TCS Mini London Marathon

Applications now closed!

Thank you to everyone who applied to be a part of the 2025 TCS Mini London Marathon. Applications are now closed and successful schools will be informed mid-February.

If you missed the chance to apply, why not sign up your entire school for the 2025 TCS Mini London Marathon in schools? This is an exciting two-mile challenge taking place in your school setting between Tuesday 22 April and Friday 2 May. Get involved now!

To ensure fairness, we’re accepting one application per school for up to 25 places in the one-mile distance and 15 places in the 2.6K distance. Schools have until 16:00 on Friday 24 January to apply and will be randomly selected and notified by mid-February.

What is the TCS Mini London Marathon?

The TCS Mini London Marathon invites schools to bring their children and young people to run, jog, walk, or wheel one mile or 2.6K in the heart of the capital.

The event is free to enter, and what’s more, our title partner, TCS, gives schools £10 for every participant aged 17 or under who finishes the event! Once participants cross the iconic TCS London Marathon Finish Line on The Mall, they’ll receive a TCS Mini London Marathon medal.

We want as many children as possible to be able to take part, so there is a one-mile event for children in Reception to Year 7 and a 2.6K route for those in Years 4 to 12 who can go a bit further.

This event is for everyone, so if your child needs additional support, please contact our Customer Experience Team via our Contact us form and they’ll be happy to help facilitate support.

Adults need to join children in Reception to Year 2 on the course, with a minimum ratio of one adult for every six children.

Please note, we can only accept applications from school staff members for school applications.

Mini London Marathon participant outside Buckingham Palace

See the routes!

One mile route
2.6K route

Money for schools!

For every participant aged 17 or under who finishes the TCS Mini London Marathon, our title partner TCS will donate £10 to their school to spend on PE or IT equipment. So, the more children who take part and get active, the more money your school will raise!

Since the London Marathon started in 1981, its participants have raised more than £1 billion for good causes – so why not make your TCS Mini London Marathon a fundraising event and raise money for your school or our charity partner WWF-UK.

The TCS Mini London Marathon championships

The 2.6K event also host the TCS Mini London Marathon championships, which give the UK’s most promising young athletes the chance to compete against the best new talent in British road running.

More about the championships
Held as part of the main TCS Mini London Marathon, the championships are a launchpad for the athletics stars of the future

Mom and son running and holding hands and Buckingham Palace in the background in the TCS Mini London Marathon 2022

Keeping everyone safe

Our participants’ safety is our top priority. The event takes place on a closed, secure route (see maps above) with stewards and a dedicated Welfare Team on the course to make sure all children have a safe and enjoyable experience. All participants need to be escorted to a safe and secure ‘drop off’ zone at the Start Area.

Children in Year 3 or above on Event Day can complete the route on their own, while children in Reception to Year 2 need to be accompanied on the course, with a minimum ratio of one adult for every eight children. Participants will also need to be collected from a safe and secure zone by the Finish Line.

The TCS Mini London Marathon Terms and Conditions
Please read before registering

TCS Mini London Marathon FAQs

Schools can register up to 50 children in each distance. Registration for the 2024 event will open in January next year.
It depends on their age. Anyone in Year 3 or above can run on their own, they just need to be escorted to the start and then collected at the finish. If participants are in Year 2 or below, we ask that there is one adult on the course for every eight children. If an older child (Year 3 or above) needs an adult to accompany them for medical or other reasons, you can tell us how many additional adults you want to enter. Please note that additional adults are there to support the children and are not official participants so will not receive an official finish time. Medals are also for children only, not accompanying adults.
All children can enter and take part. If any additional support is required on the day please let us know and we will do everything we can to help.
At this point entries can only be accepted from schools, so they can claim £10 for each finisher from their school.
Please allow enough time to get to the event and locate the Start area. This may take additional time as the area is likely to be busy and there will be road closures in place. It helps us to organise a safe event if all groups arrive on time and join the wave they have been allocated. However, if you do miss your start time then we will do our best to accommodate you in a later wave.
That's up to the school. We do need the school to register, provide us with some contact details and be responsible for making sure all the participants get their bib number. Schools can either bring their group, a bit like a school trip, or can pass information to parents to bring their own children.
Participants will need to be escorted to the start in time for the beginning of their wave. Closer to the time, you will find this information in the Event Guide. In 2023, both events started on Horse Guards Road, with the start assembly area on Horse Guards Parade. Participants will complete the distance and then stay at the finish in a safe space until they are collected. (If children are in Year 2 or below they must have an adult runner with them, with at least one adult for every eight children.) The Participant Collection Area is approximately a five-minute walk from the Assembly Area. There will be a map in the Event Guide for more information.
Please record any relevant medical information on the back of the bib number. This will also need to include contact information so we can make sure we get any help required on the day.
Yes. Each participant will have a timing chip in their bib number and we will publish their results on our website after the event. We will not publish children’s names so if you want to check your times, please keep a note of your bib numbers.
Schools can email schools@londonmarathonevents.co.uk if you are already registered for the event and request more – we will then contact you if additional places become available.

Children with medals celebrating next to the Finish line

Encouraging physical activity

The TCS Mini London Marathon is all about inspiring children and young people of all ages and abilities to be physically active. Regular exercise has a positive impact on children’s physical health and mental wellbeing and can help start a habit that stays with them for the rest of their lives. Everyone feels happier after they’ve been for a run!