Join Tim Peake in an ‘out-of-this-world’ challenge

Meet Team Astronaut

As thousands of runners start the marathon, Tim will strap himself to the treadmill in the Tranquility node and start running at 10:00 GMT, the same time as more than 30 000  runners set off in London. Among the participants will be colleagues from ESA and the UK Space Agency: David Heather (ESAC), Margherita Buoso (ECSAT), Slawomir Zdybski (ESTEC), Jonathan Scott, Lionel Ferra, Bernhard Gmeiner, Tom Hoppenbrouwers and Aidan Cowley (EAC), as well as Libby Jackson, Susan Buckle and Will Lecky from the UK Space Agency. 

Support a good cause

The Prince's Trust helps disadvantaged young people to get their lives on track. Many people supported by the Prince’s Trust face homelessness, health problems or have been in trouble with the law. The Prince’s Trust gives them practical and financial support, helps them build their self-esteem and develop fundamental skills for work.

To contribute to Team Astronaut’s fundraising activity, click here. 

Share the adventure

There are many ways you can share the excitement!

• Follow Tim and his mission via timpeake.esa.int
• Join the conversations on Twitter (@astro_timpeake) or Facebook (www.facebook.com/ESATimPeake)
• If you are in London, cheer the runners along the course! You can also visit the ESA stand at the Marathon Expo at ExCel from 20 to 23 April, free of charge.
• Or watch the Marathon on TV: it will broadcast in nearly 200 countries worldwide.

 

To enable as many people as possible to join Tim on his training runs, the Digital Virgin Money London Marathon is now available to download free of charge from RunSocial, a mobile app on iOS. Tim is using the app for some of his training runs on the ISS treadmill and will be tweeting the times of his training runs on @astro_timpeake.

34 years of fun, fitness and fundraising

The first London Marathon was held on 29 March 1981. The event was a massive hit with the runners, the thousands of spectators who lined the course, and viewers who followed the race on BBC television. The race has grown in size, stature and popularity ever since. A total of 962 095 runners have completed the London Marathon (1981 to 2015), while a record 37 675 people finished in 2015.

As a fundraising event, the London Marathon regularly breaks world records. There are many iconic images of the event showing the thousands of runners traipsing the streets to raise money for charity, many in fancy dress, hoping to stand out as a rhino, football mascot, giant tree or as an astronaut in a space suit. More than three quarters of competitors now run for a good cause and a third of all entry places are offered by charitable organisations.