Marathon guide · London, United Kingdom
London Marathon 2027 training plan and pace guide
For 2027 only, London runs over two days: women on Saturday 24 April, men on Sunday 25 April. Same point-to-point course from Greenwich to The Mall, same two traps: a downhill start and GPS that goes mad in Canary Wharf.
OpenAthlete is not affiliated with the organisers. This is an independent preparation guide.
Key facts
2027
- Date
- Saturday 24 April – Sunday 25 April 2027One-off two-day event: women race on Saturday, men on Sunday.
- Start
- Not published for 2027 (mass waves from about 09:30 to 11:30 in 2026, press)
- Distance
- 42.195 km
- Elevation
- ≈ +57 mApproximate, from GPS data (marathon-index.com). The organisers do not publish a figure.
- Time limit
- Saturday: finish on The Mall closes at 17:30. Sunday: a second finish stays open until 23:59.
- Course
- Point to point on asphalt: three starts in Greenwich and Blackheath merge before mile 3, then Cutty Sark, Tower Bridge before halfway, Canary Wharf, and the finish on The Mall.
- Usual weather
- Late April: 6 to 15 °C on average (Met Office normals, Greenwich Park). Warm years happen.
Facts checked on 4 November 2026. Organisers change things: confirm on the official site before you book anything.
The course, seen by a coach
London Marathon: what it asks of you, and how to train for it
Do not bank time in the first 3 miles
The first three miles are net downhill and get crowded where the three starts merge. Running them 15 s/km fast feels free and costs you after mile 20. Finish every long run with the opposite habit: the first 5 km 5 to 10 s/km slower than goal pace, then settle.
Canary Wharf scrambles your GPS
Between miles 15 and 20, tall buildings throw GPS pace off; the organisers advise using the mile markers. Learn your goal pace per mile (the pace chart gives it) and set your watch to show lap time against manual laps, or just elapsed time to compare with a pace band.
Train for your day
Women race on Saturday, men on Sunday, so the plan start is the same: Monday 4 January 2027. If you race on Saturday, move the long run to Saturday for the last eight weeks, and rehearse race breakfast at the race start time.
Pace and plan by goal
London Marathon: pick your goal time
Each goal links to its pace chart: splits every 5 km, every kilometre and a printable pace band. Eight goals also have a free 16-week plan with paces worked out from your VMA. Pick the goal your recent half marathon supports, not the one you hope for.
When to start a 16-week plan
Start your 16-week plan on Monday, 4 January 2027
Race day is Saturday 24 April – Sunday 25 April 2027, in week 16. Started later, the plan loses build weeks, not the taper: cut from the start, never the end.
Import a plan into OpenAthleteFree. Sessions go to your Garmin, COROS or Suunto watch.
| Goal | Pace | Halfway | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2:45 | 3:55/km | 1:22:30 | – |
| 3:00 | 4:16/km | 1:30:00 | 16 weeks |
| 3:15 | 4:37/km | 1:37:30 | – |
| 3:30 | 4:59/km | 1:45:00 | 16 weeks |
| 3:45 | 5:20/km | 1:52:30 | 16 weeks |
| 4:00 | 5:41/km | 2:00:00 | 16 weeks |
| 4:15 | 6:03/km | 2:07:30 | 16 weeks |
| 4:30 | 6:24/km | 2:15:00 | 16 weeks |
| 4:45 | 6:45/km | 2:22:30 | – |
| 5:00 | 7:07/km | 2:30:00 | 16 weeks |
| 5:30 | 7:49/km | 2:45:00 | 16 weeks |
| 6:00 | 8:32/km | 3:00:00 | – |
Even pace on a flat course. Hills, heat, wind and crowded first kilometres all cost time: the course notes above say where.
London Marathon: questions runners ask
Over two days, as a one-off: Saturday 24 April 2027 for the women (elite, para-athletes, championship and Good For Age) and Sunday 25 April 2027 for the men. Ballot entrants were entered for both days.
Three ways: the random ballot (the 2027 ballot ran from 24 April to 1 May 2026), Good For Age places for UK residents (a qualifying time does not guarantee one), and charity places.
Our marathon plans last 16 weeks, so start on Monday, 4 January 2027. You need a base first: running three or four times a week for a few months, with a long run of about 1h15 already comfortable.
No. OpenAthlete is not affiliated with the organisers of London Marathon. This is an independent preparation guide written from the official information available on 4 November 2026. Registration, rules and the final course are on the official site.
Prepare the London Marathon with the plan on your watch
Import a free plan into OpenAthlete, move sessions around your week, and send them to your Garmin, COROS or Suunto watch. Everything is free on Cloud.
Free forever. No credit card.