New Balance Launches London Run House – A Community Hub Open During The 2026 TCS London Marathon Weekend
New Balance, Official Apparel and Footwear Partner of the 2026 TCS London Marathon will open London Run House, a community-led space celebrating the people who shape the city’s running culture and reflecting the brand’s belief that if you run, you belong. Bringing together athletes, crews, first-time marathoners and spectators alike, the space invites all who run to connect in a distinctly London way.
Located inside the iconic Somerset House on the bank of the River Thames, along the marathon route, London Run House will transform Somerset House’s Embankment Galleries into a state-of-the-art destination celebrating community, craft and performance.
Across the weekend, the space brings together athletes, run crews, marathon runners, spectators and London’s wider creative community to experience New Balance through a distinctly London lens.
Reflecting the energy of the capital, London Run House explores how the sport extends beyond clocking miles, through surfaces, typography, fabrication and shared experience. From immersive workshops and panel discussions to installations and screenings.
At the heart of London Run House is a cinematic documentary and portrait series created with London’s running communities that captures how the city prepares for marathon day across its boroughs.
The project follows crews across the capital as they train, gather and build momentum in their own ways ahead of the start line. Visitors are invited to experience the build-up across the city, where every borough prepares differently.
Directed by Joshua Simpkins and shot across boroughs including Greenwich, Battersea, Tower Hamlets and Lewisham, the film features real crews and communities as they gear up for the big day from riverside runs and art-led sessions to track training and culture-infused long runs, each story revealing a different side of London’s running culture.
Blending cinematic direction with self-captured footage from runners themselves, the film offers an intimate portrait of routines, rituals, pride and pressure as marathon day approaches.
The documentary sits alongside a portrait series from photographer Vivek Vadoliya, whose work documents members of RunThe Boroughs, Runner Beans, Deaf Run Club, LES Running and 2-Step Collective, celebrating the people who bring the city’s running culture to life.
Together, the documentary and portrait series reflect New Balance’s belief that running culture is shaped not only by elite performance, but by the communities who move the sport forward every day. The project premieres inside London Run House on Friday 24th April, anchoring the weekend programme around the voices and experiences of the communities shaping the city’s running culture.
Developed together with London running communities including Runner Beans, LES Run, PASSA and Green Street Collective, the programming reflects New Balance’s commitment to creating spaces where runners of all levels, identities and motivations can feel represented and supported.
More information on the programming open to the public can be found via the New Balance site here.
Open to the Public | Friday 24th April – Sunday 26th April
Visitors can prepare, connect, recover and celebrate across the marathon weekend through:
Bar & Lounge — coffee, refreshments, snacks and seating
Compression Boots & Massage Guns — post-marathon recovery support
Film Screening & London Community Portrait Exhibition by Vivek Vadoliya
Medal Engraving
T-Shirt Heat Press Printing with London-focused designs
Test & Trial treadmill stations featuring the latest New Balance running footwear
Product Showcase including FuelCell SuperComp Elite v5, Ellipse v1, 1080v15 and RC apparel collection
British Sign Language (BSL) Education
Race-Day Ready Nails & Hair Styling
Friday 24th April
Pre-Race Body Regulation Session | 14:00 – 17:00 | Hosted by Mikey Kratzer and Jay Levine
Runner Beans Workshop | 18:00 – 19:00 | Make your mark in an arts and crafts workshop hosted by Runner Beans runcrew
Saturday 25th April
Race Ready | 10:00 – 16:00 | Massage, hair styling, sign-making and more
LES Run Workshop | 16:00 – 18:00 | Guided collage experience hosted by Toni-Ann Murphy
Relaxation Lounge | 18:00 – 22:00 | Women’s community-led pre-race recovery space hosted by LES Run and PASSA
Ellipse Sunset Run | 19:30 – 20:30 | A relaxed 5km evening run with the opportunity to test the new Ellipse, hosted by The Greenstreet Collective
Sunday 26th April
Spectator Party | 09:00 – 13:00 | Cheer packs, sign-making and support stations
Finisher Party | 13:00 – 17:00 | Medal engraving, finisher posters and celebrations
Pillar Post Marathon Stretch & Mobility | 13:00 – 14:00 & 16:00 – 17:00
Pillar Post Marathon Pilates | 14:30 – 15:30
Cheer Zones | Mile 8, 16.3 & 25 | Join London run crews bringing energy and support across the course
Location
New Balance London Run House, Embankment Galleries, Somerset House, WC2R 1LA
Opening Hours
Friday 24 April | 14:00 – 17:00
Saturday 25 April | 10:00 – 18:00
Sunday 26 April | 09:00 – 17:00
Alongside London Run House, New Balance will activate marathon cheer zones at Mile 8, Mile 16 and Mile 25 with crew partners including Runner Beans, Deaf Run Club, Run The Boroughs, PASSA and LES Running, offering music, sign-making and community support to lift runners across their 26-mile journey.