How Much Does The London Marathon Winner Get

So, I was chatting with my mate, Tom, over a pint the other day, and he's all like, "I reckon I could win the London Marathon!" I nearly choked on my ale. I mean, Tom's a great bloke, but his idea of a long run is the distance from the pub to the kebab shop. I said, "Mate, you're talking about 26.2 miles, not a Sunday stroll." That's when it hit me, how much does the London Marathon winner actually get? Let's dive in, shall we?

More Than Just a Medal

First things first, the winner gets a shiny new medal. But let's face it, you can't retire on a medal. So, what's the cash prize like? Well, it's not too shabby. The 2021 winner, Joyciline Jepkosgei from Kenya, took home a cool £25,000. That's not all, though. She also bagged an additional £50,000 for breaking the course record. Not bad for a morning's work, eh?

But wait, there's more! The London Marathon is part of the World Marathon Majors series. If you win two of these marathons in a calendar year, you can win a $500,000 bonus. That's right, half a million dollars! Now, Tom, you still think you can compete with Eliud Kipchoge?

More Than Money

Now, I'm not saying the winner's only in it for the cash. There's prestige, too. The London Marathon is one of the six World Marathon Majors, so winning it is a big deal. You're up there with the greats, like Paavo Nurmi and Abebe Bikila. Plus, you get to call yourself a London Marathon winner, which has a nice ring to it, don't you think?

And let's not forget the charity. The London Marathon is famous for its fundraising. In 2021, runners raised a record-breaking £66.4 million. So, while the winner gets a nice chunk of change, the real winners are the charities.

2024 London Marathon prize money... How much the winner of London's 26

But What About the Rest?

Alright, so we know what the winner gets. But what about the rest of us mere mortals? Well, if you're one of the 40,000 runners who finish the race, you get a medal, too. And if you're really quick, you might even get a personal best. But don't expect a cash prize. Unless, of course, you've got a generous sponsor or you're planning to sell that medal on eBay.

And what about poor old Tom? Well, I told him to start with a 5k, work his way up. Maybe one day he'll be in the starting line with the rest of us. But for now, he's happy with his pint and his kebab. Which, let's face it, is a pretty good place to be.