Is the London Marathon flat?

Where are the main hills on the London Marathon course?

The most challenging hill comes between miles 19 and 21, as you leave the Isle of Dogs and climb up onto the Blackwall Rise. This sustained climb of roughly 40 metres over half a mile feels steep in the context of a marathon, especially when you're already fatigued. Before that, you'll encounter gentler rises through Greenwich Park (mile 6–7) and rolling sections along the Embankment and through the City.

Overall elevation gain and course difficulty

The London Marathon has roughly 50–55 metres of total elevation gain across its 26.2 miles. By fell-running or ultra standards that's negligible; by flat-course standards it's moderate. For most road marathoners, London sits in the middle ground—definitely not a PB course, but not a mountain marathon either. The cumulative effect of undulating terrain and the psychological impact of the late-race climb matter more than raw elevation numbers.

Mile-by-mile terrain breakdown

• Miles 0–6: Gentle, mostly flat through Deptford and into Greenwich. Descent into Greenwich Park.
• Miles 6–13: Rolling terrain through Greenwich Park and along the Thames Path. Generally runnable with minor undulations.
• Miles 13–19: Relatively flat or gently rolling through Canary Wharf and across the Isle of Dogs. Deceptively calm.
• Miles 19–21: The Blackwall Rise climb. Steepest section of the course. Significant mental and physical challenge.
• Miles 21–26.2: Recovery terrain back towards Tower Bridge and the finish. Mostly flat or downhill.

How to prepare for the London Marathon hills

Since the challenge isn't severity but timing and fatigue, your training should reflect that. Include tempo runs and steady-state efforts on undulating ground. Do not neglect hill-repetition work on steeper terrain—it builds the muscle resilience and mental toughness needed to push through the Blackwall Rise when you're already 19 miles in. Many runners hit it with nothing left in the tank because they've trained on flat loops.

Pacing strategy for London's terrain

1. Run the first 13 miles conservatively—the terrain lures you into false confidence.
2. Manage effort through the rolling sections of miles 13–19; don't chase splits.
3. Anticipate the Blackwall Rise and bank energy. Walk if you must; walk and jog runs work here.
4. Use the flat and downhill miles 21–26.2 to regain rhythm and push home.

Why course profile matters for your goal

If you're targeting a personal best, London is neither a gift nor a curse—it's a course that rewards intelligent pacing and hill-specific preparation. Runners who ignore the terrain often lose 2–5 minutes to the Blackwall Rise alone, not through weakness but through surprise. Training data from your runs, hill repeats and long-run splits on rolling ground will show exactly where your weakness lies and how much work remains before race day.

Using RunV to train for London's terrain

A good coaching app adapts sessions based on where you live and the terrain you can access. If your local running involves hills, use them. If you're training in a flat area, seek out undulating parkland or use a treadmill on a 1–2% gradient. RunV-style adaptive coaching flags when your hill-specific work is lagging and adjusts your macro plan to ensure you're ready for that climb at mile 19, not blindsided by it.