Today, 840,318 runners around the world will be opening their email inboxes, fingers crossed, to see whether they've snagged a place in next year's London Marathon. The ballot for the 2025 race received a record number of entries, so the chances of securing a space on the start line are pretty slim, but if you weren't lucky enough to get a spot then there's another option a bit further north.
Next year's Manchester Marathon takes place on the same day as London (27 April), and the organizer has just released a batch of places with guaranteed entry. You can sign up now, with fees starting at £75 and no ballot.
