During the 2026 TCS London Marathon weekend, New Balance opened London Run House inside Somerset House’s Embankment Galleries, right on the bank of the Thames, along the marathon route itself. As the official apparel and footwear partner of the race, the brand transformed one of London’s most recognisable cultural institutions into a destination for running culture, and the choice of venue was not incidental. Somerset House sits at Mile 25. By the time runners pass it, they are almost done. Putting the Run House there was a statement.
The Idea Behind It
The space is built around a simple premise: if you run, you belong. Designed to celebrate the people who shape London’s running culture, it brought together athletes, run crews, first-time marathoners, and spectators alike. Workshops, panel discussions, installations, and screenings filled the weekend programme, all of it developed in direct collaboration with London running communities including Runner Beans, LES Run, PASSA, and Green Street Collective. Nothing about it was purely commercial. It was built to feel like it belonged to the people who showed up.
The Documentary and Portraits
At the heart of the Run House was a cinematic documentary directed by Joshua Simpkins, shot across boroughs including Greenwich, Battersea, Tower Hamlets, and Lewisham. Blending cinematic direction with self-captured footage from runners themselves, the film offered an intimate portrait of routines, rituals, pride, and pressure as marathon day approached. Alongside it, photographer Vivek Vadoliya contributed a portrait series documenting members of Run The Boroughs, Runner Beans, Deaf Run Club, LES Run, and 2-Step Collective, the crews and communities who keep London moving long after the cameras leave.
On the Course
Alongside London Run House, New Balance activated 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. It is the kind of activation that does not just put a brand at a race, it puts it inside the city’s running identity. For New Balance, that has always been the point.
