What a day it was on April 27th! The 2025 TCS London Marathon brought energy, emotion, and an electric atmosphere to the capital, as over 53,000 runners pounded the pavements—cheered on by crowds that could lift even the heaviest legs. From personal victories to world records, this year’s event was one for the books.
Records Were Smashed—Literally
Let’s talk about speed. Kenyan athlete Sabastian Sawe flew through the streets to win the men’s race in a jaw-dropping 2:02:27, while Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa broke the women-only world record with a scorching 2:15:50 finish. Over in the wheelchair division, Swiss stars Marcel Hug and Catherine Debrunner proved once again they’re unbeatable, crossing the line in 1:25:25 and 1:34:18 respectively. Seriously impressive stuff!
And the Rest of Us? Pretty Speedy Too!
The average finish time for 2025?
For women it was 4:41:57 and for men it was 4:02:19 - those are some impressive times considering the temperatures rose as high as 22c on the day!
The average UK marathon finish times for men is 4:23:27 and for women it’s 5:00:39, which makes those hot London results even more outstanding!
Training Tales from Strava
Strava also revealed that if you were gunning for a 3:30 finish, you likely racked up somewhere between 313 and 517 miles in training over 16 weeks (about 499 miles on average). That’s basically a jog from London to Aberdeen—plus a bit left in the tank for the sprint down The Mall.
Interestingly, Gen Z runners may be speedy, but Gen X runners were clocking more miles—47% more, in fact—while maintaining almost the same pace. Hats off to the seasoned legends proving consistency is king!
The Bonk Is Real
Even with all that training, the marathon still finds ways to humble us. Nearly half of the field slowed down by at least 10% after mile 20, and 16% slowed down by 20% or more. It’s the dreaded ‘bonk’—that moment when your legs go on strike and your energy tanks. But let’s be honest, it’s part of what makes crossing that finish line so incredibly satisfying.
Running Through History
From Greenwich Park to Buckingham Palace, the London Marathon route is a greatest hits tour of the city. Tower Bridge, the Cutty Sark, the London Eye—it’s like sightseeing, but with 26.2 miles in your legs and a medal waiting at the end.
A Race That’s More Than Just a Race
With over 840,000 people applying for the 2025 ballot—and nearly 49% of those being women—the London Marathon is growing, evolving, and inspiring more people every year. Whether you’re chasing a PB, raising money for charity, or just there to soak it all in, this event brings out the best in everyone.
Here’s to everyone who ran, cheered, trained, cried, high-fived strangers, and made the 2025 London Marathon what it was: absolutely unforgettable.