A record number of people have applied to take part in the 2026 London Marathon.
Event organisers reported over 1.1 million applications, surpassing the previous record of 840,318 set last year. On a recent Sunday, over 90,000 participants completed marathons in London and Manchester, marking the largest marathon event day in the UK. This raises questions about a potential running boom in the UK, including the factors driving this increase in participation.