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Daddy Pig is going the distance! After the announcement that George Pig is moderately deaf, the nation’s favourite cartoon dad is stepping up to take on the TCS London Marathon
Daddy Pig is going the distance! After the announcement that George Pig is moderately deaf, the nation’s favourite cartoon dad is stepping up to take on the TCS London Marathon
What is the London Marathon?
The London Marathon has been an annual part of the sporting calendar since launching in 1981, with the event raising over £1.4bn for charity during that period.
It is one of the Abbott World Marathon majors, the most prestigious races over the 26.2 miles (42.2km) distance, sitting alongside Tokyo, Boston, Berlin, Chicago, New York City and – as of 2025 – Sydney.
The race traditionally takes place in April, although was moved to October from 2020 to 2022 due to the Covid pandemic.
Sabastian Sawe won the 2025 London Marathon
When does the London Marathon start?
This year’s wheelchair race will get under way at 8.50am on Sunday, followed by the women’s elite race at 9.05am. The men’s elite race and mass event starting then begin at 9.35am.
What is the London Marathon route?
The race follows its traditional route again in 2026, with all runners beginning at across separate colour-coded starts (Red, Blue, Green) in either Greenwich Park or Blackheath.
Those all merge by Mile 3 near Charlton to form one route that travel through Woolwich towards the Thames and the Cutty Sark, before heading through Deptford, Surrey Quays and Rotherhithe before passing the 20km mark around London Bridge.
A general view of the Tower of London as the mass participation race goes over Tower Bridge
The route heads east towards Canary Wharf and the Isle of Dogs ahead of looping back towards Shadwell and Wapping, then passes Tower Hill and heads towards Blackfriars before running along the Embankment.
Runners have the London Eye to their left and Big Ben ahead of them as the go past Westminster towards St James’ Park, passing Buckingham Palace for finishing down The Mall. The course can be viewed in more detail here.
How many people will take part?
A record number of participants are expected to take part in this weekend’s race, following a world record of 1.13m ballot applications, with more than 59,000 people expected on the start line.
The 2025 race had a record 56,640 finishers, which was the world record until the TCS New York City Marathon had 59,226 finishers last November.
Which celebrities are running the London Marathon?
Four-time Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel is running to raise funds for the Brain & Spine Foundation and the Grand Prix Trust, with legendary jockey Sir Anthony (AP) McCoy tackling his maiden marathon for the Matt Hampson Foundation.
Olympians Dame Laura Kenny (running for The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust) and Sir Ben Ainslie (1851 Trust) are also scheduled to take part, along with former Arsenal and England captain Tony Adams (The Forward Trust), ex-England cricketer Sir Alastair Cook (the Ruth Strauss Foundation) and Laura Robson (Give It Your Max).
The cartoon character Daddy Pig (National Deaf Children’s Society) will also take part in real life and on screen, with a runner racing in a specially designed costume as well as an upcoming episode of children’s TV show Peppa Pig.
Skins actor Jack O’Connell (Alzheimer’s Research UK), House of Guinness star James Norton (Breakthrough T1D) and McFly drummer Harry Judd are all scheduled to take part, with a full list of celebrities set to run the 2026 TCS London Marathon available here.
McFly drummer Harry Judd has ran multiple London Marathons
Who will be the London Marathon official starters?
Sporting icons Sir Mo Farah and Ellie Kildunne will be the official starters for the 2026 edition, with Farah returning to the TCS London Marathon for the first time since retiring from athletics in 2024.
Red Roses Rugby World Cup-winning star Kildunne will be alongside him, having been part of England’s Six Nations game against Wales the previous day.
England’s Ellie Kildunne will join Sir Mo Farah as an official starter
Previous starters of the London Marathon include Queen Elizabeth II, Sir Andy Murray, Lionesses Leah Williamson OBE, Jill Scott MBE and Ellen White MBE, Sir Steve Redgrave and Dame Kelly Holmes.
Which runners are expected to challenge for victory?
The elite races include all four defending champions – Sebastian Sawe, Tigst Assefa, Marcel Hug and Catherine Debrunner, with the official elite start list available here.
Assefa leads the women’s field after breaking the women-only record on her way to winning last year, although Olympic champion Sifan Hissan has withdrawn due to an Achilles injury.
The elite men’s race is likely to be another close contest between Sawe and Jacob Kiplimo, who set the half-marathon world record earlier this year, with Ethiopia’s Deresa Geleta and Kenya’s Amos Kipruto also likely to challenge for victory.
Record finishers are expected again at the London Marathon
Hug will draw level with British Paralympian David Weir as the most successful athlete in London Marathon history if he wins the men’s wheelchair race, while Debrunner returns in the women’s wheelchair race after missing the world record on the London course by just two seconds last year.
What is the weather forecast for the London Marathon?
Conditions are expected to be dry for Sunday’s race, with sunny intervals and light winds throughout the day. Temperatures are expected to be around 10 degrees Celcius (50F) when the race starts, before reaching highs of 17 degrees (63F) by mid-afternoon.
Who has impressed at the London Marathon before?
The late Kelvin Kiptum set the men’s course record when he won the 2023 edition in 2:01:25, while Assefa won in a record time of 2:15:50 last year.
Tigst Assefa celebrates winning the 2025 women’s elite race
Hug has won the men’s wheelchair races five years running, setting the course record during his 2023 win, Debrunner has won the women’s wheelchair event three times in the last four years.
How can I follow the London Marathon?
Hundreds of thousands of spectators will line the streets of London, with the sections around the Cutty Sark, Tower Bridge and Canary Wharf among the busiest for crowds.
The TCS London Marathon app provides updates of runners at regular intervals throughout, with the tracking list allowing to follow a participant using either someone’s name or their bib number.
When can I enter the 2027 London Marathon ballot?
The next edition of the London Marathon will take place on Sunday 25th April 2027. The public ballot to enter the 2027 edition is scheduled to open shortly after this year’s race.
