We’re on the final countdown for London marathon 2025, in just a few days, if you were lucky enough to be accepted in the London marathon ballot, you’ll be participating in one of the biggest sporting events of the year. No pressure. 

Whether there’s a personal best you’re aiming for, or you just want to cross the finish line in one piece, there are a few things you need to know before you step on the start line. We’ve got a step-by-step guide to help you prepare for the marathon in these last few days.

Why is London marathon so popular?

The London marathon is one of the biggest sporting events in the UK, possibly even the world. It makes up one of seven Abbot world major marathons, including: 

• Berlin 
• Chicago
• Tokyo 
• Boston
• New York
• Sydney 

Upon completion of all seven of the marathons, you will receive a special medal to prove the incredible challenge you’ve been through. Speaking of which, Paula Radcliffe has finally completed the major series, finishing the Boston marathon just last weekend. 

Another reason it’s so popular is because it’s so exclusive. Each year there is a London marathon ballot, this year, over 840,000 people entered with only 17,000 places available through the ballot. There are other ways to enter, through charity places or ‘good for age’ times, but regardless, if you do get in it’s a big deal. 

And we can’t forget the atmosphere. You would find it hard to match the atmosphere at the London marathon. It’s like a party for 26.2 miles. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?

Who will be at this year’s London marathon? 

As the London marathon is one of six majors, it attracts some of the biggest names on the marathon circuit. London marathon 2025 is also host to the UK athletics marathon championships, which makes it even more appealing to elite athletes. Some of the big names you might have heard of include:

• ​​Eilish McColgan – Scottish 2022 Commonwealth games 10,000m champion.
• Alex Yee – British 2024 World and Olympic Triathlon champion. 
• Eliud Kipchoge – Kenyan Olympic marathon champion and previous marathon world record holder.
• Sifan Hassan – Dutch athlete who won bronze in the 5,000m and 10,000m and gold in the marathon at the 2024 Paris olympics.
• Emile Cairess – British athlete who came 4th in the marathon in the Paris 2024 Olympics.

If you’re racing this year, you’ll be running the same route as some of the fastest athletes in the world. That’s what makes running so special, it’s both a spectator and participation sport. Everyone plays their part in the main event.

Last minute tip for London marathon 2025

1. Keep everything the same  

You should practice key elements of your marathon day during training in the lead up to the event.

First let’s look at your fuelling plan. When you’re running 26.2 miles you need to fuel and hydrate throughout the race. Your body won’t have enough carbohydrate stores to fuel you throughout the whole event. When fuelling whilst running, this usually comes in the form of consuming gels, sweets, fruit or anything that can provide you with an easy to digest form of carbohydrate. If you’re interested in learning more about fuelling for performance, our Level 4 RSPH Diploma in Nutrition for Sport and Physical Activity will teach you the ins and outs of sports nutrition. 

It’s vital to practice your fuelling strategy in the weeks leading up to your race to make sure that you are fuelling enough and that you can digest these nutrients. Runners are susceptible to gastrointestinal (GI) issues, so practising beforehand ensures that nothing bad happens on race day when the nerves hit. 

It’s also important to keep your kit the same. Don’t wait to wear a brand new pair of trainers until race day because you want to keep them looking fresh. Even if you’ve been wearing the same pair of trainers and you’ve just updated them, you still need to practise in them. You never know if a small alteration in the shoe will cause issues such as blisters and running. 

The same goes for the rest of your outfit. From your t-shirt all the way down to your socks, if any items are new and uncomfortable they can cause unwanted chafing.  

In terms of performance, keep your running technique the same. If you’ve been heel striking through practice, don’t suddenly change to forefoot running, and vice versa. Changing your running technique without gradual practice can lead to injuries and niggles that will develop as a result of a change in foot strike pattern.  

2. Plan your meals 

As well as planning your nutrition during the event, you also need to consider what meals you’re going to consume before the race. Try and stick to foods that you have trialled eating around training previously so that you know they won’t cause GI issues. 

The night before: Choose a high carb meal made up of complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains as they are slower to digest than simple carbohydrates and will provide energy over a sustained period of time. You also need to make sure you’re consuming a moderate amount of protein to help with muscle growth and repair. If you know you struggle with GI issues, reduce the amount of fibre in the meal and lower fat levels, as high fat foods can leave you feeling groggy. 

The morning of: On race day, make sure you eat early enough that your meal will have digested before you race. This is usually 2-3 hours beforehand. Again, stick to high carb foods such as porridge, toast and cereal. Consume a meal with minimal protein, fats and fibre.  

An hour before: Your breakfast before the race might be enough to get you to the start line. However, some people like to top up their glycogen stores with some simple and easy to digest carbohydrates, such as fruit, a cereal bar or a gel. 

3. Prepare for all weather conditions

You don’t have to obsessively check the weather report in the weeks leading up to the race. It’s likely things will be completely different as the weather is so susceptible to change. But, a day or two before you should make sure you’re aware of the weather you’re facing so you can pack accordingly. 

That being said, you should always be prepared for any weather outcomes. Make sure you’ve packed a rain jacket and maybe a buff for the cold. The weather in April can be extremely unpredictable. On the other hand, it’s not abnormal to have hot weather at this time of year, if so, you need to think about light coloured, thin layers and places to store fluids. 

London marathon 2025 tip: You’ll get to the start line much earlier than your start time and at that time of the morning, things can get a bit chilly. On your way to the start line, wear an old jumper or jacket to keep you warm. When you get to the start, there are clothing bins to throw your jumper in, these are available all the way up to the start line. These items will then be donated to charity, so everyone wins.

4. Plan your route  

And no, we don’t mean the race route (that’s all planned out for you). You do need to prepare how you’re going to get to the start. Hopefully you have already checked this, but there are different colour coded start lines for London marathon 2025: red, blue and green. These are located in different positions, and when you received your bib, you will also be assigned a wave time and colour. 

Take some time to follow instructions and make sure that you are going to the correct start line. This will also include checking the appropriate tube station. 

Once you’re at the correct location, you need to be in the right wave. There are several different sections to each coloured area based on your starting time. It sounds like a complex mission, but with over 56,000 participants, it really is a military operation. 

Don’t let this panic you. Just make sure you’re prepared. Set enough time aside the day before to make sure you know exactly where you’re going. And if you don’t know, ask someone. Also be sure to give yourself plenty of time, so that if anything does go wrong, you’ve got time to spare.

5. Have fun  

These are all really useful tips to help you conquer London marathon 2025, but the most important thing is that you enjoy yourself and have fun. 

This sounds easier said than done, especially right now when you’re probably feeling nervous about such a big event. But there is just one thing you need to think about: 

Why are you doing it? 

When you’re packing your bags, questioning why you signed up to race, eating your last meal and even standing on the start line, you just need to remember your why. Whatever your reason for racing, it will be enough to get you through the race. By this point you’ve done all of the hard work, you’ve hopefully put in the miles and now you’re here to celebrate with tens of thousands of like-minded people.  

Soak up the atmosphere and enjoy being part of something amazing. Regardless of how you entered the race, it’s a privilege to be part of such an amazing event and to be surrounded by a wave of supporters for 26.2 miles. Unlike your training runs, you’ll be showered with roaring crowds, fun banners and music blasting from every street, you’ll probably forget that you’re even running a marathon!

Conclusion

The London marathon is a special event and if you’re a part of it, you should cherish every single sweaty moment of it, no matter how difficult it is.

Every single marathon is an educational experience and with each one you will learn something new. If you’re already preparing for your next big event and you want to work out how to elevate your performance, nutrition is a key area to increase your performance. Our Sports nutrition courses can help you develop a deeper understanding of how to use food as fuel for running and other endurance events. Our guide to strength training for runners will also help you understand how to implement strength and conditioning into your running plan.

Good luck at London Marathon 2025 from The Fitness Group team!