Frequently asked questions
On the day
Where will Alzheimer's Society be on marathon day?
Pre-race meeting point - Tea Pavilion Cafe (SE10 8QY) in Greenwich Park for our runners. We'll have drinks and refreshments available, and be able to give you a final good luck before you head to the start line.
Post race reception - Royal Horse Guards Hotel, One Whitehall Place (Whitehall Ct, London SW1A 2EJ). We’ll be there to welcome you with hot food, refreshments and even a sports massage to help you on the road to recovery after your amazing achievement! This is a great meeting point for you to meet up with your friends and family after the marathon as everywhere will be very busy. We will have staff and volunteers near the finish line to meet you and give you directions or walk back with you to the post race reception.
Cheering you along on the course - We have cheer points at Mile 7 (Cutty Sark), Mile 11 (Bermondsey), Mile 13 (Tower Hill), Mile 18 (Canary Wharf), Mile 22 (Tower Hill) and Mile 25 (Embankment). See the link below for a downloadable spectator guide with all the above details on, great for sharing with friends and family.
Can my friends and family come to the cheer points?
Yes, absolutely we would love for your friends and family to volunteer and join us at our cheer points on the day. We will have staff and volunteers at every cheer point and cheer materials to help them make as much noise as possible for you.
They can sign up here to get involved.
About your marathon
My Alzheimer's Society running top hasn't arrived, or is the wrong size what do I do?
We aim to get all Alzheimer's Society running tops out to you by the end of March. If your top doesn't arrive or doesn't fit, please come and see us at the London Marathon Running Show, we have a limited stock of tops and you can pick one up from there or change a size or contact us.
When is the public ballot open for 2026 London Marathon?
The public ballot for 2026 will be open from Friday 25 April 2205 to Friday 2 May 2025. Entrants will find out if they're successful around July 2025.
When will I receive training support?
We’ll send out a link to our Training Zone in your welcome emails. Here you will find our training guide and plans for every ability plus loads of other advice covering areas including nutrition, injuries and tapering.
We’ll also give you contact details for our expert running coaches, so you get in touch directly with any questions.
Is there an age limit?
This event is open to everyone aged 18 or over on race day.
Charity places
How can I apply for a 2026 charity place?
Our applications for the 2026 London Marathon will open the weekend of the 2025 London Marathon. We aim to let you know the outcome of your application by July 2025.
If your application is successful you’ll need to pay a registration fee of £100 and have a fundraising target of £2,500. We’ll be there to support you every step of the way, and the money you raise will help fund vital support and life-changing research.
Click on the link below for more information about running the London Marathon with us. - TCS London Marathon | Alzheimer's Society (alzheimers.org.uk)
What are you looking for in a charity place application?
We look for applications that provide lots of detail about why you would like to run for Alzheimer's Society and multiple ideas about how you might fundraise. The more detail the better! Our applications for the 2026 event will open at the end of April 2025.
Can I change my charity place application?
If you'd like to make any updates to your charity place application, please email events@alzheimers.org.uk.
When will I know if I have a charity place for the 2026 event?
We'll aim to let people know the outcome of their application by the end of July 2025.
What happens if I don't raise the minimum sponsorship for a charity place?
It's incredibly important that each charity place runner meets the minimum sponsorship pledge, to help us fund vital research and services for people affected by dementia.
There is no legal obligation to make up the shortfall, but if you don't meet your target it is likely to impact on your future chances of gaining an event place with our charity.
Please do contact us if you require fundraising advice. In some circumstances it will be possible to have some extra time to meet the fundraising requirement.
Fundraising
How do I pay in my fundraising?
If you’re collecting money on a JustGiving page, there’s nothing you need to do, your sponsorship comes directly to us.
If you have collected any cash, you can bank it and pay in using one of these options:
- Pay the donations directly onto your JustGiving page if you have one.
- Pay in online using our secure payment page.
- Send a cheque made payable to Alzheimer's Society, Suite 2, 1st Floor East Wing, Plumer House, Tailyour Road, Plymouth PL6 5DH Please include our paying in form so we have your event details.
- Pay over the phone with a credit or debit card. Call our lovely customer care team on 0330 333 0804.
When do I need to pay in my fundraising?
We ask that you please send in all donations within 6 weeks of the event.
Can I fundraise in a team?
Of course! Please let us know when you sign up by creating a team. Your team members can then join you by clicking on the ‘find’ button and typing in either the team captain’s name or your team name.
The fundraising target for charity places is still £2,500 per person but you're welcome to combine your targets into one team total.