Editing London Marathon (section)

== Entry ==
There are multiple ways that runners can enter the London Marathon. The breakdown of places is not publicly shared by the organisation. As of 2023, the available places are generally considered to be distributed approximately as follows:

* Charity (25,000<ref>{{Cite web |title=Charity entry |url=https://www.tcslondonmarathon.com/enter/how-to-enter/charity-entry |access-date=2024-04-22 |website=www.tcslondonmarathon.com |language=en}}</ref>)
* General Ballot (approximately 17,000 (estimated))
* Good For Age Entry (6,000<ref>{{Cite web |title=Good For Age entry |url=https://www.tcslondonmarathon.com/enter/how-to-enter/good-for-age-entry |access-date=2024-04-22 |website=TCS London Marathon |language=en}}</ref>)
* Championship (1,000<ref>{{Cite web |title=Championship entry |url=https://www.tcslondonmarathon.com/enter/how-to-enter/championship-entry |access-date=2024-04-22 |website=www.tcslondonmarathon.com |language=en}}</ref>)
* Affiliated Running Clubs (1,515<ref>{{Cite web |title=British Athletics club entry |url=https://www.tcslondonmarathon.com/enter/how-to-enter/british-athletics-club-entry |access-date=2024-04-22 |website=TCS London Marathon |language=en}}</ref>)
* Celebrity (100)
* Elite (100)

As well as a small number of places distributed directly to overseas ballot, tour operators and those deferred from previous editions.

=== Charity ===
The majority of runners at the London Marathon do so using a Charity Place. To obtain this, they commit to raising a minimum amount for a registered charitable cause. In contrast to the other World Marathon Majors and other international events, London Marathon has a bigger focus on  [[charity running]] than other similar events. London Marathon participants have helped to raise over £1 billion since its founding, including £67 million (dated to Apr 24 2024) at the [[2024 London Marathon]] which was the highest amount for a single-day fund-raising event.

=== General Ballot ===
In recent years, following the growth in popularity of recreational running,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Edwards |first=Phil |date=2015-08-09 |title=When running for exercise was for weirdos |url=https://www.vox.com/2015/8/9/9115981/running-jogging-history |access-date=2024-04-22 |website=Vox |language=en}}</ref> it has become increasingly difficult to obtain a place via the general ballot or lottery. In 2024, success in the ballot is estimated to be below 3%. There have been a number of changes in recent years to address the increase in applications (online applications, removal of multi-ballot entry guarantee etc.). The 2025 event ballot received more than 840,000 applications, exceeding the record of 578,000 previously set by the 2024 ballot.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-04-29 |title=Record numbers apply for 2025 London Marathon |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-68918984 |access-date=2024-04-29 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref>

=== Good for age ===
{{Unreferencedsect|date=April 2025}}
The Good-for-Age entry route is the entry route for the majority of "competitive" runners. The aim of the good-for-age category is to provide places for those who achieve a sufficiently fast age-graded time. Due to a greater number of men meeting the Good-for-age criteria, places were capped at 3,000 entries for each gender to ensure an even gender split. This has led to the reduction in the Good for Age mens times in recent years. There is a 10% difference in the marathon World Record pace, but a 26% difference in the London Marathon Good for Age entry times. London Marathon is now harder to enter for men than Boston.