London OH Marathon
London, OH
- Marathon, Wheelchair Marathon, Half Marathon, Wheelchair Half Marathon, 5K
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
The Merrimac Miracle Organization is pleased to host the annual London OH Marathon as a fundraiser for Merri-Mac Park. We are raising funds to further improve the park by adding play equipment, recreational paths, sports fields, etc.
Local Historical Weather (Apr 11):
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
| H (°F) | 61 | 41 | 63 | 72 | 59 |
| L (°F) | 41 | 31 | 50 | 36 | 44 |
Find Nearby Lodging (hotel, rental, etc.):
A Nice Big Little Race
What Worked: Pickup was at the charming Nook Cafe in downtown London. It was easy to get what I wanted, and I was pleased to see several businesses in town … MORE
What Worked: Pickup was at the charming Nook Cafe in downtown London. It was easy to get what I wanted, and I was pleased to see several businesses in town embrace the event. (Aside: Friday afternoon was a little sleepy for downtown, yet post-race Saturday the downtown felt lively for shopping, eating, strolling.) For the race itself, parking was about 200m away from the start, making bag check unnecessary. A mass start with 300 people between the full- and half-marathon events stretched out enough so that when hitting the bike trail there was no crowding. The run itself was on NASCAR-race track smooth paved trail, many of the tiniest holes were marked. Not flat, but really close to it. Post-race was light for the marathon, as bagels, peanut butter, water, banana, and Gatorade were all available. Again, your car is super close!
What Could Have Been Better: The water stations were all stocked with volunteers keeping the vibes up, however the number of stations was spaced a little far apart. If it were warmer, dehydration would have been an issue (though they did double-dose when asked). Post-race festivities were slim, though this is more of a family event with a majority taking part in the shorter distances. The real “post-race” was to explore downtown! And finally, this was negligible for me yet could be a concern for some: the full marathon is a double out and back with two hairpin turns. On the first lap, the sun will be peeping directly onto your face and back.
TL;DNR? Great little race to support the community and park, far less hassle on a race morning, great course for a PR. Just explore downtown after the race!
Fast and flat 13.1- New PR!
This is a fast, flat, and small race. The half marathon is out and back and the marathon is the half marathon course two times. Overall production was good. Nothing … MORE
This is a fast, flat, and small race. The half marathon is out and back and the marathon is the half marathon course two times. Overall production was good. Nothing fancy, but didn’t need to be. I am thrilled with a new PR!
UPDATED 2026: Would not run again
2026 UPDATE AFTER SPECTATING: - Horrible race organization --- No permits/police helping traffic where the bike path crosses state highways. Many angry drivers, some unsafe close calls, volunteers almost got … MORE
2026 UPDATE AFTER SPECTATING:
– Horrible race organization
— No permits/police helping traffic where the bike path crosses state highways. Many angry drivers, some unsafe close calls, volunteers almost got run over.
— Almost no signage/markings to start/finish once you’re back in town, our runner got lost and missed her time goal bc of it.
— Ran out of water cups. Volunteers weren’t good at handing off cups.
— 1 porta potty at the water stop, had a line
– they changed the course to a 6.6mi out/back, meaning you run the same segment 4 times)
BELOW IS FROM MY RUNNING EXPERIENCE IN 2024:
– If the weather is good, like it was for me, it’s lightning fast. But the course is pretty exposed in the plains, so a windy day would not be fun.
– BORING course. It’s a straight line, not much to see.
– Crowd support is almost non-existent. At my pace, I ran 80% of the race without runners around me, so get used to being alone.
– No frills logistics. Show up on the morning, get your bib, walk 100 ft to the start. Once the race is over, it’s 100yds to your car and your on the road.
– Cheap