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The London Marathon 2025: Biggest Race, Fastest Times, and How You Can Still Get In

7 minutes read

The streets of London shook on April 27, 2025. Not from traffic. From 56,640 pairs of feet pounding the pavement . The London Marathon 2025 wasn’t just another race. It smashed the world record for the most finishers ever in a marathon .

We saw history happen. A new women-only world record. A surprise win from a half-marathon guy. And Eliud Kipchoge, the greatest of all time, is just trying to keep up.

Whether you ran it, watched it, or want in for next time, here’s the full story. The good, the fast, and the “my legs don’t work anymore” bits.

Table of Contents

When Was the London Marathon 2025? Date and Start Times

The London Marathon date 2025 was Sunday, April 27 . Picture this: 8:50 AM, elite wheelchair athletes blurring past empty streets. By 9:35 AM, 50,000 regular humans started their 26.2-mile journey .

The schedule went like this:

8:50 AM: Elite wheelchair races kicked off
9:05 AM: Elite women took off
9:35 AM: Elite men and the mass start began

The last finishers crawled home around 5:30 PM. Road closures stayed until then. Some runners finished in just over two hours. Others took seven. Everyone got the same medal.

The weather? Sunny and warm. Hit 21°C for late finishers . Race organizers added extra water stations and ice. Smart move. Nobody wants to collapse at mile 25.

How the London Marathon Entry and Ballot Actually Work

Here’s the truth about the London Marathon entry 2025: it’s basically a lottery. 840,318 people applied this year . Only about 17,000 got in through the ballot . Your odds? Roughly 2% .

The London Marathon ballot 2025 opened in April 2024 and closed on April 26, 2024 . If you missed it, don’t cry yet. You’ve got options.

Charity entries are the backup plan. Hundreds of charities get guaranteed places. You run for them. They ask you to raise money—usually £2,000 or more . Worth it? Depends how badly you want that medal.

Here’s a pro tip UK residents need to know. During the ballot, you can donate your entry fee to the London Marathon Foundation. This does two things:

It enters you in a second ballot for another chance.
If you win, your entry fee drops from £69.99 to £49.99

Even if you lose both ballots, you get a premium running top worth £60 . So you basically gamble £69.99 and either win a race spot or get a free jacket. Not terrible odds.

Good luck with your ballot! The 2026 ballot opens April 26, 2025, and closes May 2, 2025 . Set a reminder.

London Marathon Winners 2025: The Fastest Humans

Let’s talk 2025 London Marathon results. Because wow.

Men’s Race: Sebastian Sawe Shocked Everyone

Sabastian Sawe from Kenya won in 2 hours, 2 minutes, and 27 seconds . Here’s the crazy part: nobody expected this.

People talked about Jacob Kiplimo breaking two hours. They talked about Eliud Kipchoge’s comeback. Sawe just ran. At 31 kilometers, he skipped a drink station, surged forward, and never looked back . His 5-kilometer split from 30-35K was 13:56. That’s insane pacing .

Top 5 Men’s Results :

Position	Athlete	Country	Time
1	Sabastian Sawe	Kenya	2:02:27 AM
2	Jacob Kiplimo	Uganda	2:03:37 AM
3	Alexander Mutiso Munyao	Kenya	2:04:20 AM
4	Abdi Nageeye	Netherlands	2:04:20 AM
5	Tamirat Tola	Ethiopia	2:04:42 AM

Eliud Kipchoge finished sixth in 2:05:25 . At 40 years old, just finishing among the world’s best is remarkable. But we’re used to him winning. Sixth felt weird.

Women’s Race: Tigst Assefa Made History

Tigst Assefa from Ethiopia won in 2 hours, 15 minutes, and 50 seconds . That’s a new women-only world record .

The previous record? 2:16:16, set just last year . Assefa smashed it by 26 seconds.

She broke away from Joyciline Jepkosgei with 5 kilometers left and just kept going . Olympic champion Sifan Hassan finished third .

Top 5 Women’s Results :

Position	Athlete	Country	Time
1	Tigst Assefa	Ethiopia	2:15:50 AM
2	Joyciline Jepkosgei	Kenya	2:18:44 AM
3	Sifan Hassan	Netherlands	2:19 AM
4	Haven Hailu Desse	Ethiopia	2:19:17 AM
5	Vivian Cheruiyot	Kenya	2:22:32 AM

British fans cheered Eilish McColgan, who finished eighth in her London Marathon debut . Solid run.

Wheelchair Races: Swiss Dominance

Marcel Hug won his seventh London Marathon title . Time: 1:25:25. Catherine Debrunner won the women’s wheelchair race in 1:34:18, her third London win .

Britain’s David Weir finished sixth . At 45, competing in his 26th consecutive London Marathon . That’s longevity.

The London Marathon Course Route 2025: Where They Ran

The London Marathon course route 2025 stayed mostly unchanged since 1981 . Why fix what works?

Start: Greenwich Park, near the Meridian Line . Runners literally start at the center of the world time.

Early miles: Past the Cutty Sark ship, through Deptford, towards the Shard .

Mile 12-13: Tower Bridge. The best spot for photos. Crowds pack both sides. Runners feel like celebrities for 30 seconds .

Middle section: Through Canary Wharf’s skyscrapers. Financial district. Quiet on weekends, but not on race day .

Final stretch: Along Embankment, past the London Eye, Big Ben, down The Mall .

Finish: Right in front of Buckingham Palace .

Total elevation gain: almost nothing. It’s flat. That’s why records fall here.

Road Closures: What You Need to Know

London Marathon road closures 2025 affected huge chunks of the city. Here’s the breakdown :

Greenwich area: Closed 7 AM to 4 PM
Rotherhithe: Closed 8 AM to 4 PM
Canary Wharf: Closed 8 AM to 8:30 PM
Trafalgar Square: Closed 7:30 AM to 10 PM

If you drove in London that day, you hated it. If you took the Tube, you were fine. Spectators walked between viewing spots easily.

Best viewing spots :

Cutty Sark (loud crowds, early race energy)
Tower Bridge (iconic photos)
Canary Wharf (less crowded, good view)
The Mall (finish line atmosphere)

Accessible viewing areas with better access: Cutty Sark, Canary Wharf, Rainbow Row, Tower Hill, Victoria Embankment .

The Mass Race: Regular People, Crazy Stories

The elites finished by 11:30 AM. The real race continued for hours.

56,640 finishers broke the Guinness World Record for largest marathon ever . Previous record? New York Marathon with 55,646 . London wanted this record. They planned for it. They got it .

Celebrities ran too :

Sir Jason Kenny: Britain’s most successful Olympian (7 golds)
Romesh Ranganathan: Comedian, running for Teenage Cancer Trust
Sir Alastair Cook and Sir Andrew Strauss: Cricket legends
Alexandra Burke: Singer, running for Diabetes UK
Jack Wilshere and John Terry: Footballers

Some runners chased Guinness World Records of their own :

Fastest marathon in a firefighter’s uniform with breathing apparatus
Fastest marathon dressed as a knight (three separate attempts!)
Fastest marathon in a tent
Fastest marathon on crutches

One guy, Roy Caine from Birkenhead, ran for his best friend Alan, who died from liver disease . He only started running during the pandemic because Everton won at Anfield and he figured “if they can do that, maybe I can run” . That’s the marathon spirit.

Fundraising: The Real Reason Most People Run

The London Marathon charity fundraising numbers for 2025 aren’t fully counted yet. But history tells us it’s massive.

The 2023 marathon raised £63 million for thousands of charities . Since 1981, runners have raised over £1.3 billion .

Every year, it’s the world’s largest annual one-day fundraising event . Think about that. One day. 26.2 miles. Billions for good causes.

Most charity runners commit to raising £2,000-£3,000 . Charities pick runners based on connection to the cause and realistic fundraising goals .

If you want a charity spot for 2026, start researching now. Contact charities directly. Show them why their cause matters to you.

How to Watch and Track Runners

Missed the live action? The BBC had you covered :

BBC One: 8:30 AM to 2:00 PM live coverage
BBC Two: 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM continued coverage
BBC iPlayer and Sport app: Uninterrupted coverage all day

Gabby Logan presented. Andrew Cotter, Steve Cram, and Paula Radcliffe commented .

The London Marathon app let you track runners in real time . Search by name or bib number. Get updates every 5 kilometers. See estimated finish times. Perfect for nervous families waiting at the finish line.

The London Marathon 2025 Schedule and Stats

Quick facts about the London Marathon 2025 schedule and start times :

8:50 AM: Elite wheelchair start
9:05 AM: Elite women start
9:35 AM: Elite men and mass start begin
11:30 AM: Final mass start wave
5:30 PM: Course closes (8 hours after last starter)

Finishers statistics :

Total finishers: 56,640 (new world record)
Previous record: 55,646 (New York Marathon 2024)
Ballot applications: 840,318

Prize money :

Winner: £41,000
World record bonus: £98,000 (nobody got it this year)
Course record bonus: Undisclosed but significant

The London Marathon organizers 2025 (Hugh Brasher and team) planned for the record all year . They let in about 65,000 entrants knowing some wouldn’t finish. The math worked.

FAQs: Your London Marathon Questions Answered

Can I still enter the London Marathon 2025?

No. The race already happened on April 27, 2025. But the London Marathon entry 2026 ballot opens April 26, 2025 . Enter then. Or contact charities now about 2026 places.

What was the winning time for the 2025 London Marathon?

Sabastian Sawe won the men’s race in 2:02:27. Tigst Assefa won the women’s race in 2:15:50, a new women-only world record .

How do I get the London Marathon results for a specific runner?

Download the London Marathon app or visit the official results page. Search by name or bib number. For the 2025 London Marathon results, many sports sites like Olympics.com published full lists .

Is the London Marathon course flat?

Yes. The London Marathon course route is mostly flat. That’s why world records happen here. The biggest challenge isn’t hills—it’s the crowds and your own pacing.

How much money do London Marathon runners raise for charity?

Since 1981, runners have raised over £1.3 billion . Individual runners typically raise £2,000-£3,000 for their chosen charity . The 2023 race alone raised £63 million .

The Last Word

The London Marathon 2025 was special. A world record for finishers. A world record for the women’s race. A surprise winner in the men’s event. 56,640 personal stories crossing the finish line.

Some ran for glory. Some ran for charity. Some just wanted to say they did it.

The TCS London Marathon 2025 showed why this race matters. It’s fast enough for Olympians. It’s welcoming enough for first-timers in knight costumes. It shuts down a major city and turns it into a 26.2-mile party.

Next year’s ballot opens April 26, 2025 . Your odds are about 2% . But someone has to win. Might as well be you.

Start training now. The streets of London are waiting.

This article was written using official race results, organizer statements, and media coverage from the 2025 London Marathon. All statistics and quotes are attributed to their original sources. For the most current information on future races, visit the official TCS London Marathon website.