The London Marathon route runs past hundreds of thousands of supporters every spring, and a well-made banner is the difference between your runner spotting you in the crowd and running straight past. Names, faces, slogans, anything personal printed at the right size catches a tired runner's eye when they need it most.
This guide covers what works for marathon supporter banners. Sizes for crowd visibility, where to stand on the route, and how to design something a runner can spot at speed. Examples come from banners we have printed for supporters along the Putney, Wandsworth, Battersea and Westminster sections of the route.
Use a 5ft x 3ft 510gsm PVC banner with a runner's name in 10-inch letters, around £42 from our Putney studio. Stand at a mile marker or anywhere the route widens. Use white on bright red or yellow on black for maximum visibility. Order three to four days ahead of race day.
Why Banner Size Matters at the Marathon
Marathon supporters are competing with thousands of other banners along the route. A small A3 placard held above the head reads at maybe 10 feet, which is useless when the runner is in the middle of a 30-foot-wide road moving at 10 minutes per mile.
A 5ft x 3ft banner with a 10-inch letter name reads from 80 to 100 feet, which gives the runner enough time to scan, spot the name, and react. That is the gap between a wave and a missed connection.
Design for Speed and Distance
Two elements. The runner's name in the largest possible letters at the top, and a short slogan underneath at half the size. Go Sarah, You Got This Mum, Run Mike Run. The name is what they are looking for, the slogan is the reward for spotting you.
High contrast. White on bright red, yellow on black, white on royal blue. Avoid pastels, avoid clever brand colours, avoid anything subtle. The banner is competing with hi-vis stewards, advertising hoardings and several thousand other spectators waving things.
Photo or No Photo
A photo of the runner can work but it must be high resolution and tightly cropped to the face. A small face on a banner is a mud-coloured smudge from 50 feet. If you have a good headshot, use it. If not, stick with the name and slogan.
Number on the Banner
Including the runner's bib number is sometimes useful because friends scanning the crowd for your group can locate you if they have the number. Keep it small under the name, not competing for headline attention.
A runner scans the crowd in milliseconds. Big letters, high contrast and the name at the top, that is the whole brief.
Where to Stand on the Route
Mile markers are the obvious spots because runners check them. Anywhere the route widens, like the stretch through Wandsworth and Putney before turning towards Battersea, gives more space to hold up the banner. Avoid bottlenecks and tight corners where steward control makes it hard to hold up a banner safely.
If you have agreed a meeting point with your runner ahead of time, the cluster of supporters at that point will be looking for each other rather than just spotting a name. The banner still helps but you can rely on agreed coordinates.
Marathon Supporter Banner Sizes
| Size | Best Use | Letter Height | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3ft x 2ft | Close-range supporter group | 5 inches | £31 |
| 5ft x 2ft | Roadside, narrow stretch | 7 inches | £36 |
| 5ft x 3ft | Roadside, standard | 10 inches | £42 |
| 6ft x 3ft | Wider stretch or mile marker | 12 inches | £48 |
| 8ft x 3ft | Group banner for charity team | 14 inches | £52 |
Practical Banner Handling on the Day
Two people holding a 5ft x 3ft banner stretched between them works better than one person trying to manage it alone. Stand sideways onto the route so the banner faces approaching runners, not perpendicular where they only see it for half a second as they pass.
Bring cable ties or string in case you want to fix it to railings or a lamp post. Avoid blocking pavements or steward access points, marshals will move you on if you do.
Two people holding a 5ft banner facing the runners earns its money. One person waving an A3 placard never does.
Lead Times and Reuse
Order three to four days ahead of race day. We print same-day on artwork in by 11am if you have left it late, but rushing it on the morning of the race is risky. A 510gsm PVC banner from our Putney Heath studio costs around £42 for 5ft x 3ft and will roll up for next year if your runner is signed up again.
Ready to Get Your Banner Printed?
A marathon supporter banner needs one job done well, getting your runner's attention from 80 feet away. Big letters, high contrast, name at the top, slogan underneath. A 510gsm PVC banner will see you through several marathons if you store it properly.
Send artwork to our Putney Heath studio at least three days before race day. Call 020 3669 9854 or WhatsApp +447376464869 if you want a quick proof check before paying.
Related Banner Services
We Print Banners Across London
From our Putney studio we deliver same day to areas including:
