But if you have tried and failed in the ballot, have you ever thought about increasing your odds of getting in by becoming a celebrity?
Chris Evans, Kelly Brook, and John Terry are among the big names to have secured their place for the 26.2-mile run on Sunday.
And many have been sharing their training tips in the lead-up to the 42km test, which will begin, as ever, in Greenwich and finish at The Mall.
For seasoned marathoner Evans, it will be the latest of many trips around London but for others, like Brook, it is a step (or many steps) into the unknown.
Radio host Brook wrote on Instagram on March 2: “I’m not a runner, in fact, I’ve never run more than 5k – so this was a huge achievement today! Rocky & Apollo would be Proud 🤩 20k Completed it .”
Here is who has said they will be taking part this year.
Which celebrities are running the London Marathon?
- Adam Woodyatt (EastEnders)
- Alexandra Burke (singer and actor)
- Clara Francis
- Craig Parkinson (Line of Duty, Grace)
- Jack Greenlees (Shetland, Joan)
- Kedar Williams-Stirling (Sex Education)
- Kelly Brook (also model and TV personality)
- Kimberley Hart-Simpson (Coronation Street)
- Lisa McGrillis (Rivals, Sex Education)
- Patina Miller (Sister Act, Pippin)
- Randall Park
- Sam Heughan (Outlander)
- Stephen Mangan (also TV presenter)
- Thomas Law (EastEnders)
- Tony Audenshaw (Emmerdale)
Chris Evans, here with wife Natasha Shishmanian, is a London Marathon veteran
PA
- Adele Roberts (radio personality)
- Cel Spellman (radio host)
- Chris Evans (radio presenter)
- Craig Doyle (This Morning)
- Jenni Falconer (Smooth FM, TV presenter)
- Joel Dommett (comedian, presenter)
- Joe Wicks (fitness coach, presenter)
- Marcus Bean (TV chef and presenter)
Jack Wilshire has a reputation for being injury prone but can he run 42km?
ITV
- Chris Newton (former Olympic cyclist)
- Danny Mills (former footballer)
- Darren Randolph (football goalkeeper)
- Gary Rowett (football manager)
- Jack Wilshere (former footballer)
- James Rodwell (former rugby player)
- Jamie Jones-Buchanan (former rugby league player)
- Jody Morris (former footballer)
- John Terry (former footballer)
- Leonardo Bonucci (former footballer)
- Michael Jamieson (former Olympic swimmer)
- Shane McGuigan (boxing coach)
- Sir Alastair Cook (former cricket captain)
- Sir Andrew Strauss (former cricket captain)
- Sir Jason Kenny (former Olympic cyclist)
- Stef Reid (former Paralympic athlete)
- Steve Sidwell (former footballer)
Reality TV/Entertainment Personalities
- Baasit Siddiqui (Gogglebox)
- Dr. Amos Ogunkoya (The Traitors)
- Emon Choudhury (Race Across the World)
- Jake Quickenden (singer and TV personality)
- Joe Sugg (social media personality)
- Kitty Scott-Claus (RuPaul’s Drag Race UK)
- Michael Griffiths (Love Island)
- Ollie Proudlock (Made in Chelsea)
- Spencer Matthews (Made in Chelsea)
- Stephen Webb (Gogglebox)
- Stevie Bradley (Love Island)
- Suzanne Shaw (TV personality and singer)
- Harry Judd (McFly)
- Rou Reynolds (Enter Shikari)
- Helen Thorn
- Jack Skipper
- Paul Tonkinson
- Rob Deering
- Romesh Ranganathan
- Shabaz Ali
Influencers/Social Media Personalities
- Candice Brathwaite (fitness influencer)
- Courtney Clare (fitness influencer)
- Dr Alex George (TV personality and presenter)
Other/Multiple Categories
- Emma Campbell (author, speaker, podcaster)
- Jeremy Joseph (nightclub founder)
- Paul Ainsworth (TV chef)
- Steve Bland (podcast host, journalist)