personal bests despite the heat.
Among those was army doctor Rhiannon Kirk, who completed the marathon in two hours and 55 minutes, and Helena Sexton, who finished in three hours and three minutes. Ms. Kirk shared, “I returned from Australia just two days ago. It was fantastic, though the final stretch was definitely tough. Since it was my first marathon, of course, it was going to be a personal best, so I’m happy.”
From Tetbury in Gloucestershire, Ms. Sexton remarked, “The heat was challenging, but the atmosphere was incredible. Luckily, there were plenty of water stops, and we managed to cool ourselves down.”
Also achieving a personal best was Lauren Stockley from Abergavenny in south Wales, who finished in three hours and two minutes, cutting her previous marathon time by 12 minutes. “It was a great experience, quite hot, but I managed to hydrate effectively thanks to the numerous water stations,” said the 25-year-old.
Ant, who ran the marathon on behalf of Leukaemia Care, shared that he raised over £3,500 in memory of his parents. “I lost my dad to leukaemia many years ago,” he reflected, adding, “It was certainly hot, but it was a lot of fun. This was my fifth marathon and my first in London, so it was truly special.”
This year’s marathon also featured 103 participants attempting to break 87 Guinness World Records. Among them were a group of four runners aiming to achieve a new record for the fastest time in a team costume dressed as Scooby-Doo’s Mystery Machine. Other record-breaking attempts included running the fastest marathon in a firefighter’s uniform, as a knight, in a tent, on crutches, and the quickest male participant dressed as a body part.
