London, United Kingdom · April
Pacing the London Marathon
Flat with a downhill start
A fast, flat course through the city from Blackheath to The Mall, with an early descent, enormous crowds, and a long stretch through the Docklands in the second half.
Official site: dates and entry
Dates, ballots and entry rules change every year and are not listed here. Check the official site.
How to pace it
The opening few kilometres drop away from Blackheath, and with fresh legs and a tightly packed field this is where goal pace feels absurdly easy. Runners routinely arrive at 10 km a minute or more ahead of plan and pay for it after 30 km.
The crowd support is the loudest of any marathon and it genuinely lifts pace without you deciding to. Check your watch more often than feels necessary through the first half, particularly around Tower Bridge at halfway where the noise peaks.
The Docklands section in the twenties is the quiet part, with more turns and a more enclosed feel. This is where a race that started too fast comes apart, and where an even effort starts paying you back.
Worth knowing
- The early downhill is free speed only if you do not spend it. Hold target pace rather than banking time.
- Tower Bridge is not halfway to the metre, so do not use it as your split marker.
- April in London can be anything from cold rain to unseasonable heat. Have a plan for both.
What the common targets ask for
| Finish | Per km | Per mile |
|---|---|---|
| 3:00:00 | 4:16 | 6:52 |
| 3:30:00 | 4:59 | 8:01 |
| 4:00:00 | 5:41 | 9:09 |
| 4:30:00 | 6:24 | 10:18 |