Tears of joy and pain flowed (along and plenty of sweat, of course) as tens of thousands completed the 2026 TCS London Marathon in warm sunshine on Sunday.
Some ran, some walked, many suffered blisters and chafing - and a mountain of memories to last a lifetime were made on the way.
As the course wended its way from Greenwich, in east London, past landmarks including the Cutty Sark and Tower Bridge, the runners paced themselves over 26.2 miles to the finish line on The Mall.
Last year, the marathon raised a record £87.3 million for charities, bringing the cumulative total raised since the first race in 1981 to £1.4 billion, making it the biggest single-day fundraising event, according to organisers.
With a record number of participants in 2026, the event hoped to beat the total this year.
In the elite races, Sabastian Sawe smashed the world record and became the first man to break the two-hour barrier in an official competition to win in one hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds.
The Kenyan said he was living proof “nothing is impossible” as he defended his 2025 title, beating debutant Yomif Kejelcha by 11 seconds. The Ethiopian runner-up also crossed the line in an astonishing one hour, 59 minutes and 41 seconds, while Jacob Kiplimo of Uganda finished third in two hours, 28 seconds.
All three were faster than the previous official world record of two hours, 35 seconds set by the late Kelvin Kiptum in 2023, while Sawe’s time was also 10 seconds faster than the unofficial one hour, 59 minutes and 40 seconds set by Eliud Kipchoge in a 2019 exhibition.
“I think I’ve made history today in London, and for the new generation (it shows) to run a record is possible,” said Sawe.
“It depends on the preparation you had and the discipline you had, so for me I think I have shown them that nothing is impossible.
“Everything is possible with a matter of time.
“I was ready today. I was well-prepared for the London Marathon and for today’s results. I’m so happy because I had a lot of courage to push, even when the pace was fast.
“It’s something not to be forgotten, something to be remembered, and it will remain in my mind forever.”
London Marathon Events CEO Hugh Brasher said: “It is, without doubt, the greatest day in London Marathon history.
“People said that Sir Roger Bannister’s mile was the greatest sporting moment of the 20th century. Is this the greatest sporting moment of the 21st century? I don’t know, but it was just brilliant.”
There was also a new standard set in the women’s race, won by Tigst Assefa, who defended her London Marathon crown in a women’s-only world record two hours, 15 minutes and 41 seconds.
Celebrities also took part, including children’s TV character Daddy Pig, with fitness expert Joe Wicks running alongside the Peppa Pig patriarch as his official trainer.
The Peppa Pig theme tune played as Daddy Pig crossed the finish line in five hours and 51 minutes.
The pair ran for the National Deaf Children’s Society after a Peppa Pig storyline revealed George Pig is moderately deaf.
Speaking after the race, Wicks said he feels “very proud” of Daddy Pig, who he said worked hard in training and was “amazing” despite the warm weather.
He said: “It’s lovely when people say ‘Joe!’ and give me a little cheer, but 99% of it was ‘Daddy Pig, give us a wave!’, kids smiling, kids getting excited.
“So I rode off the energy of Daddy Pig today, and it was great.”
Oscar-nominated Erivo completed her race in around three hours and 21 minutes, setting a new personal best and beating her previous time of three hours and 35 minutes achieved in 2022.
After she completed the run, the exhausted star said: “There was a little rough moment where I thought it was never going to make it, but then I found a little bit of strength.
“I’m here, and I feel really proud.”
Erivo, who said she got up at 5am on Sunday, will appear on stage at the Noel Coward Theatre in London on Monday, where she is playing all 23 roles in Dracula.
“It’s at 7.30pm, so I should be fine,” she said, adding: “I may be a little slower than usual.”
