London Marathon 2023: Start time, route, weather forecast, tracker app, fastest times, past winners

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London Marathon 2023: Start time, route, weather forecast, tracker app, fastest times, past winners image

Eliud Kipchoge is a notable absentee from the start list for the 43rd annual London Marathon in what could be the legendary Mo Farah's final competitive race.

World-record holder Kipchoge, who became the first athlete to break the two-hour barrier back in 2019, has opted to skip the race in order to focus on the Boston Marathon which saw him finish sixth last weekend.

It means the men's field is wide open with four of the five fastest men in the world competing, including defending champion Amos Kipruto and Kenenisa Bekele — owner of the third-fastest marathon time in history.

Four-time Olympic champion Farah may be bidding farewell in front of a home crowd, who will be buoyed by the fact the London Marathon is back in its traditional April spot for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic disrupted the sporting calendar back in 2020.

In the women's race, 5000m and 10000m Olympic champion Sifan Hassan makes her marathon debut in a star-studded field that organisers have described as "the greatest-ever field assembled for the elite women’s race in London", which includes defending champion Yalemzerf Yehualaw, world-record holder Brigid Kosgei, and Tokyo Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir.

Planning on following the throngs of celebrities and comedy costumes along the way? The Sporting News has all the details on the 2023 London Marathon. 

When is the London Marathon 2023?

  • Date: Sunday, April 23
  • Time: 09:30 BST
  • TV: BBC One
  • Live stream: BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website

London Marathon start times

The London Marathon races have staggered start times with the men's and women's wheelchair races starting from 08:30. The elite women's race (09:00) and elite men's race and mass start (09:40) follow on.

MORE: Boston Marathon 2023 winners

London Marathon 2023 route

No marathon should ever be called "easy", not least if you are one of the near 50,000 amateurs taking part.

But the 42.2km course is designed in such a way to offer participants the opportunity to score a personal-best time.

A relatively flat route begins at Greenwich Park, sees you cross Tower Bridge and pass the Tower of London. Big Ben and the London Eye are some of the other famous landmarks runners pass and viewers can spot from the comfort of their living rooms.

Finally, the path along the River Thames sees exhausted participants following The Mall to the finish line just along from Buckingham Palace…then it's off to the pub for a well-earned drink!

London Marathon 2023 weather forecast

Participants fearing a balmy Spring day needn't worry too much. 

The initial forecast shows cloudy conditions around 8 to 10 degrees Celsius, with the possibility of some showers, although sunnier climes may appear a little later in the afternoon.

Is there a London Marathon tracker app?

Runners may be using their Apple Watches or Fitbits, or using popular running apps such as Strava to check their progress as they take on the gruelling challenge.

There is, though, also an official TCS London Marathon App where runners can track their distance, follow other participants, listen to soundtracks, post selfies to social media, and find tips for taking on the course.

You don't need to be a participant either, those watching at home or on the streets can use the app to track the progress of friends and family or keep an eye on how the elite races are panning out.

Users can download the app to their smartphone devices on the official London Marathon website and then search the names of runners or their name to be able to track them.

What is the fastest time in the London Marathon?

Kenyan great Kipchoge not only boasts the quickest marathon of all time but he is also the men's record holder for the London Marathon, completing a time of 2:02:37 back in 2019.

Mary Keitany (2:17:01) holds the record for the women's course, set back in 2017, while Britain's Paula Radcliffe has the fasted mixed marathon time of 2:15:25 from 2003.

Marcel Hug (1:24:38) and Catherine Debrunner (1:38:24) set respective records in the men's and women's wheelchair races in October 2022.

List of past London Marathon winners

Men

Year Runner (Country) Time
1981 Dick Beardsley (US), Inge Simonsen (Norway) 2:11:48
1982 Hugh Jones (UK) 2:09:24
1983 Mike Gratton (UK) 2:09:43
1984 Charlie Spedding (UK) 2:09:57
1985 Steve Jones (UK) 2:08:16
1986 Toshihiko Seko (Japan) 2:10:02
1987 Hiromi Taniguchi (Japan)    2:09:50
1988 Henrik Jorgensen (Denmark) 2:10:20
1989 Douglas Wakiihuri (Kenya) 2:09:03
1990 Allister Hutton (UK) 2:10:10
1991 Yakov Tolstikov (Soviet Union) 2:09:17
1992 Antonio Pinto (Portugal)    2:10:02
1993 Eamonn Martin (UK) 2:10:50
1994 Dionicio Ceron (Mexico) 2:08:53
1995 Dionicio Ceron (Mexico) 2:08:30
1996 Dionicio Ceron (Mexico) 2:10:00
1997 Antonio Pinto (Portugal) 2:07:55
1998 Abel Anton (Spain) 2:07:57
1999 Abdelkader El Mouaziz (Morocco) 2:07:57
2000 Antonio Pinto (Portugal) 2:06:36
2001 Abdelkader El Mouaziz (Morocco) 2:07:09
2002 Khalid Khannouchi (US)   2:05:38
2003 Gezahegne Abera (Ethiopia) 2:07:56
2004 Evans Rutto (Kenya) 2:06:18
2005 Martin Lel (Kenya) 2:07:35
2006 Felix Limo (Kenya) 2:06:39
2007 Martin Lel (Kenya) 2:07:41
2008 Martin Lel (Kenya) 2:05:15
2009 Samuel Wanjiru (Kenya) 2:05:10
2010 Tsegaye Kebede (Ethiopia) 2:05:19
2011 Emmanuel Kipchirchir Mutai (Kenya) 2:04:40
2012 Wilson Kipsang Kiprotich (Kenya) 2:04:44
2013 Tsegaye Kebede (Ethiopia) 2:06:04
2014 Wilson Kipsang Kiprotich (Kenya) 2:04:29
2015 Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) 2:04:42
2016 Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) 2:03:05
2017 Daniel Wanjiru (Kenya) 2:05:48
2018 Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) 2:04:17
2019 Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) 2:02:37
2020 Shura Kitata Tola (Ethiopia) 2:05:58
2021 Sisay Lemma (Ethiopia) 2:04:01
2022 Amos Kipruto (Kenya) 2:04:39

Women

Year Runner (Country) Time
1981 Joyce Smith (UK) 2:29:57
1982 Joyce Smith (UK) 2:29:43
1983 Grete Waitz (Norway) 2:25:29
1984 Ingrid Kristiansen (Norway) 2:24:26
1985 Ingrid Kristiansen (Norway) 2:21:06
1986 Grete Waitz (Norway) 2:24:54
1987 Ingrid Kristiansen (Norway) 2:22:48
1988 Ingrid Kristiansen (Norway) 2:25:41
1989 Veronique Marot (UK) 2:25:56
1990 Wanda Panfil (Poland) 2:26:31
1991 Rosa Mota (Portugal) 2:26:14
1992 Katrin Dorre-Heinig (Germany) 2:29:39
1993 Katrin Dorre-Heinig (Germany) 2:27:09
1994 Katrin Dorre-Heinig (Germany) 2:32:34
1995 Malgorzata Sobanska (Poland) 2:27:43
1996 Liz McColgan (UK) 2:27:54
1997 Joyce Chepchumba (Kenya) 2:26:51
1998 Catherina McKiernan (Ireland)  2:26:26
1999 Joyce Chepchumba (Kenya) 2:23:22
2000 Tegla Loroupe (Kenya) 2:24:33
2001 Derartu Tulu (Ethiopia)  2:23:57
2002 Paula Radcliffe (UK) 2:18:56
2003 Paula Radcliffe (UK) 2:15:25
2004 Margaret Okayo (Kenya) 2:22:35
2005 Paula Radcliffe (UK) 2:17:42
2006 Deena Kastor (US) 2:19:35
2007 Zhou Chunxiu (China) 2:20:38
2008 Irina Mikitenko (Germany) 2:24:14
2009 Irina Mikitenko (Germany) 2:22:11
2010 Aselefech Mergia (Ethiopia) 2:22:38
2011 Mary Jepkosgei Keitany (Kenya)      2:19:19
2012 Mary Jepkosgei Keitany (Kenya) 2:18:37
2013 Priscah Jeptoo (Kenya) 2:20:15
2014 Edna Kiplagat (Kenya) 2:20:21
2015 Tigist Tufa (Ethiopia) 2:23:21
2016 Jemima Sumgong (Kenya) 2:22:58
2017 Mary Jepkosgei Keitany (Kenya) 2:17:01
2018 Vivian Cheruiyot (Kenya) 2:18:31
2019 Brigid Kosgei (Kenya) 2:18:20
2020 Brigid Kosgei (Kenya) 2:18:58
2021 Joyciline Jepkosgei (Kenya) 2:17:43
2022 Yalemzerf Yehualaw (Ethiopia) 2:17:26

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