Runners preparing to take part in the TCS London Marathon 2023 will be hoping the weather is not too hot nor freezing to make the 26.2 miles as bearable as possible.
Around 40,000 are expected to line up on Sunday (April 23) in Greenwich and Blackheath for the 43rd edition of the event, which will finish, as per tradition, on The Mall.
According to a study by Marathon Handbook, the optimal temperature for running long distances is between 4°C and 9°C, colder than some might anticipate. However, the hundreds of thousands set to line the route in support might appreciate the conditions a little milder.
The weather could be key if the course records are going to be threatened in 2023. On the men’s side, Kenenisa Bekele, Kelvin Kiptum, Birhanu Legese, Mosinet Geremew, and defending champion Amos Kipruto are all gunning for the win with an eye on Eliud Kipchoge’s course record of two hours, one minute and nine seconds.
As for the women Brigid Kosgei, Peres Jepchirchir, Yalemzerf Yehualaw, Genzebe Dibaba, Sifan Hassan, and Almaz Ayana are all out for victory, with Kosgei hoping to improve on her record-breaking time in the Chicago Marathon, of two hours, 14 minutes and four seconds.
So what can we expect from the weather on Sunday when the London Marathon is held?
What will the weather be like for the TCS London Marathon 2023?
The Met Office has said the temperatures will be around 10°C when the flag drops for the first elite runners at 9.30am and it is set to stay that way for when the masses begin at 10am.
Temperatures are set to slowly rise to 12°C by 1pm, with peaks of around 13°C by mid-afternoon.
It is set to be a cloudy day with a good chance of rain. BBC Weather gives a 70 per cent chance of showers from the early morning to mid-afternoon.
The BBC website says: “Sunday will see variable clouds and isolated showers in the morning, but it should turn dry with longer sunny spells developing later.”
“[It will be] rather unsettled on Sunday with rain or showers,” the Met Office website adds.
How can I watch the London Marathon?
BBC One will broadcast coverage of the London Marathon from 8.30am, as it has done since the event started in 1981.
If you want to watch from the roadside, check out our guide to the best places to watch here.
And find more information on our course guide here.
