All you need to know about the virtual London Marathon app

From Runner's World

• The 2020 London Marathon will be a virtual race for non-elites (that’s almost all of us).

• You can now download the official London Marathon app you will need to record your race with on Sunday, October 4.

• For the 40th edition of the race, runners can clock 26.2 miles within a 24-hour period.

How to use the London Marathon app

From today, all of the 45,000 virtual runners can download the London Marathon app ahead of the virtual race on Sunday. Here's everything you need to know about the app ahead of Sunday's race:

• You can log in using your running number and registration ID which should have been emailed to by Wednesday 30 September. It's important to note, you can ONLY log in one one device, so log in on the one you plan on running with on Sunday.

• The virtual Virgin Money London Marathon will begin at 00:00:00 BST and end at 23:59:59 on Sunday 4 October.

• Tap 'Start My Run' when you're ready to go.

• Make sure your phone is fully charged and has it's location services turned on before you start running on Sunday.

• Along the way, you can hear commentary from Paula Radcliffe and Steve Cram, who will let you know how far you've run and keep the motivation up! You do have the option to turn this audio experience off under the 'My Run' section of the app if you'd prefer to stick to your own playlist.

• You can pause your run as many times as you like, 'active time' will pause, but the 'elapsed time' will continue running. The elapsed time is the time that will be counted as your finish time.

• Once you have completed the 26.2 miles, the app will automatically stop tracking. You don't need to do anything.

Do I need to wear a running watch?

Yes, if you have a running watch it's a good idea to wear it as a backup. If for whatever reason the app doesn't work, you will be able to submit your running watch evidence through the Official App. If you don't run with a watch, you can always track your run with another app, such as Strava.

Further evidence will need to be supplied for runners looking to qualify for a Good for Age or Championship entry in 2021.

How should I plot my route?

London Marathon organisers are urging runners not to try to run the London Marathon route on the day, but to be creative by plotting their own virtual marathon. Try to find a route that is as traffic-free as possible. Make sure you’ve got enough water and fuel to run the distance and, if you’re going for a PB, perhaps ask a friend to pace you for all or parts of the run.

How to track runners on the London Marathon app

Your family and friends will also be able to download the app to track you on Sunday 4 October through the 'Tracking' section of the app. They will then be able to track you on the official London Marathon course, they won't be able to see your actual location.

What will the medal look like at the (virtual) finish line?

London Marathon organisers have also revealed the 40th race medal ahead of the virtual race . Sharing a photo of the medal on social media with the caption, 'Designed and produced for our initial April date, #The40thRace medal will now be looked back on as one of the most unique in our history and awarded to our incredible class of 2020.'

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