A new ‘Team Marathon’ event concept is coming to London which will see runners take on the iconic distance as a shared experience, running 10.55km legs as part of teams of four.
Different to a traditional relay, teams will start and run together – and can expect a race experience like no other – with live music stages, a brass band, DJs, cheer zones and spectator viewing areas packed around a short-loop course and central, festival grade race village. The emphasis is on serving the social runner – PB chaser or not, fast, slow or in-between.
Designed to create an environment where teammates and supporters remain connected from start to finish, and beyond, runners will spill into the heart of the festival, featuring street food from iconic London vendors, cold drinks of whatever you fancy, brand experiences, and a music festival vibe with big screens and stages delivering on atmosphere.
Being launched by sports industry powerhouse, Benchmark – who since 2008, have delivered 86 Bloomberg Square Mile Relay events across major cities worldwide, welcoming more than 100,000 participants – the Team Marathon brand and concept has been curated for a new era of social running.
Nick Keller, CEO of Benchmark, explains: “80% of 18-24 year-olds are signing up with others [1], and a 59% increase in run club participation has been seen globally [2] – the numbers don’t lie – but, while running has become increasingly social and community-driven, most race formats still centre on competition and individual achievement.
Put simply, the events market has not kept up. Existing events serve performance or participation. But the market is lacking an event that is a lifestyle-led, shared-experience, where running has become a cultural touchpoint on par with meeting a mate for coffee, for a gig, or to watch the match.”
With Team Marathon’s debut event locked in for May 22nd 2027, to be hosted in Hackney Wick, in the heart of East London, the ambition is to roll out the concept across three major UK cities in 2027, and then into Europe.
Keller comments: “We’re excited to be stepping out with something different, having seen first-hand how powerful a team-based running concept can be.
Shared experience will be at the heart of everything we do. So yes, you’ll get a shared marathon time and we still want runners to feel that sense of achievement – but, we also want them to have fun with their mates. Staggered waves will roll through the afternoon to create something truly special for the growing network of formal and informal running communities emerging across major cities.”
Team Marathon’s pre-sale for their debut London event on May 22nd 2027 will go live on Wednesday, August 26th at 10am, with 100 founding team tickets encompassing 400 runners available priced at £26.20 per person. Visit teammarathon.com to register for pre-sale access, and to find out more.
[1] Mass Participation Pulse Report, January 2026
[2] Strava Year in Sport 2024
Team Marathon is a new event concept created for the era of social running. Runners take on the iconic marathon distance, split four ways, with each runner completing 10.55km at the same time.
Part race, part festival, Team Marathon brings together running, music, food, drink and community in one shared experience. Its debut event will take place in Hackney Wick, East London, on May 22nd 2027, before planned expansion across the UK and Europe.
About Benchmark
Benchmark is a pioneering sports business with more than 17 years’ experience creating and delivering team-based mass participation running events around the world. Since 2008, it has delivered 86 Bloomberg Square Mile Relay events across 13 major cities on four continents, welcoming more than 100,000 participants.
Founded by Nick Keller, Benchmark uses sport to create experiences, networks and communities that bring people and businesses together. Team Marathon builds on that experience, taking the power of team-based running into the mass consumer market.
alex@action-group.co.uk
Action Group
