The London Marathon isn’t just a random 26.2-mile loop—it’s a tour of the city’s soul. You start in Greenwich, near the Cutty Sark, and run past landmarks like Tower Bridge, the London Eye, and Buckingham Palace. By the time you cross the finish line on The Mall, you’ve practically visited every major photo spot in London.
The route is designed to be flat and fast, which is why so many world records happen here. But don’t let that fool you: the last five miles are brutal. Runners call it “the wall,” where your legs feel like concrete and your brain starts playing tricks.
How Long Does It Take to Run?
For elite runners, it’s about two hours. Yes, two hours to cover 26.2 miles—that’s the speed of a city bus. But for most of us, it’s more like four to five hours. Some people walk the whole thing in seven or eight hours, and they’re heroes too.
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So, what’s your pace? If you walk at a leisurely 3 mph, you’d need nearly nine hours. That’s a full workday of stepping, sweating, and probably craving a sausage roll.
