History of the Virgin London Marathon

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 result was that the 1982 race received more than 90,000 applications from hopeful runners around the world. The entry was limited to 18,059.

The event has since grown in size, stature and popularity. Now established among the major events in the sporting calendar, the London Marathon is shown on television in more than 150 countries around the world every year.

A total of 607,848 runners have completed the London Marathon since 1981. A record 35,256 finished in 2005.

Finishers have raised, it is estimated, more than £235 million in sponsorship for numerous charities over the years. In addition, The London Marathon Ltd has produced a surplus topping £18 million for The London Marathon Charitable Trust, which helps fund recreational projects in the capital’s boroughs.

The race finish was on Westminster Bridge from 1982-1993. In 1994, repair work to the bridge meant that the race had a new, spectacular finish in The Mall, in front of Buckingham Palace. The race has finished in the same location ever since.