London’s streets pulsed with pounding feet and raw determination on April 27, 2025, as the TCS London Marathon carved its name into history. Over 56,479 runners crossed the finish line, shattering the world record for the most finishers in a single marathon, previously set by the New York City Marathon at 55,646 in November 2024. From elite sprinters to charity joggers in sweaty costumes, this 45th edition of the race turned the capital into a sprawling festival of grit and goodwill.
The numbers tell a wild story. By 6:35 p.m. local time, organizers confirmed the tally had eclipsed New York’s mark, with late stragglers still staggering across The Mall well into the evening. More than 840,000 hopefuls had jammed the ballot for a spot, a record-breaking crush that left only a lucky few with bibs. Of those, 31,620 men, 24,734 women, and 82 non-binary runners made up the mass race, joined by 43 elite competitors. The heat didn’t help—temperatures hit 21°C, forcing organizers to roll out extra water stations and 18 cooling showers along the 26.2-mile course. Runners, slick with sweat, pushed through the furnace, cheered by a crowd so massive it might’ve set its own record, with estimates pegging spectators at tens of thousands more than a typical Premier League match.
The elite races delivered their own fireworks. Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa blazed to a women’s-only world record of 2:15:50, pulling away from Kenya’s Joyciline Jepkosgei in the final miles. Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe, a relative newcomer, stunned the men’s field with a 2:02:27 finish, leaving heavyweights like Eliud Kipchoge in sixth. In the wheelchair races, Swiss stars Marcel Hug and Catherine Debrunner dominated, with Debrunner smashing her own course record at 1:34:18. Meanwhile, stories of defiance stole hearts: Darren Awol, paralyzed after a 2011 shooting, walked parts of the course on crutches, and Adele Roberts set a world record as the fastest runner with a stoma, finishing in under three hours.
Charity fueled the day’s soul. Over 75% of runners laced up for causes, from cancer research to mental health, continuing the marathon’s legacy of raising over £1 billion since 1981. Parents like Sergio Aguiar and David Stancombe, who lost daughters in the 2024 Southport attack, crossed the line just past four hours, their steps heavy with purpose. Even a guy in a rhino suit—Martin Green, logging his 113th marathon for Save the Rhino—kept the vibe electric.
This wasn’t just a race; it was a human tide. The course, weaving from Greenwich Park past Tower Bridge and Big Ben to Buckingham Palace, became a ribbon of stories—first-timers, veterans, and everyone in between, all chasing something bigger than a medal. The final count of finishers was 56,479, with 672,631 UK ballot applications, 49% from women, and a 105% surge in 20-29-year-old entrants compared to prior years.