The London Marathon isn't a race any more – it's a week. Probably closer to a fortnight, actually, if you count everything that opens its doors in the lead-up. From Shoreditch to Somerset House, Soho to The Mall, brands, retailers, run crews, podcasters and artists are setting up shop across the city with pop-ups, shakeout runs, live panels, product drops and parties. Some of it is free, some of it isn't. Some of it requires a bit of luck and hustle to get in; most of it just requires you to show up. Whether you're running on Sunday, cheering from the barriers or nursing a quiet jealousy from afar, here's our guide to the best of race week.

On a less fun note, be aware that RMT union staff on the London Underground will be on two 24-hour strikes on April 21–22 (midday to midday) and April 23–24 (midday to midday). Transport for London says it will be able to operate with a reduced service, but plan accordingly. 

THURSDAY 23 APRIL

Runna Race Hub

Thu 1pm–5pm, Fri 12.30pm–5pm, Sat 11am–5pm, Sun 12pm–7pm, Mon 11am–3pm,  59 Greek Street, Soho, W1D 3DZ

Strava-aligned training app Runna sets up in Soho for a five-day race hub from Thursday through to a Monday recovery morning. Always-on activations include race kit customisation, a hydration station and a Shokz listening lounge. On Friday evening (6pm), The Runna Podcast goes live with Russ Cook, better known as The Hardest Geezer, the first person to run the length of Africa. Saturday brings an in-depth course preview at 3pm with Anya Culling and coach Ben Parker (repeated at 4pm). On race day, Runna’s cheer zone is at Mile 22 in Canary Wharf, and finishers can swing by the hub for complimentary post-race portraits (also available on Monday), a PB bell and flowers courtesy of lululemon. Monday's program includes a recovery walk, a Hyperice zone and a victory lap on an iconic double-decker bus.

This Is Running: Raziq Rauf × Sophie Heawood
Thu 6.30pm, Artwords Bookshop, Clarence Rd, E5 8HB

One of the most interesting writers looking at the intersection of running and culture, Raziq Rauf just published his first book, This Is Running. On Thursday, he’ll sit down with journalist Sophie Heawood – who penned that now-iconic Harry Styles and Haruki Murakami conversation for Runner's World – to discuss running culture, storytelling and why both pursuits are so intertwined. This Is Running explores everything from the super shoe revolution and women's experiences of the sport to the boom of trail running, alongside profiles of notable races and Q&As with figures pioneering global running culture. The following afternoon, Raz hosts a panel Reimagining the Future of Running Media with Tracksmith at Knees Up (see below). 
 

Runner's World Club x lululemon Pre-Marathon Shakeout

Thu 6.30pm, House of Hearst, 30 Panton Street, SW1Y 4AJ

A major like London has more shakeouts than you can shake a stick at. We can’t list them all so you should do your own research. This is just one example (caveat: it’s £15, but that includes a deep goodie bag that includes a lululemon t-shirt). Expect a relaxed 5K shakeout along an iconic route – down The Mall, past Buckingham Palace and through St James's Park via Birdcage Walk, essentially previewing the marathon's final stretch. Back at base, Runner's World editor-in-chief Andy Dixon hosts a Q&A with lululemon ambassadors Andre Coggins (Mafia Moves) and Jennifer Mannion (Runners & Stunners) on last-days race prep. Pop-up physio, massage and taping stations follow.

Runlimited Club Lounge
Wed–Sat 9am–7pm, Protein Studios, 31 New Inn Yard, EC2A 3EY

 Community hub and retailer Runlimited takes over Protein Studios in Shoreditch for a four-day, flight-themed pre-race experience in partnership with Nike and Bandit. The idea: every runner gets first-class treatment before departure. Daily Marathon Mobility stretch and movement sessions run by The Running Room keep race-day legs in check, while Saturday's schedule is stacked with a live podcast featuring Motional Intelligence pod host Calum Goddard, Sir Mo Farah and Coach Bennett (the voice of the Nike Run Club app) at 11.15am, followed by a Bandit Community Design Session at 11.45am. Drop-in perks (registration required for some) across the week include free gait analysis, Hyperice recovery and Maurten sampling. Thursday evening's Pre Flight Dinner is sold out, so you'll need some serious hustle if you want a seat at that table.

FRIDAY 24 APRIL

Soar x Knees Up: The London Tune-Up 12km Progressive Run
Fri 6:30am, Soar, 107A Clifton Street, Shoreditch, EC2A 4LG

God-level retailers Soar are open from Thursday to Tuesday (but not Sunday, for obvious reasons) to showcase their full X Race collection and installation. They’ve also teamed up with another of London’s best running stores, Knees Up, for a progressive 12km run on Friday. Meet 6:30am at Soar HQ for a 7am start, heading out at 5min/km and accelerating 10s every 2km. Final 2km is all gas, no brakes. Finish at Knees Up (455 Hackney Road, E2 9DY) for refuelling. Bag drop available; they’ll move it for you. 

New Balance Run House at Somerset House
Fri 2pm–5pm, Sat 10am–6pm, Sun 9am–5pm, Embankment Galleries, Somerset House, WC2R 1LA (enter via Victoria Embankment)

As technical apparel and footwear sponsor of the TCS London Marathon, New Balance has set up Run House at one of the course's most iconic landmarks – Somerset House sits right at mile 25 – for a full weekend of sessions, workshops and celebration. On Saturday, LES Run and host Toni-Ann Murphy lead a guided collage session exploring movement, identity and self-expression – a creative way to visualise your "why" before Sunday's 42.2km. The Race Ready station (Saturday, 10am–4pm) offers massages, hair styling and sign-making, while Saturday evening brings a Relaxation Lounge hosted by LES Run and PASSA for the women's running community, plus an Ellipse Sunset Run to test New Balance's latest shoe. On race day itself, spectators can build cheer packs before heading out to the barriers and while they wait for runners to return for the Finisher Party, complete with medal engraving and Pillar Wellbeing recovery sessions. You can also shop New Balance’s full 2026 TCS London Marathon Collection across the weekend. 

PUMA Nitro Lab x Flat White or F*ck Off
Fri 12pm–7pm, Sat 10am–6pm, Sun 1pm–3pm, Institute of Contemporary Arts, The Mall, SW1Y 5AH

PUMA takes over the ICA, right on The Mall in the finishing stretch, for a three-day pop-up. Coffee comes courtesy of the brilliantly named Flat White or F*ck Off. Self explanatory – don’t try to order a cappuccino. The Nitro Lab doubles as a hub for Project 3, PUMA's sub-elite marathon program that has given 200 London Marathon runners access to the brand’s top shoes, with a $3,000 bonus on offer for anyone who beats their PB by three minutes or more. On Sunday, anyone sporting a finisher's medal gets free pizza and beer at the after-race party. 

Reimagining the Future of Running Media

Fri 3pm, Knees Up, 455 Hackney Road, E2 9DY

This Is Running author Raziq Rauf runs it back on Friday with a panel exploring what comes next for running media. Presented with Tracksmith, the line-up brings together voices from across the landscape: Simon Freeman (Like the Wind), Ashley Mateo (Runher), Ben Hobson (Runner's World), Grace Cook (Salty Substack and the author of the “Marathons Are the New Fashion Weeks” article that rocked your world a couple of years ago) and content creator Carmichael Caldwell. Expect a frank discussion about independent publishing and the evolving ways runners find and consume the content that shapes their culture. Tracksmith will also kick off marathon weekend with a community party, with free pizza and drinks, Friday night at the Trackhouse, 25 Chiltern Street, London, W1U 7PW. 

On LightSpray Tour London
Fri–Sun 11am–7pm, 3 Hanover Square, W1S 1HD

Swiss brand On brings its LightSpray technology to the UK for the first time. Watch the robot arm spray 1.5 kilometres of specialised filament onto a last to produce an ultra-light, one-piece shoe upper in around three minutes. You can also try on two LightSpray models: the Cloudboom Strike (170g, built for race day) and the Cloudmonster 3 Hyper (205g, a super trainer for hard efforts and long runs). Across the weekend, the program includes movement sessions, shakeout runs and roundtables. 

UVU pop-up

Fri 12–7pm, Sat 10-7pm, Flannels, Academy House, 161-167 Oxford Street, W1D 2JP

Cult hitters UVU (who are normally very online and not so bricks-and-mortar) bring their second spring drop to a two-day pop-up at exclusive Soho retailer Flannels. Not too much to say about this one, but that Reverie video is ill. Because it’s true: in the end, the marathon is you versus you.

SATURDAY 25 APRIL

Saturday Morning: All the Shakeouts
Choose your own adventure

We count something like 20 shakeouts taking place on Saturday morning alone. Get out and get one. Here’s just a partial list; hit the links for more info: Jumeirah Hotels x Atlas Collectif, Runna x lululemon, Tracksmith, Puresport Salty Shakeout, Saucony RUSH x The Weekend Project, Gymshark. And HOKA below. 

 

HOKA Hub and 5K Shakeout Run 

Thu 17 – Sun 26, 4 Chance Street, Shoreditch, E1 6JT

Shakeout run: Sat 9am

HOKA's Shoreditch Hub is open for 10 days across race week, combining product innovation, science-led prep including sweat testing, community events and rotating pop-ups under one roof. Allpress coffee runs all day, the Cielo FlyLab offers product testing, and there's exclusive HOKA merch and race-day shoes to buy. On Saturday morning, a relaxed 5K shakeout assembles at 9am, offering a chance to test race shoes (first in, best dressed). They’re also hosting an after party on Sunday from 2pm, and to get there finishers can flag down a HOKA Black Cab for a free 30-minute ride in Zones 1 and 2 – just flash your medal.

Paula's Run Club live 

Sat 10.30am, Apple Brompton Road, 17–27 Brompton Road, SW1X 9LF

The goated Paula Radcliffe – three-time London Marathon winner and former world record holder – joins double Olympian Chris Thompson for a live episode of their hit podcast Paula's Run Club, the day before the marathon. They'll talk training, race-day mindset and tech for runners with Apple Fitness+ trainer Cory Wharton-Malcolm.

Nike x Isamaya: Run Forever
Collection launches Sat 25 April, Selfridges pop-up with FaceGym: Fri 25 – Mon 28, 400 Oxford Street, Marylebone, W1A 1AB

Fresh off the "Runners Welcome. Walkers Tolerated" debacle in Boston, Nike pivots to something more lowkey intriguing for London. Run Forever is the Swoosh’s second collaboration with make-up artist and beauty brand founder Isamaya Ffrench, this time centred on running. The campaign film features Ffrench and Nike athlete Dina Asher-Smith on parallel treadmills, running endlessly while eating and trying to keep up with the pressures of being a modern woman (meanwhile dividing viewers in the comments about the message). The capsule includes the Vomero Premium in a chrome-grey colourway, monochromatic running apparel and the Sculpt 04 Recovery Tool, a massage device developed with reflexologist Maria Pecoff. A dedicated Selfridges pop-up with FaceGym runs across the weekend.

Homerun Spring Capsule Launch and Shakeout
Sat 10am, Dover Street Market, 18–22 Haymarket, SW1Y 4DG

Brooklyn's Homerun has been building one of the most authentic crossovers between streetwear and running for a minute now, hosting weekly group runs out of its Graham Avenue shop while landing collaborations with Supreme and Nike – remember that TNs run at Surplus? On Saturday, the label brings its spring capsule to Dover Street Market with a 5K shakeout run (gather 10am), the collection dropping at 11am, and on-site airbrush customisation from Escapism between midday and 4pm. The capsule features work from graffiti artists Barry McGee and Cancer Carl. 

The Reverse London Marathon (nohtaraM nodnoL ehT)

Sat night into Sun morning, various start points

One of the most hardcore grassroots traditions in London running: while the city sleeps, crews run the official marathon course backwards – from the finish on The Mall to the start in Greenwich – arriving at dawn in time to cheer on the official field. It's unofficial, unsupported and there are no closed roads, just empty streets and iconic landmarks glowing in the dark. Multiple groups organise their own versions, including:

 R.A.D. meet at their HQ (256 Waterloo Road, SE1 8RF) from 9pm on Saturday, with the run starting at 11pm. Caffeine from Running Late, carbs from Maurten, bag drop transported to the finish and a limited-edition poster by Mark Ward for all finishers.

 Midnight Runners London assemble at Pall Mall at 3am on Sunday for the full 42.2 kilometres, with a half-marathon option meeting at The Raven, Tower Bridge at 5.15am. Group breakfast at the Gate Clock in Greenwich afterwards. Unsupported – bring your own water and nutrition.