The 2023 London Marathon will take place this weekend, with 50,000 amateur and professional athletes preparing to tackle the 42.2km route around the capital.
This will be the 43rd London Marathon and the event will return to its traditional April slot. It was rescheduled to October during the Covid-19 pandemic and will remain there in 2022.
Here’s everything you need to know about the race, from start times to course maps and road closures.
When will the London Marathon 2023 take place?
The marathon will take place on Sunday, April 23, primarily wheelchair and professional races. The following times are announced:
- 8:50 am – Elite wheelchair racing for men and women
- 9:00 am – Elite women’s racing
- 9:40 – Elite men’s races and mass start
Mass event expected Start around 10 am, a series of launch waves to clear a course ahead. Everyone is expected to cross the start line at 11:30.
Competitors will be given one of four different beachheads – red, green, blue or yellow – from which they can start. If you are going to attend, this information must be included in your registration email, which must be received by Friday, April 14th. The color of the numbers on your start number corresponds to your assemblage point.
Professional athletes usually take just over two hours to complete the course, but many amateurs take three to five hours. Participants have a maximum of eight hours to complete the course.
What is the London Marathon course?
The marathon course starts at Greenwich and Blackheath and runners are assigned one of three starting lines.
They will converge after three miles, passing some of London’s most famous landmarks, and end at a shopping mall across from Buckingham Palace.
The first leg passes through Charlton, Woolwich and Greenwich, past Cutty Sark at mile six.
They then pass Deptford, Surrey Quays, Rotherhithe and Bermondsey before crossing Tower Bridge just after mile 12.
From here it heads back east towards Limehouse, the main route around Canary Wharf and the Isle of Dogs, before returning via Shadwell to Tower Gate.
The last kilometers of the runners are along the Thames, past St. Paul’s Cathedral, through Blackfriars and the Temple.
You will pass by the London Eye and the Houses of Parliament before stopping at Buckingham Palace.
Spectators can follow the marathon along the entire route. It also airs live on BBC One and is available for streaming on BBC iPlayer.
Will roads be closed?
The entire marathon track is closed for most of the day and buses run around London.
Here is the full list of road closures and times:
- Charlton Way – from 4:00 to 13:00.
- Shooters Hill Road – from 4:00 to 13:00.
- St. John’s Park – from 4:00 to 13:00.
- Charlton Road – from 7:00 to 13:00.
- Old Dover Road – 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
- Little Hit – from 7:00 to 13:00.
- Charlton Park Lane – from 7:00 to 13:00.
- Artillery platform – from 07:00 to 13:00
- John Wilson Street – from 7:00 to 13:00.
- Woolwich Church Road – 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
- Woolwich Road – 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
- Trafalgar Road – from 7:00 to 15:00.
- Creek Road – 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
- Evelyn Street – from 8:00 to 16:00.
- Surrey Quays Road – from 8:00 to 16:00.
- Salter Road – 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Brunel Road – from 8:00 to 16:00.
- Jamaica Street – from 8:00 to 16:00.
- Tower Bridge – from 8:00 to 19:00.
- Autobahn (southern end) – from 8:00 to 19:00.
- Narrow Street – from 8:00 to 19:00.
- Westferry Road – from 8:00 to 19:00.
- East Ferry Road – 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
- Bog wall — from 8:00 to 19:00.
- Northern colonnade – from 8:00 to 19:00.
- Poplar High Street – 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
- Shopping street – from 8:00 to 19:00.
- Autobahn (north side) – from 08:00 to 19:00.
- Bayward Street – 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
- Upper Thames Street – 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
- Victoria Embankment – from 7:30 to 20:30.
The London Marathon organizers have advised travelers to use the DLR, London Underground and London Overground as “they all offer extras on the day of the marathon and are by far the best way to get around”.
Some Santander bike stations on the marathon route may also be closed.
Source: I News
I’m Dave Martin, and I’m an experienced journalist working in the news industry. As a part of my work, I write for 24 News Reporters, covering mostly sports-related topics. With more than 5 years of experience as a journalist, I have written numerous articles on various topics to provide accurate information to readers.