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Compare London MarathonvsNew York City Marathon

Choosing between London Marathon and New York City Marathon? This page puts the essentials side by side — next race date, elevation, typical weather, field size, and entry difficulty — with a short overview of each course below.

At a glance

The headline differences between both races. Follow each marathon link for the full route map, elevation chart, and entry details.

DetailLondon MarathonNew York City Marathon
Next raceSunday, 25 April 2027 at 9:30 amSunday, 1 November 2026 at 9:10 am
ElevationFlat with minor bridges - approx. 25m above sea level. ↑ 127 m · ↓ 161 m · net −34 mRolling with bridges - approx. 10m above sea level. ↑ 294 m · ↓ 292 m · net +2 m
Typical weatherCool to mild spring conditionsCool to mild autumn
Typical participantsApproximately 57k finishersApproximately 56k finishers
Entry difficultyVery competitiveVery competitive

About these races

London Marathon

The TCS London Marathon is one of the world's most popular races, famous for its incredible charity fundraising and electric atmosphere. The fast course passes Tower Bridge, the Cutty Sark, Canary Wharf, and finishes on The Mall in front of Buckingham Palace. With gentle undulations and around 127 metres of total climbing, it consistently produces fast times — including Sabastian Sawe's 1:59:30 men's world record and Tigst Assefa's 2:15:41 women's-only world record, both set at the 2026 race.

Read the full London Marathon profile

New York City Marathon

The TCS New York City Marathon is the largest marathon in the world, taking runners through all five boroughs — Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Manhattan. The course crosses five bridges and finishes in Central Park, delivering an unmatched big-city marathon experience.

Read the full New York City Marathon profile

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