The London Marathon

Last updated: April 2009

When:

Annual April event in London.

2009 Date:

26 April 2009

Where:

• Interactive Course map
• Start: Greenwich Park
• Finish: The Mall (The road between Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square.)

Use Journey Planner to plan your route by public transport.

Best Places to Watch the Runners:

• Greenwich Park:
  The race starts here so it is very crowded.
• The Cutty Sark:
  Because of the restoration work there less space here this year - best avoided.
• London Bridge Area:
  This marks the half-way point.
• Tower Bridge:
  A great photo opportunity to see the runners crossing the famous Tower Bridge, but again, very crowded.
• Embankment:
  As the competitors head up the Embankment, opposite the London Eye, past the Houses of Parliament, to Nelson’s Column they face the final grueling mile.
• The Mall:
  Watch as tortured and exhausted faces turn to joy on crossing the finish line.

Start Times:

9am: The Elite women
9.15am: The Wheelchair Race
9.45am: The Elite men

All others participants are given a staggered start time shortly after.

London Marathon Photos:

Flora London Marathon Photo Gallery

Official Website:

www.london-marathon.co.uk

Flora London Marathon General Information:

The Flora London Marathon attracts top athletes and amateur runners as they all try to complete the grueling 26.2 mile course. Nearly 50,000 runners take part and half a million spectators line the route as the runners pass some of the capital’s most iconic landmarks.

Spot the Celebrity Runners:

Enjoy the celebrity spotting; previous stars putting themselves through the gruelling course have included: TV chef Gordon Ramsay, Olympic rower James Cracknell, reality TV star Jade Goody, model Sophie Anderton, and marathon regular Floella Benjamin.

How to Enter The Flora London Marathon:

The entry system opens on 1 August, the year before the race you plan to enter. To apply you will need to complete an application form in a free magazine called Marathon News which is available from UK high street sports stores from August each year. A full list of where to obtain the magazine is on the Flora London Marathon web site each August. Get your application in quickly as the closing date is usually around the end of October.