Sport · Community
London Marathon
The world-famous race begins on Blackheath — cheer the runners from the heath.
The TCS London Marathon — one of the greatest running events in the world — begins right here, on Blackheath. Each April, more than fifty thousand runners cross a start line laid out across our heath, setting off on a 26.2-mile journey to The Mall. Few places in Britain can claim a landmark of global sporting significance on their doorstep; Blackheath can.
The three colour-coded start zones — Red, Blue and Green — are arranged across the open common, and the heath becomes, for one morning, the gathering place for the world's largest annual fundraising event. The runners then stream west through Greenwich and along the river, but the race is born on Blackheath.
What to expect on the heath
Because the race begins on Blackheath, our village is where the whole spectacle comes to life — the nerves, the charity shirts, the waves to family, and the first strides of a 26.2-mile journey all unfold on the common before a single runner reaches Greenwich. Here's what makes the day so special, right from the start line.
The three start lines on Blackheath
Runners set off from three colour-coded start points arranged across Blackheath Common — Red, Blue and Green — before merging towards Greenwich Park and the route into central London. This is where the marathon truly begins.
A community spectacle from the first step
Locals line the heath with banners, music and good cheer right at the start. Charities gather to support their runners, and the cafés of the village fill early — arrive before 8am to claim the best spots on the common where it all kicks off.
A day of giving, born on the heath
The London Marathon is the largest annual fundraising event in the world, raising tens of millions for charity each year — and that extraordinary wave of generosity takes its very first steps on Blackheath.
Marathon on the heath — a photo archive
Moments captured on Blackheath from race days past — the start lines, the crowds, and the community spirit that makes our village the place where the marathon begins.