TCS LONDON MARATHON
GUARANTEE YOUR ENTRY TO THE GREATEST MARATHON ON EARTH
Official Overseas Tour Operator for the TCS London Marathon
SPORTS TOURS INTERNATIONAL THE WORLD’S LARGEST RUNNING TOUR OPERATOR
In 2024, Sports Tours International joined forces with Destination Marathons, creating one of the world’s largest running communities. Every year we take thousands of runners to the most popular events on the planet including the Abbott World Marathon Majors.
Proudly based in Charlotte, NC, Sports Tours International is the Official Overseas Tour Operator for the TCS London Marathon.
Our founder, Irishman Vince Regan, started organising his first trips to international marathons back in the 1970s. He was an ex-international marathon runner himself and could see the value in people traveling to far-off places to participate in marathons.
Being a well-known figure within the running community, Vince also became involved in the creation of the London Marathon and took responsibility for managing the London Marathon international runner programme – a role Sports Tours International still fulfils today.
In 2024, Sports Tours was proud to join forces with Destination Marathons and its founder Mark Janik as the two companies merged. The driving ambition was to make the biggest mass-participation events in the world more accessible to American runners, starting with the TCS London Marathon.
WHY BOOK WITH US?
Guaranteed race entry for major events
With no ballot place or qualifying time required, booking with Sports Tours International allows you to participate in some of the biggest events in the world.
Our packages make booking hassle free
We have updated our booking system to make it as easy as possible for our customers. You will find all the information on each event laid out clearly for you to build a package to meet your needs.
50 years’ of unbeatable customer service
We have been taking participants and spectators to major running events around the world for 50 years. Our experienced staff are with you every step of the way and help make your trip an experience of a lifetime.
A WORD FROM MARK
Dear Runner,
As a committed marathon runner and organizer of running events around the world, I can attest that the TCS London Marathon is an experience like no other. That’s why I’m thrilled to offer this unforgettable race experience to US runners looking to punch their ticket to London.
As the Official Tour Operator for the TCS London Marathon we have the experience and expertise to make this bucket list race a reality for you. All of our packages include guaranteed race entry – no ballot place or qualifying time required.
From the moment you touch down in London you will be treated to an unforgettable experience, complete with expert guidance from your US and British hosts, hassle-free logistics and access to exclusive events. On race day, you’ll soak up the electric atmosphere as you run past iconic landmarks and the most vociferous crowds in marathon running.
From shakeout runs to pre-race briefings and the biggest marathon afterparty in London, our team of reps will provide comprehensive support from start to finish so all you have to do is focus on running.
We offer a variety of accommodation options, including a VIP package at the prestigious Dorchester Hotel. Additionally, we provide the unique advantage for you to guarantee multiple London race bib entries per package.
Hopefully you will find everything you need to plan a dream trip in this brochure, but don’t hesitate to contact me or the team with any questions. We can’t wait to greet you in London!
Mark Janik CEO, North America Sports Tours International
2025 TCS LONDON MARATHON PACKAGES
Experience the most iconic and in-demand marathon in the world with Sports Tours International. As the official overseas tour operator for the TCS London Marathon, we offer guaranteed race bibs and exclusive accommodation packages.
Our four-night packages include comprehensive support from a team of onsite reps, a ticket to London’s biggest marathon after-party and much more. With packages selling fast, secure your place at the globally renowned event by booking today.
INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKAGE
→ Guaranteed race bib (multiple entries per booking allowed)
→ 4 night’s bed & breakfast at a choice of 4 & 5 star hotels in prime locations
→ Private coach transfer to the start line
→ Exclusive marquee in the start village
→ Welcome drinks, pre-race briefing, and a guided shake-out run
→ An all-inclusive ticket to the biggest marathon after-party in London
→ Comprehensive support from our dedicated team of on-site reps and more
a limited number of
HOTELS & PRICES
All packages include race entry, daily breakfast and tour extras outline on page 4. Prices are per person based on two people sharing, including race entry. A non-runner discount of $869.00 per person will be applied at booking. Additional nights and room options available on request.
The Westminster, Curio Collection by Hilton
HHHH
Duration: 4 Nights
Room Type: Queen Room
Price: $3999
Sheraton Grand London Park Lane
Located in the heart of historic London, The Westminster is surrounded by some of the capital’s most alluring landmarks. The Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and Westminster Abbey are a stone’s throw from the hotel. Each room is beautifully designed, featuring all the modern-day essentials, including signature in-room amenities. Guests can enjoy the use of the hotel gym equipped with Peloton machinery or if indulgence is more your thing, then The Westminster Bar & Grill restaurant is the place to be. HHHHH
Situated in the heart of Mayfair and overlooking Green Park, Sheraton Grand London Park Lane offers a prime location in London with a restaurant, fitness centre, private parking and Wi-Fi. The elegant, art deco rooms feature en-suite bathrooms, interactive flat-screen TVs with satellite channels, designer beds, free toiletries and ample workspace. Guests can enjoy Italian dining at Mercante, crafted cocktails at Smith & Whistle and English Afternoon Tea in the Art Deco Palm Court. The hotel is a short walk from Bond Street, Knightsbridge, Buckingham Palace and Westminster. HHHHH
Duration: 4 Nights
Deluxe Queen Room: $4199
Superior Double (2 Beds): $4299
The May Fair Hotel
Set in the heart of London’s most exclusive neighbourhood, The May Fair Hotel embraces and embodies the essence of art, culture, entertainment and gastronomy – all under one roof. The hotel is near Bond Street’s exclusive jewelry stores and fashion boutiques, as well as world famous restaurants and landmarks such as Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park and Piccadilly Circus.
The Londoner
The Londoner offers a guest-only club, six unique restaurants and bars including a rooftop lounge, a spa with a pool, gym, superfood clinic and beauty salon. Each room features a flat-screen TV and private bathroom. Guests have exclusive access to The Residence, a residents-only club with The Drawing Room for relaxation, The Y Bar for work and socializing, and The Whisky Room. Complimentary antipasti, soft drinks, tea and coffee are available throughout the day. Located in Leicester Square, the hotel is a short walk from Soho, Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square, and local transport links.
The Dorchester - VIP package
Enhance your stay in London with our VIP package at the Dorchester Hotel including a London bus sightseeing tour via the London Marathon expo, followed by a quintessential British afternoon tea experience and pasta party. On marathon morning, enjoy exclusive access to a pre-race warm room next to the start line. Located in Mayfair, the hotel overlooks Hyde Park and features a spa, Michelin-starred restaurant and boutique bedrooms. Luxurious rooms include Italian-marble bathrooms. Dining options include fine French cuisine by Alain Ducasse, modern British dishes at The Grill by Tom Booton. The hotel is a 10-minute walk from Knightsbridge and a 20-minute walk from the Museum Mile, with Oxford Street just a mile away.
Duration: 4 Nights
Room Type: Superior King
Room or Superior Double room (2 beds)
Price: $4299
Duration: 4/5/6 Nights
Room Type: King
Price 4 Nights: $4399
Price 5 Nights: $4819
Price 6 Nights: $5279
HHHHH
Duration: 4 Nights
Room Type: King Room or Double Room (2 beds)
Price: $5399
APRIL 24
ARRIVAL
Check in to the hotel where a rep will be waiting to greet you. Begin acclimatizing or head to the London Marathon Expo at the ExCel centre. Drop by our stand and soak up the pre-marathon vibes. This evening, we will host welcome drinks for you to meet your fellow runners.
APRIL 25
PRE-RACE BRIEFING
This morning, we will hold our pre-race briefing, providing an opportunity to prepare your mind for the challenge ahead and ask our experienced team questions. If you are on the Dorchester VIP package, our sightseeing bus tour will take you to the expo before continuing past some of London’s most iconic landmarks. The day finishes with a quintessentially British afternoon tea experience at The Dorchester.
APRIL 26
SHAKEOUT RUN & SIGHTSEEING
Join our team this morning for a 5KM (3 mile) shakeout run from your hotel around one of London’s Royal Parks. If you have joined us as part of our VIP Package, we will serve up an evening pasta party – carb-load until your heart is content!
LONDON MARATHON!
This is the day you have spent months training for. After an early breakfast at the hotel, your private coach will leave at 7am. Our reps will look after friends and family, providing an escort to our exclusive cheer zone at mile 22. After crossing the finish line, enjoy a drink on us before our exclusive after-party – the biggest postmarathon celebration in London.
APRIL 28
DEPARTURE DAY
After breakfast, check out of the hotel and, depending on your onward travel, head out to enjoy the city!
CELEBRATING A 45-YEAR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LONDON MARATHON
The London Marathon celebrates its 45th anniversary in 2025 which is a perfect opportunity to reflect on the history of this incredible event and also to imagine its future.
The event has changed so much since my father Chris Brasher and John Disley organised the first ever London Marathon on Sunday 19th March, 1981. Back then there were 6,255 finishers, led home by American Dick Beardsley and Norwegian Inge Simonsen, who crossed the finish line hand in hand, a moment that encapsulated what was to become the world-famous spirit of the London Marathon.
“Fast forward to today and the London Marathon is the most popular marathon on the planet with more than 840,000 people from across the globe applying in the ballot for the 2025 edition on Sunday 27th April.
“The event has raised an incredible £1.3 billion for thousands of charities since that first edition with over 1.3 million finishers. Scores of world records, national records and Guinness world records have been set. It is one of London’s great days out where hundreds of thousands of spectators cheer every participant every step of the way on the world-famous course from Greenwich to The Mall in front of Buckingham Palace. It is a wonderful and joyful celebration of humanity which, every year, transforms lives and inspires people of all ages and abilities to get active.
“But there are some things that have remained a constant over the past 45 years, including our partnership with Sports Tours, who have distributed entries to overseas runners since the very first edition. In fact, Sports Tours pioneered the concept of running travel.
“As our Official Overseas Tour Operator, the experience and knowledge that Sports Tours provide to our international participants is invaluable, from helping them plan their trip to the TCS London Marathon Start, pre-race briefing and support for all aspects of marathon weekend. And, of course, that famous post-event party.
“Sports Tours play a huge part in making the TCS London Marathon a day our international participants will never forget. One of my father and John’s founding aims for the London Marathon was “to have fun and provide some happiness and a sense of achievement in a troubled world”.
“Forty-five years on, those words resonate as strongly as ever.”
Hugh Brasher CEO, London Marathon Events
With Sports Tours International, you never run alone.
We are proud to support an inspirational community of runners, each with their own story to tell but one shared trait – a desire to conquer the marathon.
We caught up with some of the class of 2024 to find out how they got on.
“
”
“I went with the Sports Tours International team to London in 2024 and they took a lot of the worry away. They had the perfect hotel location, escorted me to the start and had the absolute best after party! The best part was all the great friendships I made at the event.”
Robert Mcbee
“
”
“Traveling to the TCS London Marathon in April 2024 was the first time I had ever traveled out of the country and I had so many emotions: nervous, excited, anxious! I had booked domestic trips with the team before and I knew all the logistics would be taken care of, I just had to show up and run the marathon. I did not expect to have so much fun exploring London on the private bus tour, or sightseeing with my new group of friends. Traveling to London with Sports Tours International was truly a trip of a lifetime!”
Lori Ferguson
THE TCS LONDON MARATHON COURSE
A ROUTE STEEPED IN HISTORY
Discover the marathon’s course, a 26.2 mile celebration of London’s spirit,
1 The Cutty Sark – One of the world’s fastest and last trade sailing boats to be built (1869). It is an iconic landmark on the London Marathon Course at mile 6.5 and attracts thousands of supporters – expect a party atmosphere as the marathon snakes through Victorian streets in the shadow of the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich.
2 Tower Bridge – Runners are spurred on at Mile 12 when they run across the River Thames at Tower Bridge. This world-famous landmark is filled with spectators creating a wall of noise as you approach the halfway point. Rest assured, the bridge won’t be raised for passing river traffic on race day!
3 Canary Wharf – An iconic part of the London skyline, Canary Wharf sits at Mile 18. This is another popular spot for fans to watch the race, as the course loops around the skyscrapers that form London’s newest commercial district.
4 Hung, Drawn & Quartered Pub – This historic watering hole (one of over 3,500 pubs in London) is located at mile 23, near the Tower Hill scaffold. Many a grim execution took place in centuries gone by – a punishment reserved for the gravest crimes against the crown.
5 The London Eye – The London Eye is the fourth largest ferris wheel in the world and offers astonishing views of London. You will pass The Eye at Mile 25 while tracing the River Thames towards the finish. Another hugely popular viewing spot with crowds five or six deep.
THE LONDON MARATHON IN NUMBERS…
34
A group of 34 runners set a world record for the most runners linked together to complete a marathon. They ran the entire course while tied together!
45
The number of Guinness World Records broken at the 2023 London Marathon.
91
Age in years of David Picksley, the oldest London Marathon finisher in 2024.
270
The number of participants who celebrated their birthday on the day of the 2024 London Marathon.
432
The number of construction workers that built Tower Bridge in 1894 – the largest bridge in the world at the time, taking eight years to complete.
1981
The year of the first London Marathon, taking place on March 29th, 1981.
53,700
The number of runners to finish the London Marathon in 2024, a record for the event and one of the largest marathon fields in history.
6 Big Ben & The Palace of Westminster – Commonly referred to as The Houses of Parliament, this astonishing gothic building is the seat of UK democracy and best known for the clock adorning Elizabeth Tower – Big Ben. A British cultural icon. You’ll have no time to admire the view though, with only one mile to the finish.
7 Buckingham Palace – The greatest finish line in the world, The Mall outside Buckingham Palace is the focal point of the British people at times of national rejoicing and mourning. Few events elicit more support than the London Marathon –soak in the rapturous reception as you receive your medal in front of the King’s Royal residence.
3:22:16
Time taken by Matt Everett, the fastest runner in history to cross a marathon finish line dressed as a traffic cone!
3:59:57
Time taken by Becky Lafford to set a Guinness World Record for the fastest marathon run wearing wellington boots.
840,318
The number of people that applied for an entry in the 2025 London Marathon ballot, setting a world record.
MY FOUR KEY FACTORS FOR MARATHON SUCCESS GREG MCMILLAN
1. Leg Durability
We are delighted to be working with renowned distance running coach Greg McMillan to help you prepare for the TCS London Marathon.
While many runners think about cardiovascular fitness when training for a race, long races like the marathon are more dependent on the ability of your legs to handle the pounding across the race than on your cardiovascular fitness.
A key aspect of training is to develop legs that can handle the distance. I recommend four things to do in training – sustainable and consistent weekly mileage, long runs, marathon-specific long runs and specialty leg strengthening exercises.
2. Nutrition/Fueling
You’ve probably heard that you have plenty of fat within your body to power you for hours and hours but when running at marathon pace, you also burn carbohydrates and those carbohydrate stores (called glycogen) are limited.
As a result, you must fuel along the way. There are about as many fueling strategies as there are runners so it may take some experimentation to find what works for you. You will want to fuel every 30-60 minutes depending on the type of product you choose.
A runner, exercise scientist and coach, Greg has a unique ability to combine the science of endurance performance with the art of realworld coaching. He has coached Olympians, Boston Marathon qualifiers as well as new runners and he will be on hand in London to share his wisdom before race day.
These are his four key factors for marathon success.
3. Happy Brain
The third factor is a happy brain. A “happy brain” may sound funny, but we are learning a lot about how the brain functions. One concept coming through lately is that if the brain senses anything threatening, it will send more fatigue messages to your body and can even cut the power to your working muscles to slow you down.
As a result, a key part of training is to get your brain used to the suffering that is inevitable in racing your best.
4. Proper Pacing
The fourth factor is proper pacing. Because you need to protect the legs, be careful burning your limited fuel stores and to keep the brain happy, you must pace yourself properly (view my marathon pace chart). Go too fast, too early and you’ll pay dearly later in the race.
Depending on the course, an even pace or a slightly negative split (faster second half marathon than the first) leads to your best race performance.
COURSE, CROWD, COMRADERY WHAT MAKES THE LONDON MARATHON GREAT?
The TCS London Marathon sees runners from all over the world come together and run through enchanting streets and past world-famous landmarks. But is it the jewel in the crown of the six Abbott World Marathon Majors?
According to our ambassador David Yim (aka Yimmy) the answer is a resounding yes – and he should know. Not only has Yimmy achieved his coveted sixth star, but he has also run London FIVE times and will be on the start line again this April. We spoke to Yimmy to find out what makes London great.
Why have you run the London Marathon five times?
The London Marathon is my favourite of the six World Marathon Majors. I tell people to run it because it has the three C’s. An incredible course, which is relatively flat with famous landmarks the whole way like Cutty Sark, Tower Bridge, the Shard, Big Ben, and Buckingham Palace! The second C is the crowd; London must have the most consistent crowd – there isn’t one blank spot, especially when you go past Tower Bridge – the noise is deafening! The third C is comradery amongst the runners. People make lifelong friends at the London marathon; one year we found out it was someone’s birthday while running along the course; suddenly you had 50 runners all singing Happy Birthday in unison.
What makes the London Marathon so memorable?
London is the most inclusive and diverse marathon. It has the most charity runners, and we’re all treated as proper runners… which we are! I always like to raise awareness for a charity. I chose my Young Lives Vs Cancer top, to give this charity maximum exposure. Linked to that, I also want to raise as much money as possible. There are thousands of charity runners at the London Marathon and it’s humbling to be a part of.
What are your tips for people running the London Marathon for the first time?
My first tip is to know where the landmarks are and what to look forward to, they give you such a boost! Cutty Sark is at the end of mile 7 and the crowd is phenomenal, pushing you on further. Just after halfway is Tower Bridge. As you’re coming up to it the crowd goes wild, it’s one of those wow moments where you realise, you’re going to run across a famous landmark. My second piece of advice is to hold back a little bit of energy until you get to the Blackfriars underpass, it will take a few minutes to get through. When you get to Big Ben, give everything you have left!
What is the most challenging part of the course?
The most challenging part of the course is mile nine because it’s the ‘boring middle’ even though the crowd’s there, there are no landmarks. You’re on a high from Cutty Sark and then there’s not much to see, but every year the crowd gets louder in this section. That bit is still a bit of a challenge for me, it’s a narrow part of the course with not much to see, that’s when it starts to hurt.
Why run the London Marathon with Sports Tours International?
My advice to all those out there wanting to run a marathon overseas, go with a travel operator like Sports Tours. This way you get added support and encouragement from their team. You get looked after, from start to finish and feel part of a community. The team at Sports Tours are more like a family!
Packages from $3,999
Four-night
phone-circle +1 704-246-6429
Envelope customerservice@sportstoursinternational.com www.sportstoursinternational.com