Race experience: London Marathon 2026

It was an action packed weekend at the London Marathon as the greatest marathoning record was broken and how!

And among the throngs of runners at London 2026, we had Murali Gaddam, an avid runner who began his running journey in 2011 at the TCS World 10K Bengaluru. Fast forward to today, Murali has run over 30000 kilometres, clocked 7 sub-3 marathons, has run the majors at Boston, Berlin and London, and holds a personal best of 2:52:56.

Murali took on the course at the London Marathon 2026 and also witnessed history in the making. Here is his experience at the London Marathon.

London is just a step towards achieving more

Running the London Marathon is a dream for most of us out there. For Murali, it is just a stepping stone to laying claim to the coveted 7 Star World Marathon Major Medal, an exclusive medal handed out to only those who finish all the 7 World Marathon Majors.

The expo experience:

The London Marathon expo, better known as the TCS London Marathon Running Show was hosted at the Excel in London on the 4 days leading up to the race.

Murali mentions that the London Marathon expo was the best he’s experienced so far. Being surrounded by runners and all things running is something every runner dreams of and this was nothing short of dreams coming true.

The inclusivity and intricate preparation at the London Marathon is something that he will always carry forward with him. The special focus on the recovery zones and inclusion of stalls from other races was something that just screamed: Running is all about the community!

However, Murali also mentions that the crowd flow at the expo could’ve been much better. With a global presence, brands from all over the world had flown in to be a part of the expo. Better crowd management could ensure that every runner has a chance to visit every stall at the expo and  that’s what expos are all about, right?

Race day experience:

Phenomenal! That’s the word Murali used to describe his race day experience.

The London Marathon just doesn't involve the runners. It is the entire city that comes together to celebrate each other’s achievements. That’s what makes the London Marathon possibly one of the greatest collective sporting events out there.

Murali suffered a slight niggle in training before going into the race and set a simple goal for himself at London: Just run a sub-3 and that will be good enough. Sub 3: An everyday occurrence for some, a lifetime goal for many.

But frivolities aside, the weather played a huge role for many runners that morning. The conditions were slightly warmer than usual in London and Murali accounted for that too. In fact, the last two kilometres were run slower than the rest of the race as the heat began to get a bit more intense.

But despite the heat, the one thing that kept every runner going was the crowd support. Electric wasn’t the word. From the start line all the way to the final turn at Buckingham Palace and even beyond the finish line, the support from the crowd was spectacular. The boards with hilariously motivating messages, pet dogs handing out “power up high fives”, food and drinks along the way from the spectators…everything culminated in an experience like no other. London was alive that morning.

Murali crossed the finish line all emphatic in his second best marathon time of 2:53:59. He also was the second fastest Indian finisher at the London Marathon 2026.

And how did he celebrate?

Murali collected his finishers medal which he thought was fantastic. It was made from recycled zinc which was a welcome surprise. The exit from the race was seamless and collecting his baggage from the counter was a smooth process, too!

All in all, the London Marathon is something he would like to do all over again.

And the cherry on the cake? Remember how we mentioned that the entire city of London comes together and celebrates achievements?

Murali headed out to a restaurant with a cousin for a post-race meal. The staff at the restaurant saw his medal and the meal was on the house! London does know how to celebrate the spirit of running, doesn’t it?

To connect with Murali, to know more about his running journey and his coaching experience, drop him a text on his instagram handle.

@gmurali91