Frequently asked questions
You can swim in any UK pool or any UK swimming venue you wish. And you can mix it up.
It may help your to book your swims in advance. You will need to pay for each swim - our challenge is FREE but your will need to pay for your swims in the normal way.
You could swim your virtual challenge in open water, however we do not recommend this unless you are a very experienced cold water swimmer and swimming at a managed location with the necessary safety provisions in place. Each open water swim would also need to be very shorter than a typical pool swim due to the temperature of the water.
Thank you for your Marathon Swims merchandise purchases. All purchases include the cost of postage. All merchandise, including medals will be sent to you following your submission of your results for your challenge.
International participants will need to cover some additional costs of postage by paying the additional fee in additional purchases.
Please note - Medals cannot be sent until your results have been submitted and other merchandise purchased will only be sent when we know the outcome of your swim challenge.
Results can be submitted anytime between 1 November and 30 November.
You do need to complete your challenge to receive a medal.
However, if you are not able to complete your challenge, please drop us a line (info@marathonswims.com) before 30 November, so we can post to you any other merchandise you have paid for.
If you ordered a medal and did not complete your challenge or submit your result before the closing date (30 Nov), you can be sent a generic Marathon Swims medal (without the distance stated on the ribbon) - to be requested on email.
If you attempted the 50k and only completed 10k, we can send you a Marathon 10k medal, however you will not be included in the results. To be requested on email.
We will publish results (distances completed and name) regularly throughout the challenge. Results can be found here -
https://resultscui.active.com/events/MarathonSwimsVirtualChallenge2025
Please let us know if you do not want to be included in the results by emailing us info@marathonswims.com
If you are not able to complete your challenge, please drop us a line (info@marathonswims.com) before 30 November, so we can post to you any merchandise (not medals) you have paid for.
For medals - see below
If you ordered a medal but are unable to complete your challenge distance and submit your results before the closing date (30 November), unfortunately you will not be sent your medal.
However, you do have 4 options:
1. Request a generic (non distance) medal to recognise your attempt at the challenge
2. Request a place in next year's Virtual Challenge, with a free medal
3. Or you can ask to transfer the cost of the medal to a discount in next year's live event at the London Aquatics Centre.
To request any of the above, please email info@marathonswims.com
You can purchase merchandise until 30 November (subject to availability). Please follow the steps below:
Log in to your Active account here. Select 'Purchase merchandise' and you can then add Marathon Swims swim caps or Marathon Swims t shirts to your order. This is subject to availability. If a size or type of merchandise is not available, that range will be sold out. Furture Marathon Swims events will have other merchandise for sale on entry.
If you're having trouble logging in - please see this guide.
When you have purchased additional merchanise, please also email us at info@marathonswims.com to state that you have done this, just in case your order has already been processed.
If you are not based in the UK, please do not enter the Marathon Swims Virtual Challenge. Unfortunately, we are only insured for entrants based in the UK. If you are not based in the UK and you enter the virtual challenge, we will have to cancel your place. Please note that the Active fee is non refundable, if paid on entry.
- No, Race Packs are not sent out, but collected from the venue on Race Day. We recommend arriving at least an hour before your individual start time. The Race Pack includes a wristband, your race tattoo and any Marathon Swims merchandise you have purchased along with your entry. You will also collect a timing chip.
Bring your confirmation email (on phone or printed) and we'll sccan you when you arrive
- Race Day information, including individual start times, will be available closer to the event date (communicated on or around 1 October 2020). We will email you with all the details of your challenge but also please keep an eye on social media for updates and announcements. Start times may vary from 8am to 7pm on the event day depending on the schedule.
- You can transfer to another challenge, only if there is space in the challenge that you are transferring to. NO changes can be made after 30 September 2020. Charges apply for any change of challenge (see FAQ - Event Entry page for more details)
- Yes, your estimated completion time is an important piece of information. It ensures we are able to place swimmers in the right wave, as we try to ensure that swimmers of similar ability are together. The deadline for any changes of estimated completion time is midnight 30 September 2020. You can change your estimated completion time by logging in to your account and changing the details
- You can only change your start time (when allocated) if you have purchased Wave Selection when you entered the event. All participants are placed in waves depending on their speed and wave start times vary between 8am and 7pm on both event days. The faster swimmers have later starts.
The start times for Marathon Swims are arranged based on your estimated completion time (entered at time of registration). It is important, for the enjoyment of all, to ensure that swimmers of similar speeds are placed in the same wave, as we know it can be frustrating if participants are continually overtaken or need to overtake.
- A Marathon Swim is 10k. We also have a Half Marathon Swim (5k) and a 1k Challenge Swim are available for individual swimmers. You can also compete as a team of two in the 10k Team Marathon Swim.
Marathon 10k is 200 lengths of the 50m pool, Half Marathon 5k is 100 lengths and the 1k Challenge is 20 lengths.
- The Marathon Swims events take place in the biggest and best swimming arenas in the UK. We hope to expand the number of events we deliver in the UK. The London event is held at the venue of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the London Aquatic Centre, on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November 2020.
- The start waves are decided based on swim speed (your estimated completion time). The slower swimmers are given earlier start times, faster swimmers later start times. This is to ensure a good event experience for all and to avoid too much overtaking/being overtaken. The faster swimmers starting later (on Sunday) means that the podium positions can be awarded directly to the fastest swimmers.
Please answer your estimated completion time acurately and honestly in the registration. Please also account for the transitions (likley to be 30 seconds to 1 minute per km)
- Start times will be announced around 1 October 2020. The waves you are allocated will depend on your estimated completion time that you stated in registration. Participants can buy the Wave Selection in additional purchases which enables you to select the broad start time of your swim. However, these are limited in number and only should be used by our participants who are travelling long distances.
- Yes, you can enter the 10k Marathon Swim as part of a team of two. Only one member of the team is allowed in the water at any one time. Each swimmer can swim any number of sets (1k sets) as long as the total distance swum by the team is 10k and that each swimmer has swum a minimum of 1k. There is no team option for the Half Marathon (5k) or 1k Challenge Swim events.
Thank you for your deferral last year. Unfortunately, the 2021 live event will not be taking place due to the complications of lockdowns and restrictions earlier in the year. We are really disappointed, but we’ve taken this decision after careful consideration of all the options. Unfortunately the 2021 London Aquatics Centre event is not going ahead.
However, we do have the Marathon Swims Virtual Challenge 2021 event and it's FREE!
In terms of your deferred place, we have emailed all deferrals. Your options are either to:
Donate
You can donate the cost of your entry to be shared equally between our fantastic charity partners. As a thank you for doing so you’ll benefit from a priority entry window and a special discount for the live Marathon Swims event in 2022.
Here is some more information about the charities:
The Swimathon Foundation (charity reg no. 1123870) promotes the benefits to health and wellbeing of swimming through its events and activities, including the Swimathon, the world’s biggest pool based fund-raising swim, the Open Water Swimathon and Marathon Swims, as well as supporting local swimming projects, clubs and schools through its Community Grants Scheme, the School Swimathon and its two COVID Relief Funds.
Over the last year Level Water have continued to provide much-needed swimming opportunities for children with physical and sensory disabilities, enabling them to join group swimming lessons or their local club (charity reg no. 1151510).
Defer
You can defer your place to Marathon Swims in 2022 which is planned to take place in the autumn at the London Aquatics Centre. Marathon Swims 2022 will launch soon. By deferring, you are guaranteeing your place in the event next year.
Refund
You can request a refund of your Entry Fee. This does not include the Active Registration Fee or the Active Refund Fee. Refund payments will be received in November.
To choose your preferred option - email us at info@marathonswims.com stating your full name and your preference: DONATE, DEFER or REFUND. Make sure you send your email by midnight 31
ALL FAQ's below are the FAQ's from 2020:
You can DONATE the entry cost of your place to our charities: Level Water and the Swimathon Foundation, DEFER your place to Marathon Swims 2021 or claim a refund.
DONATE - gives the value of your entry to charity, but you also receive a priority entry window and discount code for Marathon Swims 2021
DEFER - you will receive a time-limited code to enter Marathon Swims 2021 when it is launched
REFUND - you will receive your refund payment in November 2020
Please log into your Active account to select your choice before midnight on 31 October 2020. Please be aware that the Active Registration Fee and any Active Refund payments are non-refundable. In the case of teams, the Captain of the team needs to request a refund.
We cannot accept any submission of choice or change of choice beyond midnight 31 October 2020.
Please do NOT activate your Active Refund, if you purchased this, as it is invalid if the event is cancelled.
Whatever you decide, please do enter the Marathon Swims Virtual Challenge - it's FREE
Unfortunately not. We made the decision not to stage Marathon Swims in 2020 on 22 September 2020 and we have communicated this to our participants. There are a number of options for participants to choose from, please see the questions below.
Marathon Swims will return in 2021. Make sure you hear first about Marathon Swims 2021 register your interest here.
We are hosting the Marathon Swims Virtual Challenge - swim a Marathon 10k or Ultra Marathon 25k throughout November 2020 and claim your marathon swimming super-cool medal. LImited places, so enter today.
NO! If you took out Active Refund - DO NOT claim on it. The Active Refund terms and conditions state that if an event is cancelled, the Active Refund is no longer valid. If you wish for a refund, please follow our instructions so we can refund you.
Once you have cancelled your place through Active Refund, your registration disappears and we are not able to refund you!
If you have any questions about Active Refund, please check with us first - info@marathonswims.com
You can select your preferred option by simply clicking on this link - enter your password or create a new one.
Select 'Edit Registration' to go back into your original registration. We have added a new question for you to answer, which is after the main name and address questions. This extra question must be answered before midnight 31 October 2020.
If you're having trouble logging in - please see this guide.
You can also email us your choice before midnight 31 Oct 2020 - info@marathonswims.com
All non-responses will forfeit their place in Marathon Swims and no deferral, donation or refund will be available after midnight on 31 October 2020 in any circumstances.
Please check your inboxes and junk folders for our emails reminding you to make your choice.
You also cannot change your choice after midnight 31 October 2020.
When registration opens for Marathon Swims 2021, you will have 28 days from the launch of Marathon Swims 2021 to confirm your place in the event. You will receive a code providing the value of your entry paid for in 2020 and including any other fees paid eg wave selection fee, spectators etc. ITab fees will not be included, but we're working with them to find out what is possible.
Any merchandise you purchased from Marathon Swims 2020 (Swim caps and t shirts) will be sent to you free of charge this year.
Please also join us for the Marathon Swims Virtual Challenge in November - It's FREE.
Firstly, we’ll send you a massive THANK YOU! You will also receive a priority entry window and a special discount code for Marathon Swims 2021. The priority entry window and discount code will be time-limited.
We will also post any merchandise (Swim caps and t shirts) to you free of charge upon your DONATION request.
We will also provide you with a special discount code to enter the Marathon Swims Virtual Challenge and receive a medal - free of charge.
If you donated your place or deferred, we will post the merchandise (Swim caps and t shirts) to you free of charge. These items should arrive with you by end of November 2020.
For deferrals, any purchases of wave selection or spectators will be included in your deferred place for Marathon Swims 2021.
If you claimed a refund you can choose to either not to receive the merchandise purchased or receive your merchandise in the post minus a £4.50 post and packaging fee. If you selected for the merchandise to be sent to you, this will be delivered to you around the end of November 2020.
If you choose to request a refund, then your entry fee will be re-paid. The Active Registration Fee and any Active Refund payments are non-refundable. If you purchased merchandise (t-shirts and swim caps), these items will be posted to you – a £4.50 post and packaging charge will apply. Please do consider deferring or donating your entry if you are able, as it will help us support the event for future years. Purchases of wave selection and spectators will also be refunded. Purchases of iTabs cannot be refunded.
Refund payments will be made in November 2020.
Please do join us for the Marathon Swims Virtual Challenge in November - it's FREE.
If you purchased Active Refund DO NOT activate this insurance. The Active Refund insurance is invalid of the event is cancelled or postponed. If you wish to get a refund (whether you paid for Active Refund or not) please request it to us via the additional question in your registration before midnight 31 October 2020.
Please see Active’s terms and conditions. Active Refund payments are non-refundable. If you have any questions regarding Active Refund, please direct them to Active.
No, entries for Marathon Swims 2020 are now closed.
Please register your interest for Marathon Swims 2021
Entries to the Marathon Swims Virtual Challenge 2020 are open. The challenge is throughout November and it's FREE.
The deadline for completing the question (to select Donate, Defer or Refund) on your Active registration is midnight 31 October. We will then be actioning all of the refunds requested. This process should be completed by end of November 2020, but if we are able to refund earlier we will do so. We will update you with more information closer to the time.
Any purchases of iTabs will not be included in the refund, as your iTab payment was paid directly to them. We are currently in discussions with them.
- Yes, each Marathon Swimmer has a chip which provides accurate and instant results. You will also have 1k split times so you can see your progress over the course of the challenge and you will also see the length of time spent out of the pool in transition (between each kilometre). The event operates like a triathlon, so your transition times are included in your overall event time.
- The pool is divided into 10 lanes. Marathon Swimmers start in Lane 1 and swim up and back the lane. On returning to the starting end, Marathon Swimmers move up to Lane 2 to swim up and back, repeating this until reaching the end of Lane 10 and completing a set (1km). Having swum up and down each of the 10 lanes, exit the pool, travel along the side to start your next kilometre.
Checkout our explainer video
- Yes, overtaking is very much part of the event. There is two-way lane traffic in each of the lanes, so the overtaking swimmer needs to ensure it is safe to proceed with the manoeuvre and overtake on the left hand side. There is no overtaking in the final 5m of the lane in the end where you change lanes.
Checkout our Marathon Swims rules and etiquette
- Yes, a Marathon Swim is a very long distance and breaks are encouraged. You will have access to your fuel and fluids on the poolside and even your mobile phone if you wish, so you can keep your supporters, sponsors and friends updated on your progress mid-swim. You can rest out of the water as long as you want, however the time will be included in your overall completion time.
If you need to rest in the water, that is fine but we encourage you to rest at the end of a lap and position yourself away from swimmers turning
- Yes, there is a time limit for completion, as with most endurance events but these only apply to the later (faster) waves in the event day. All swimmers must be finished by 8pm. If you think that this is not possible based on your start time, please contact us.
For the later (faster) waves - Marathon Swim (10k) time limit is 5 hours, Half Marathon Swim (5k) time limit is 2 hours 30 minutes and the time limit for the Challenge Swim (1k) is 1 hour. The times may be challenging, so be sure to enter an appropriate estimated completion time in registration. Your estimated completion time will determine which wave you are placed in.
- Entry prices range from £27.50 to over £100 depending on the challenge and when you enter. Prices increase the closer we get to the event. We recommend you dive in now and claim your place before they sell out or increase.
There is an Active processing fee (£1 plus 5% of the total payment) for all entries on top of the entry fees quoted. The Active fee is non-refundable.
- We do have cut off times but these are only applied in the later (faster waves) and a total of 9 hours (for the early wave only). We allocate your start waves based on your estimated completion times to help ensure everyone is swimming with swimmers of similar abilities. All participants must be finished by 8pm
If you are in a faster (later) wave the cut off times are:
Marathon 10k (team and individual) - 5 hours
Half Marathon 5k - 2.5 hours
1k Challenge - 1 hour
- Yes, you need to be a minimum of 18 years by the event date. If you are currently 17, but 18 by the time of the event, you can enter, but you will need your parent/guardian to enter on your behalf. There is a selection at the start of the registration process enabling you to "register for someone else under 18"
Both days will involve a range of swimming abilities and distances (who are in our separated into waves depending on their estimated completion times). However if you're swimming for our charity partner Level Water we recommend that you swim on Saturday 7 Nov, and if you are a fast swimmer (in any category) we recommend that you enter for the Sunday 8 Nov. Awards of the podium place medals will be on Sunday 8 Nov and cover the whole weekend. Podium positions are not awarded by the day, but by event.
- Yes, simply click on this link and enter your password. From there you can buy additional Marathon Swims merchandise, update your estimated completion time or change address etc. If you're having trouble logging in - please see this guide.
- All start times are allocated (between 8am and 7pm) according to your estimated completion time that you submit on entering the event. You will be allocated a wave according to your swimming speed. It is only possible to choose your start time by paying the Wave Selection Fee in additional purchases. You can log in to your account and pay this, if you have not already done it and wish to select your wave. Please be aware that by selecting a different wave, you are likely to be competing with swimmers of different abilities. Wave Allocation to a later wave will not be possible if the estimated completion time of the swimmer means that the likely completion time exceeds 8pm.
If you purchase the Wave Selection - this means you are able to choose the broad time of your wave start (i.e. before 10am, between 10.01am and 1.30pm and between 1.31pm and 6.30pm). The idea of this is to enable participants who are travelling long distances to be able to plan their travel ahead of time. There are a limited number of Wave Selections available, the reason for this is that the event does need to ensure the majority of swimmers in each wave are at the appropriate speed/standard for that wave. The Wave Selection option is one a first come, first served basis.
- You can change your details or transfer by simply clicking on this link - enter your password or create a new one. From there you can transfer to someone else, transfer to another challenge (please see below for more information), buy additional Marathon Swims merchandise or buy Wave Allocation, update your estimated completion time or change address etc. If you're having trouble logging in - please see this guide.
- The Level Water charity places are sold at a 50% discount for Marathon 10k individual and Half Marathon 5k challenges on Saturday only. Discount codes are not valid for charity places.
The charity fundraising requirement for these places is £200 per place. Level Water are a fantastic charity - please click here for more details. If you select to swim for Level Water we will share your basic contact details with them, so they can support your fundraising.
All participants are allocated start times based on their swim speed (estimated completion time entered on registration). If you wish to swim in the same wave as a friend you'll need to each purchase the wave selection (in additional purchases) and choose the same broad wave start time.
If the wave selection is not available (as places are limited), then please email us info@marathonswims.com and we'll see what we can do for you.
- We have a flexible policy and you can change your challenge or event day (part of the same event). However you cannot change your entry to another Marathon Swims event or year.
You can change your challenge or event day (of the same event) but only if there is available space in the challenge you wish to transfer to. Individual entrants can transfer online. There are fees for transferring to a different challenge (£10) and to another person (£15).
All transfer fees are subject to Active Network fees (e.g. around 50p for a £10 transfer). You may need to pay the additional cost of your new selected challenge. No refunds for a lesser priced challenge are possible. If you entered the Team 10k you cannot transfer to another challenge or to another pair, but you can change one of the team members by emailing us with the information. Changes are only possible until midnight 30 September 2020, no changes will be possible after this date.
- Your place in the event must be registered to the actual participant. We do permit you to transfer your place to another swimmer but this must be completed before 30 September 2020. To transfer to another person you can do this online by logging into your account.
Transfers are only permissible up to 30 September 2020. No changes are possible after this date. For all Transfers fees paid there is a small Active Networks transaction fee applied by our registration system hosts - this is approximately 50p for a £10 Transfer fee and payable by the participant.
- No, unfortunately not. Our terms and conditions state that no refunds or deferrals are possible for any challenge, including charity places and mechandise. However, you do have the ability to transfer (please see above). You also, at the time of entering have the ability to buy race place insurance (Active Refund - see below), which may cover you for a number of incidents which may affect your ability to take part in the event.
Active Refund is an insurance scheme that is offered at registration stage for all participants. The costs for the insurance is dependant on the cost of your race place. Claims must be made before the event (see terms and conditions).
The ACTIVE refund terms and conditions are listed here.
COVID19 update - Please note that from 14 March 2020, the Active Networks registration platform has stopped any new sales of the Active Refund insurance. They will honour existing insurance purchased.
- Some discount codes are offered to various groups. If you are involved with a group and you think that some of your members would be interested in entering Marathon Swims with you - please drop us a line to and we'll see what we can do.
Discount codes cannot be retrospecitively applied under any circumstance.
The Marathon Swims SPRING SPRINTS is the season-opener for the outdoor swimming season on Saturday 2 April 2022. Hosted at the newly refurbished and heated Hillingdon Lido, the event is a chip-timed 1k Challenge. One entry fee may be able to cover multiple attempts (subject to availability). Enter today
Firstly, checkout charity places, as they may have some places available in the event even though the public places have sold out.
Sometimes a sold out category can become available This occurs when a participants who had entered in that category decides to transfer their place to another category. If the transfer is made then this will free up one place in the previously sold out category. If this occurs then the available place is sold on a first-come-first-served basis. Unfortunately there is no way of predicting when this situation may occur. So if you want to enter a sold out category, it may help to check the availability of places every now and again.
We ask all participants to arrive 20 mins before the start time of your chosen wave. You can swim until 2pm, which means you can swim in more than one session (if you entered the 10am, 11am or 12pm waves).
After your first 1km time trial, to swim again, all you need to do is re-visit the registration marquee and get allocated another number. Please take note of all numbers allocated, as these will all be displayed individually in the results.
You can swim the 1km challenge as much as you would like (subject to availability)
Hillingdon Lido is an 8 lane, 50m pool. Participants cross the start chip mat and begin swimming in Lane 1. Swim up and down Lane 1 twice, move into Lane 2. Swim up and down Lane 2 twice and move into Lane 3.
From Lane 3 to Lane 8 - swim up and down once before moving to the next lane. On completion of 20 laps/lengths, exit the water and cross the chip mat for your time and medal.
If you wish to have another attempt, you will need to re-register with our team at the event (no fee payable) and be assigned a new number.
You will need swimming costume, goggles, towel... but also a DryRobe (or similar) or warm clothing for between your swims. Dry change of clothes. Water and snacks - please bring a large, full water bottle which is distinctive, so you can easily identify it.
Please also bring with you your confirmation email and phone for some great poolside pics.
You will need £1 coin for the lockers and change for parking
Your results will be live immediately. Please visit our results page - https://resultsbase.net/event/6274/results
If you swam more than once, you will be able to see each time recorded. Please search for your name or number