London Marathon may shift to earlier date as springs warm, CEO says

The London Marathon could be moved to an earlier date to avoid increasingly warm spring conditions, according to London Marathon Events chief executive Hugh Brasher, who said climate and runner safety are central to ongoing discussions. Brasher pointed to recent weather patterns as a catalyst.

The 2025 race saw temperatures around 22C (72F), among the warmest in the event’s history, while the 2018 edition remains the hottest at 24.2C (76F). By contrast, this year’s race on Sunday, 26 April, is forecast to be cooler, with temperatures between 11C and 17C—conditions viewed as more conducive to personal bests.

The organisation has also been studying on-course sustainability measures adopted elsewhere. After this year’s Paris Marathon banned single-use water cups and bottles in favour of refill stations, London sent a staff member to run the race and report back. Brasher said any changes must balance health and safety, cooling strategies and runner experience, and would be informed by data.

“Of course we would move it,” he said of the marathon’s date, adding that the event has, in the past, been held earlier in the year—on 29 March in 1981, when Dick Beardsley and Inge Simonsen won the men’s race and Joyce Smith won the women’s.

For now, London continues with its established hydration plan, providing bottled water roughly every three miles from miles 3 to 12 and every two miles from miles 12 to 24, allowing runners to drink, douse, drain and drop. On broader sustainability, Brasher said the event requires international entrants to pay a mandatory carbon removal charge—distinct from offsets—with funds directed to remove carbon from the atmosphere.

He outlined a circular approach to on-course plastics, supported by a dedicated cleaning team, and said the organisation uses electric and solar generators. It is also reviewing materials for finisher T-shirts with an emphasis on circularity. Brasher said any decision on the marathon’s timing or on-course provisions will be guided by data and aimed at improving safety and performance while meeting sustainability goals.

Attention now turns to Sunday’s race, which is expected to offer more favourable conditions for fast running.