TCS London Marathon 2026

Take on the challenge of a lifetime! Run the TCS London Marathon, to bring comfort to patients and support life-saving projects.

The TCS London Marathon is a world-renowned race with an iconic route through the heart of the city, drawing runners from around the world to run 26.2 miles past famous landmarks like the Tower Bridge and Buckingham Palace. At the heart of the TCS London Marathon lies a powerful spirit of community, generosity, and kindness – values that NHS Lothian Charity proudly shares.

Apply for one of our Charity Places

We’re thrilled to be part of the 2026 event and are excited to offer two charity places to our incredible supporters, helping us champion our NHS Lothian staff and improve health and wellbeing across Edinburgh and the Lothians. So, if you were unsuccessful in the ballot, you still have a chance to run for a cause that matters to you.

To apply, simply complete our short application form. We’d love to hear from runners who want to make a difference to the lives of NHS Lothian patients, their families and staff. Applications close at 11:59pm, on Monday the 11th of August.

Minimum sponsorship: £2,650
Entry Fee: £100

We’ll contact shortlisted applicants by phone for a short conversation before charity places are allocated in September. If your application is unsuccessful, we’ll let you know between the end of August and the start of September.

Got your own ballot place? Run for NHS Lothian Charity

If you have a ballot place in the marathon and want to fundraise for NHS Lothian Charity, we’d love to support you! Complete our own place registration form and we’ll be with you every step of the way.

Everything you need for an unforgettable run

From the moment you join our team of #CharityChampions, we’ll support you every step of the way. Whether it’s your first marathon or your fifteenth, we’ll equip you with everything you need to enjoy the incredible atmosphere, make your run a success, and make your fundraising efforts a triumph.

Every runner who signs up with NHS Lothian Charity will receive:

An official NHS Lothian Charity #ThankYouNHS running top
NHS Lothian Charity medal
NHS Lothian Charity water bottle
Bags of support

You’ll also receive incredible support, and an an amazing race-day experience thanks to the official London Marathon team, including:

An Event Pack:
Includes your all-important bib number, safety pins, and kit bag for the bag drop. This must be collected at the London Marathon Running Show at ExCeL London before race day.
Finisher’s Medal & T-Shirt: All finishers receive a commemorative medal and a finisher’s T-shirt to celebrate their achievement.
Official Timing & Results: Your race time is officially recorded and published, with split times available throughout the course.

On-Course Support:
Water and energy drink stations
Medical support and first aid
Toilets and sanitary supplies
Sensory calm spaces and multi-faith prayer areas

Training Resources:
Access to official training plans and the Coopah training app to help you prepare.

Fundraising Tools:
If running for charity, you can use the official platform, Enthuse, to set up your fundraising page.