The biggest marathon in the world

Runners in the Virgin Money London Marathon
Virgin Money London Marathon
Natalie Clarkson
by Natalie Clarkson
21 January 2021

Grab your trainers, the Virgin Money London Marathon is coming back – and it’s bigger than ever.

The 2021 race is set to be the biggest marathon ever with 100,000 runners taking part on Sunday 3 October. There are 50,000 virtual places for runners to take on the world’s greatest marathon anywhere in the world – plus 50,000 participants taking to the streets of London, running from Blackheath to The Mall.

37,966 runners took part in the first virtual Virgin Money London Marathon in 2020 – achieving the Guinness World Record for the most users to run a remote marathon in 24 hours.

Hugh Brasher, Virgin Money London Marathon event director, said: “The London Marathon is a wonderful example of sport as a force for good while raising millions for charity. It’s all about communities and people coming together and one of our founding pillars is 'to have fun and provide some happiness and a sense of achievement in a troubled world'.

“The world record-breaking success of the virtual event in 2020 and the incredible stories from participants across the globe showed how the world’s greatest marathon brought light and hope in the darkness of the pandemic. We want to offer that again and we have also accelerated the plans we have been working on for some years to increase the number of finishers on the streets of London to 50,000.”

Virgin Money London Marathon
Virgin Money London Marathon

The Virgin Money Giving Mini London Marathon will also return to the streets of London for 2021. And the virtual Virgin Money Giving Mini London Marathon is back for primary schools nationwide too – more than 11,000 children took part in the first virtual event last year.

If you entered the ballot for the 2021 Virgin Money London Marathon you will find out on Monday 8 February if you have a place or not. If you’re unsuccessful you’ll have an exclusive window between 9 and 16 February to enter the virtual event.

General entries for the virtual Virgin Money London Marathon will then open on 16 February, on a first-come, first-served basis.

Want to add a finisher medal to your collection? Head over to Virgin Money London Marathon to find out more.