Shoes & Gear 2024 London Marathon is slated to be one of the most highly anticipated races of the year. On Sunday, April 21, the third event in the World Marathon Majors series will take 50,000 runners from Greenwich Park to The Mall. On the women’s side, world record-holder Tigst Assefa headlines a stacked field targeting the women’s-only world record. The men’s race includes three-time Olympic champion Kenenisa Bekele, among other standouts.
The weather forecast looks mild with partly cloudy skies and temperatures starting at 43 degrees in the morning, making for favorable marathon running conditions. Here’s everything you need to know about this year’s race.
How to watch the 2024 London Marathon
If you’re watching stateside, you can stream the race live on FloTrack with a subscription. London is five hours ahead for those who live on the east coast, so set your alarms early. The broadcast is scheduled to begin at 4 a.m. ET.
Boston Marathon Results BBC Emma Bates Is the Top American at Boston.
Race preview
Women’s race
On Sunday, three of the top four fastest women in history are aiming for a record-breaking performance in the marathon. With no male pacers to assist them in a race run separate from the elite men and masses, the athletes have a unique provision to break the women’s-only world record of 2:17:01 set by Mary Keitany at the 2017 London Marathon.
womens-only world record of 2:17:01 The lone American in the elite field is (mixed gender) at the 2023 Berlin Marathon last fall. In Germany, the Ethiopian runner stunned the field when she clocked a time of 2:11:53, taking over two minutes off the previous record.
She’ll be challenged by the former world record-holder and defending Olympic champion, among other standouts. Brigid Kosgei, who held the world record for four years after running 2:14:04 at the 2019 Chicago Marathon, is running her first 26.2 since winning the Abu Dhabi Marathon in December. Peres Jepchirchir, the Tokyo Olympic gold medalist, is coming off a third-place finish at the 2023 London Marathon. Others to watch will be 2019 world champion Ruth Chepngetich, 2022 London Marathon champion Yalemzerf Yehualaw, and 2021 London Marathon champion Joyciline Jepkosgei.
Watch the Boston Marathon Susanna Sullivan. How to Watch the Boston Marathon Emma Bates Is the Top American at Boston after contracting COVID and dealing with a lingering knee injury. London will be her first race since finishing 13th at the USATF Cross-Country Championships in January.
Men’s race
On top of the prestige of winning a World Marathon Major, several competitors will be targeting solid performances in London to better their chances of being selected to represent their country at the Paris Games.
Leading the men’s field is Kenenisa Bekele, the third-fastest marathoner in history, who is running his first 26.2 since finishing fourth in 2:04:19 at the Valencia Marathon in December. The three-time Olympic champion hasn’t finished top three at a World Marathon Major since placing third in Berlin in 2021, but London could be his next opportunity. At 41 years old, he’ll also be looking to earn a spot on the Ethiopian team headed to the Games this summer.
Bekele will face fierce competition with four competitors who have all run sub-2:04. Alexander Mutiso Munyao of Kenya is racing after a breakthrough 2:03:11 personal best at the Valencia Marathon. The Ethiopian contingent will also include Tamirat Tola, the 2023 New York City Marathon champion and 2022 world champion; Dawit Wolde, who finished third in Valencia; and Kinde Atanaw, fourth-place finisher at the 2023 London Marathon.
Brian Shrader will be making a comeback to the distance after dropping out of the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in February. His 2:09:46 personal best was run at the 2023 Chicago Marathon last fall.
Taylor Dutch is a writer and editor living in Austin, Texas, and a former NCAA track athlete who specializes in fitness, wellness, and endurance sports coverage. Her work has appeared in Runner’s World, SELF, Bicycling, Outside, and Podium Runner.
