The TCS Mini London Marathon has announced a major new partnership with The Body Coach Foundation, the charity arm of Britain’s famed PE teacher and fitness coach Joe Wicks. The two-year collaboration will see The Body Coach Foundation become the Official Charity Partner of both the TCS Mini London Marathon and the TCS Mini London Marathon in schools, cementing a shared mission to get children across the UK moving and active.
The partnership aims high: the organisations are targeting 50,000 children taking part in the TCS Mini London Marathon itself and one million children participating in the school-based version of the event by 2030. The initiative represents one of the most ambitious programmes in the UK dedicated to youth physical activity, blending fun, fitness and community engagement.
The TCS Mini London Marathon is the country’s largest free one-day children’s running event. This year, it will take place on Saturday 25 April at St James’s Park, London, with entries already sold out. Around 22,000 children aged 4–17 are expected to participate, running either a one-mile or 2.6-kilometre distance. The event has been part of the London Marathon weekend since 1986. For decades, it was reserved for young elite athletes — alumni include Olympic champions such as Sir Mo Farah and middle-distance sensation Keely Hodgkinson. In 2022, the event expanded to welcome all school children, and since then more than 38,000 youngsters have taken part.
The school-based TCS Mini London Marathon is a virtual two-mile challenge that allows pupils to participate within their own school or education setting. The 2026 edition began on Monday 23 February and will run until Friday 1 May, giving schools time to organise their own runs. Since 2020, over one million children across the UK have taken part. The 2025 event set a record with 2,039 schools registered, highlighting the growing popularity of the programme.
Joe Wicks, founder of The Body Coach Foundation, expressed his excitement about the new partnership. “I’m incredibly proud that The Body Coach Foundation is partnering with the TCS Mini London Marathon and the TCS Mini London Marathon in schools,” he said. “I’ve spent years championing the benefits of movement for children’s physical and mental wellbeing, and no event has done more to spark excitement and participation among young people. Encouraging children to be active every day — both in and out of school — is vital, and I believe we can achieve the goal of getting one million children moving by 2030 together.”
Ben Cooper, Event Lead for the TCS Mini London Marathon and TCS Mini London Marathon in schools, added: “We are thrilled to announce The Body Coach Foundation as our Official Charity Partner. Joe Wicks has dedicated his career to inspiring children to get active and experience the physical and mental benefits of regular movement. Every year the TCS Mini London Marathon and the TCS Mini London Marathon in schools help hundreds of thousands of children to get moving, and with Joe’s support, we can succeed in our goal to get one million children moving by 2030.”
As part of the partnership, schools participating in the Mini London Marathon in schools will receive a specially designed activity pack from Joe Wicks, including games and healthy recipes to support active lifestyles. Schools will also receive a trophy and be entered into a draw for a visit from Joe himself. During the 2026 TCS Mini London Marathon on 25 April, Joe will be on site to host warm-up sessions for children before the race begins.
The partnership aligns with London Marathon Events’ wider ambition to encourage physical activity among young people nationwide. Joe Wicks has been a household name in fitness for over a decade, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic, when his ‘PE with Joe’ series inspired hundreds of thousands of children and adults to exercise at home. Earlier this year, he teamed up with the UK government to launch the animated series Activate, designed to motivate children to adopt healthier, more active lifestyles.
In addition to participation, schools taking part in the 2026 event will receive a toolkit featuring running numbers — mirroring those worn by the full TCS London Marathon runners — and certificates for every child who takes part. Children will also have the opportunity to fundraise as part of their school challenge, combining health, fun and community impact in one exciting initiative.
The Body Coach Foundation’s partnership with the TCS Mini London Marathon represents a landmark step towards creating a healthier, more active generation, ensuring that thousands of children across the UK experience the joy of running and the benefits of daily movement.
