London Marathon runners are being urged to hydrate as temperatures are projected to rise to 19C on Sunday.
Speaking on Radio 4’s Today Programme, Olympian Steve Cram said: “It’s gonna warm up as the day goes on, so that’s going to be an issue more for the people perhaps after four, four to five to six hours.
“Not as warm we’re told as perhaps Saturday is likely to be, but just all the usual advice - hydrate before you start, keep taking plenty of fluids, there’s lots of help out there, lots of advice.”
He added that conditions for those embarking on the 26.2 mile event on Sunday will still be “pretty nice”.
Temperatures of around 11C are expected for the elite wheelchair races and elite women at around 9am, with warmer spells expected as the day goes on.
According to the Met Office, midday will see temperatures rise to around 15C and peak temperatures of 19C creeping in at around 3pm.
Thankfully, once the sun is in full swing after 3pm, most of the 59,000 runners will have crossed the finish line.
London Marathon weather forecast
Met Office
- 11C at 9am
- 12C at 10am
- 14C at 11am
- 15C at midday
- 17C at 1pm
- 18C at 2pm
- 19C at 3pm
Last year’s event saw temperatures rise to above 20C, making for uncomfortable conditions.
The ideal temperature for running is between 2C and 13C, according to Runners World, so participants should still be encouraged to hydrate, before, during and after the event.
Cram, a retired British track and field athlete, added that the London Marathon, part of the world marathon majors, “is kind of the daddy of them all”.
He explained: “The atmosphere is just a little bit different. Partly the number of people who run for charity and the fact that it’s much more of an international event than some of the other world marathon majors.
“London is up there as one of the best.”
The London Marathon has ballooned in popularity, with a record 1,133,813 people entering the ballot for this year’s race.
The first wave - the elite wheelchair field - will set their marks at 8.50am, with the first mass participation group starting at 9.35am.
After that, 55 waves of runners will follow up until 11.30am.
