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Heavy rain throughout from Storm Alex, cold and blustery, the wettest London Marathon on record
2020 Edition
TCS London Marathon 2020: elite-only race
The 2020 London Marathon ran elite-only on a looped St James's Park course in the wettest conditions on record, the mass field cancelled by COVID-19.
Elite-only race
The datasheet
Originally scheduled for 26 April 2020, the 2020 Virgin Money London Marathon was postponed to 4 October 2020 and run as an elite-only race on a closed, biosecure looped course in St James's Park with no spectators, all due to COVID-19. The mass-participation event was cancelled and replaced by a virtual edition. Ballot entrants could defer their place to the 2021 race subject to the 2021 entry fee, take a full refund, or donate their fee to The London Marathon Charitable Trust.
Edition
40th edition
No mass ballot this edition
Field size
n/a
Not yet reported
Race day
Oct 4
2020
Good-for-age
M2:52 W3:38
Open category (18–34)
Race day weather
What runners faced on the course
Context
What made 2020 notable
COVID-19 forced the 40th London Marathon out of its April slot and into a closed, biosecure loop in St James's Park on 4 October 2020, run elite-only with no spectators while the mass field was cancelled and replaced by a virtual race of more than 36,000 runners. Storm Alex dumped heavy rain all day, making it the wettest London Marathon on record, cold and blustery enough to end any world-record hopes. Shura Kitata of Ethiopia upset the field to win the men's race in 2:05:41, one second clear in a sprint as Eliud Kipchoge faded to eighth. Brigid Kosgei defended her women's title comfortably in 2:18:58, more than three minutes clear of American Sara Hall.
Year over year
Applications over time
Applications · 2024 → 2026
578K840K1.13M
'24'25'26
Qualifying
Good-for-age standards
View full age-group standards
| Age group | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 18-34 | 2:52:00 | 3:38:00 |
| 35-39 | 2:52:00 | 3:38:00 |
| 40-44 | 2:57:00 | 3:43:00 |
| 45-49 | 3:02:00 | 3:46:00 |
| 50-54 | 3:07:00 | 3:53:00 |
| 55-59 | 3:12:00 | 3:58:00 |
| 60-64 | 3:34:00 | 4:23:00 |
| 65-69 | 3:52:00 | 4:53:00 |
| 70-74 | 4:52:00 | 5:53:00 |
| 75-79 | 5:07:00 | 6:13:00 |
| 80-84 | 5:27:00 | 6:38:00 |
| 85-89 | 6:10:00 | 7:10:00 |
| 90+ | 7:20:00 | 7:45:00 |
FAQ
Questions about the 2020 ballot
Why was the 2020 London Marathon elite-only?
COVID-19 forced the race out of its April slot to 4 October 2020. The mass field was cancelled and replaced by a virtual event, while elite athletes raced a closed biosecure loop in St James's Park with no spectators.
Who won the 2020 London Marathon?
Shura Kitata of Ethiopia won the men's race in 2:05:41, one second clear in a sprint as Eliud Kipchoge faded to eighth. Brigid Kosgei defended her women's title in 2:18:58.
What happened to 2020 ballot entrants?
Because the mass race was cancelled, ballot entrants could defer their place to the 2021 race subject to the 2021 entry fee, take a full refund, or donate their fee to The London Marathon Charitable Trust.
What were race-day conditions in 2020?
Storm Alex brought heavy rain all day, cold and blustery, making it the wettest London Marathon on record and ending any chance of world records on the flat looped course.
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