The anticipation for the 2025 London Marathon is soaring as event organizers reveal a remarkable surge in applications, setting a new record for participation.
A staggering 840,000 applications flooded in, surpassing last year's milestone of 578,000 applications, according to event organizers.
Among these applications, 672,631 originated from the UK, with a near balance between genders, as 50.33% were from men, 49.03% from women, and 0.64% from non-binary individuals.
In addition to the impressive number of UK applicants, the international ballot attracted 167,687 non-UK residents eager to participate in the renowned event.
This surge in interest comes on the heels of the 53,000 runners who completed the challenging 26.2-mile course through London in the previous year. The 2024 marathon saw 44 Guinness World Records shattered and an impressive £67 million raised for charitable causes.
Hugh Brasher, the event director for the TCS London Marathon, expressed his awe at the overwhelming response, stating, "This is an absolutely phenomenal total." He also highlighted the notable increase in female applicants, which rose from approximately 43% last year to 49% this year, bringing the event closer to gender parity in applications than ever before. Photo by DanHuddleston, Wikimedia commons.