The London Marathon route, printed
The 2026 course, 42.195 km, from Greenwich, London.
- Styles
- 19 colourwaysto choose from
- 300 DPIsharp at every size
- Price
- From £24.95delivered free
- Paper
- 240 gsmsmooth fine-art paper
The 2026 course is already drawn on the map, with the distance beneath it. Add your name and your finishing time, choose a style, and preview the finished artwork before you buy. Prices from £24.95, and delivery is free.
On 26 April 2026 London became the race where a marathon world record first went under two hours, on a course that runs from Blackheath along the Thames to The Mall.
Sabastian Sawe ran 1:59:30 that morning, with Yomif Kejelcha also under two hours in 1:59:41, and Tigst Assefa set a women-only world record of 2:15:41. World Athletics ratified both marks in the summer. Everyone else ran the same road behind them. The field leaves from separate start areas on Blackheath, which come together in Woolwich before five kilometres, and the opening stretch runs gently downhill on wide roads. Then the course turns west through Greenwich to its first big moment, the loop around the Cutty Sark a little past ten kilometres, where the road narrows and the crowd closes in on both sides.
From Greenwich the route keeps to the south side of the river through Deptford, Rotherhithe and Canada Water, with the Shard in sight near Bermondsey, until it swings north over Tower Bridge at around twenty kilometres. Halfway falls on The Highway, a four-lane road where the field heading east passes runners already on their 22nd mile coming the other way. The Isle of Dogs that follows is quieter, a long loop of narrower roads, before the towers of Canary Wharf, where GPS watches lose their bearings and runners are advised to trust the course markers instead of their wrists.
The way home comes back through Limehouse and onto The Highway again, this time on the other side, where the crowds around miles 21 and 22 are among the biggest on the course. Past the north end of Tower Bridge the route follows the river west, rises briefly at Blackfriars onto the Victoria Embankment and brings Big Ben into view with a little over a mile to go. A right turn by Parliament leads along Birdcage Walk beside St James's Park, and the final turn, in front of Buckingham Palace, puts the finish on The Mall a few hundred metres ahead.
Questions
Why does the line run both ways along one road near halfway?
That is The Highway, which the course uses twice: heading east just after Tower Bridge, and heading west around miles 21 and 22. The two directions run on opposite sides of the road, so runners see each other pass.
Where is Tower Bridge on the course?
Just after 12 miles, at around 20 kilometres. The halfway point comes roughly a kilometre later, on The Highway.
Can I add my finishing time?
Yes. The title and the line beneath it are yours to write, so your name, your finishing time and your club all fit. The 2026 course and its distance are drawn for you, and you see the finished artwork before you buy.
Is this an official London Marathon print?
No. Maps & Son is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the organisers of the London Marathon; the name says which course is mapped. The course is drawn from a route file we use with permission.
Can I change the map?
Yes. The designer opens with the course drawn and the map framed around it. Move the map if you like, choose from 19 styles, and preview the finished artwork before you buy.
How much does a race route print cost?
Prints start at £24.95, printed on 240 gsm smooth fine-art paper, with delivery included to the UK and 25 other countries. Sold as A4, A3, A2 or A1 prints, unframed, at standard sizes so a ready-made frame will fit.
Other courses
Maps & Son is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the organisers of the London Marathon. The course is drawn from a route file we use with permission. For the race itself, see the organisers' website.