Course overview

The London Marathon route has remained, in the most part, unchanged since it began. Runners start in leafy Blackheath, running through Charlton, past the Cutty Sark in Greenwich at mile seven, hitting Rotherhithe at mile 10, crossing the river into Shadwell and heading to Canary Wharf. You hit Poplar at mile 20 and for the final stretch run along the Lower Thames Path to end at St James’s Park.

The start

The London Marathon kicks off in Blackheath, at the southern end of Greenwich Park. There are three different start points depending on your bib colour – red, which takes you through The Village in Charlton. Green and Blue starts merge together on Old Dover Road and through Woolwich Common, meeting the Red route on John Wilson Street.

Detailed course guide

The good news is while you’re pounding the pavement for those 26.2 miles, you’ll see a brilliant selection of London sights – from the Cutty Sark to running along the Thames path.

1-3 miles

Mile one to three takes you from the start line in Blackheath, through Charlton. If you’re running from the Red start line, it’s at mile three where runners merge with the Green and Blue routes.

4-6 miles

Miles four to six sees runners jogging through Woolwich, past Woolwich Dockyard and down Woolwich road into Westcombe Park. Mile six is where participants just enter Greenwich.

7-10 miles

The course then winds through Greenwich, hitting the Cutty Sark at mile seven. Racers then head into Deptford on mile eight, heading to Surrey Quay at the nine mile point. Mile ten sees the route head back closer to the Thames through Rotherhithe.

11-13 miles

At mile 11 to 12, marathoners head through Bermondsey before crossing the river at Tower Bridge into Wapping. Nearly half way to the finish line!

14-16 miles

The route passes through Shadwell before racers hit Westferry at mile 14. The route is parallel with the Thames, down to Crossharbour and into Mudchute at mile 16.

17-20 miles

Miles 17-20 see joggers pass another London sight – the skyscrapers of Canary Wharf. They pass from Mudchute up through South Quay and Heron Quay, past Poplar and back to Limehouse.

 21-23  miles

It’s getting to the homeward stretch! Miles 21 to 23 see runners pass through Limehouse and Wapping, heading back towards the city where the race finishes.

24-26 miles

And the finish line is in sight. Runners pass along Lower Thames Street and onto the Victoria Embankment – glimpsing the London Eye. Then it’s through Westminster and into St James’s Park to the finish line.