For the first time in more than two years, the London Marathon is back. Elite athletes will join 40,000 amateur runners on a course which winds round the capital city, ending at The Mall.

The last mass participation London Marathon took place in April 2019. It was cancelled in 2020 as a result of COVID-19 pandemic, with a small field of elite runners competing instead.

This year’s race was pushed back to October, and is now just days away. GiveMeSport Women runs through everything you need to know about the event.

When is the London Marathon?

The London Marathon is scheduled for Sunday, October 3rd.

The event kicks off with the Mini London Marathon at 8:30am BST. This is a series of races for girls and boys aged between 11 and 17, over a 2.6km course.

British Olympic medallists Laura Muir, Keely Hodgkinson, and Georgia Taylor-Brown all took part in the Mini London Marathon at the beginning of their careers.

The elite wheelchair race begins at 8:50am, followed by the elite women’s race at 9:00am. The elite men’s race and mass start will then commence at 9:30am.

The London Marathon will start on the morning of October 3rd

Where is the London Marathon?

The 26.2 mile course winds through the capital city of London, starting from Blackheath in Greenwich and ending at The Mall.

Runners will pass by a number of iconic landmarks, including Cutty Sark at mile six, and the Shard and Tower Bridge at mile 12. At mile 18, participants will run by Canary Wharf, before carrying onto the London Eye at mile 25.

Right at the end of the race, athletes will be able to take in the views of Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, and Buckingham Palace.

London Marathon runners will pass by iconic landmark Buckingham Palace

How can I watch the London Marathon?

For those in the UK, the London Marathon will be televised on the BBC. Coverage starts at 8:00am, and will alternate between BBC1, BBC2 and the Red Button.

Spectators are also able to watch the race in person, at any point around the course.

Who is competing in the London Marathon?

A plethora of female talent is set to be on show in the London Marathon elite race. Included on the the start list is:

Brigid Kosgei, Kenya

Kosgei goes into the London Marathon as the women’s world record-holder, having set a time of 2hrs 14:04mins at the Chicago Marathon in 2019.

She also recently earned a silver medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, narrowly losing out on gold to compatriot Peres Jepchirchir.

Kosgei is a two-time winner of the London Marathon and will be looking to retain her title.

Brigid Kosgei will be looking to retain her London Marathon title

Roza Dereje, Ethiopia

Dereje finished fourth at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, pushed out of contention for a medal by Kosgei, Jepchirchir and Molly Seidel of the United States.

She is the 10th fastest marathon runner of all time, and finished third at the 2019 London Marathon.

Lonah Salpeter, Israel

Israeli record holder Salpeter will be hoping to make amends at the London Marathon, having faded to 66th at the Tokyo Olympics due to menstrual cramps.

She would have likely been in contention for a medal otherwise, especially after winning the Tokyo Marathon last year.

Salpeter has enjoyed success in the English capital city in the past, winning the 10,000m at the 2018 European Cup in Highgate.

Lonah Salpeter won the Tokyo Marathon last year

Birhane Dibaba, Ethiopia

Dibaba is yet to win a major marathon, but has finished on the podium in Berlin and Chicago. She has also triumphed at the Tokyo Marathon twice.

Joyciline Jepkosgei, Kenya

Jepkosgie, the reigning New York Marathon champion, will arrive in London full of confidence. She recently broke the course record for the Berlin Half-Marathon, crossing the line in 65:16 mins.

A number of stars will also be contesting the women’s wheelchair race, including course record holder Manuela Schär, T54 5000m Paralympic champion Susannah Scaroni, and defending champion Nikita den Boer.

Manuela Schär will be contesting the London Marathon women's wheelchair race