That’s it from me, thanks for reading. You can read Sean Ingle’s report on the elite races here:
It’s over to the 36,000 fundraisers now. Here’s the Guardian’s Aisha Gana out on the course:
At the 25 mile point, throngs of spectators overlooking the Thames and icons in the capital such as the London eye and Big Ben clock tower, cheered as each runner went by - while wearing furry ears, banging their inflatable batons together and holding balloons.
Am at Embankment pier, where spectators still cheering runners on #LondonMarathon pic.twitter.com/jsg9K21fXR
— Aisha S Gani (@aishagani) April 24, 2016
Mukhtar Farah, 18 years old told the Guardian: “I was here during the mini marathon and was watching my teammate run for a local club. And when they ran past it was quite good. Everyone was cheering and made me want to run and am sure I will run in the marathon one day. Seeing everyone finish was amazing. The smile on people’s face saying: I’ve done it. That was the best part.”
Catherine Miles, the Fundraising director at Antony Nolan said: “Hopefully we’ll raise over £600,00 and have over 255 runners. it’s been fantastic and we’ve been watching Paralympic athletes come through and leading women just run past at a rapid rate.
“For us we have a lot of people who run in memory of someone who hey have lost and it’s a hugely personal event and honour to be a part of it.
“It’s a fantastic fundraising day and celebration in London.”
Tim Peake is still going strong on the ISS:
.@astro_timpeake is at 17 miles in 02:27 of the digital @VirginMoney #LondonMarathon 🚀
— LondonMarathon (@LondonMarathon) April 24, 2016
Updated
Steve Cram has labelled Kipchoge’s run “the best marathon run ever” because Kimetto’s world record was run in Berlin, supposedly an easier course.
Kipchoge speaks: “Between 30-40km I lost about 20 seconds. I am happy I ran the course record. The crowd is what pushed more. It’s a wonderful crowd and it’s what pushes. They cheer you and you keep on moving – except the tunnels where there is nobody!”
Updated
Classification
So it’s a Kenyan one-two today in the elite races with wins for Jemima Sumgong and Eliud Kipchoge:
Men’s race
1. Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) 02:03:05
2. Stanley Biwott (KEN) 02:03:51
3. Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) 02:06:36
4. Girmay Ghebreslassie (ERI) 02:07:46
5. Wilson Kipsang (KEN) 02:07:52
... 8. Callum Hawkins (GBR) 02:10:52
Women’s race
1. Jemima Sumgong (KEN) 02:22:582
2. Tigist Tufa (ETH) 02:23:033
3. Florence Kiplagat (KEN) 02:23:394
4. Volha Mazuronak (BLR) 02:23:545
5. Aselefech Mergia (ETH) 02:23:57
Updated
Callum Hawkins crosses the line strongly before hobbling away.
1ST BRITISH MAN: @callhawk 2:10:55 8th place. Pack your sunscreen young man, you're off to @Rio2016_en 🇬🇧🌞🇧🇷 #LondonMarathon #oneinamillion
— LondonMarathon (@LondonMarathon) April 24, 2016
In the race for Rio, Britain’s Callum Hawkins is leading the charge and will guarantee his spot at the Olympic Games. The 23-year-old is going to beat the required qualifying time of 2hr 14min comfortably, and smash his PB in the process.
Stanley Biwott crosses the line and hugs Kipchoge. “I didn’t know!” Kipchoge says, meaning he wasn’t aware just how close he was to breaking the world record. Kenenisa Bekele smiles as he glides through in third.
WINNER: @EliudKipchoge wins a second #LondonMarathon in a row! 2:03:05 #oneinamillion 🏆🇰🇪 COURSE RECORD
— LondonMarathon (@LondonMarathon) April 24, 2016
Updated
Eliud Kipchoge breaks London Marathon course record!
Kipchoge powers through the tape to record the second-fastest time of all time, only 10 seconds outside the world record!
Kipchoge spins on to The Mall with Buckingham Palace in his rearview mirrors. He looks so relaxed, wagging a finger in the air as he sprints for the line...
Eliud Kipchoge is racing only against the clock now. Can he break the world record? He has opened up his stride a little as he approaches The Mall.
Kimetto, by the way, has just been overtaken by the Scottish athlete Callum Hawkins, whose putting in a really impressive run.
Men’s race
Eliud Kipchoge has kicked away from Stanley Biwott! As he approaches the final mile he is the only man left at the front. Kipchoge had only been beaten once in his marathon career before today, and that was Dennis Kimetto’s world record of 2:02:57. It’s possible that he could beat that now but the tactical battle with Biwott has slowed the pace a little, so Wilson Kipsang’s course record (2:04:29) may be more realistic.
Men’s race
This has become a two-way Kenyan shootout between the 2015 London Marathon winner Eliud Kipchoge and the 2015 New York Marathon winner, Stanley Biwott. They chug along the Embankment with a couple of miles to go.
Women’s race
Alyson Dixon smiles as she crosses the line ahead of Sonia Samuels, the fastest two British women. They just miss out on the Olympic qualifying time of 2hr 31min but as the first two finishers they will be in GB’s team for Rio. The 24-year-old Charlotte Purdue was not far behind and will surely be considered by selectors too.
BRITISH WOMEN'S FINISH: Charlotte @charliepurdue 3rd 🇬🇧 woman home #LondonMarathon on her marathon debut
— LondonMarathon (@LondonMarathon) April 24, 2016
Updated
This image suggests that Sumgong’s fall and those 26.2 miles were not her only challenges today. We don’t have more details of this incident but Sumgong was presumably unfazed as an intruder took to the course alongside the race leader.
Jemima Sumgong wins the women's London Marathon!
Sumgong turns the corner on to The Mall with Buckingham Palace behind her with a healthy 20m lead. The 31-year-old Kenyan strides down the middle of the road between the lines of fans and seals a surprise win – not least because of her dramatic fall after that earlier collision with Mergia. Last year’s winner Tigist Tufa can only take second this time around.
WINNER: She fell, she picked herself up and now she is the women's elite 2016 champion! Jemima #Sumgong WINS! 🏆🇰🇪 2:22:58 unofficial time.
— LondonMarathon (@LondonMarathon) April 24, 2016
Updated
Women’s race
After that tumble near the water station Jemima Sumgong has not only recovered but kicked away from her only remaining chaser, last year’s winner Tigist Tufa. The swing under Big Ben and head for home.
Men’s race
Kipchoge and Biwott have finally pulled away from the battling Bekele at the 20-mile mark. They ran the last mile at a slightly slower 4.44 but are still on the cusp of world record pace (2:02:57) and ahead of Wilson Kipsang’s 2:04:29 London Marathon course record.
Guardian Sport’s chief sports correspondent Owen Gibson is leading the way in our very own entrants today, with Sachin Nakrani and Steve McMillan in tow. Keep it up, chaps.
It's Gibson > Nakrani > McMillan based on #LondonMarathon chip times after 5k in the @guardian_sport stakes
— stuart goodwin (@stuartgoodwin) April 24, 2016
After 10k, @owen_g bringing the pain with 51:50, @SachinNakrani in mid-table while @stemac74 bides his time @guardian_sport #LondonMarathon
— stuart goodwin (@stuartgoodwin) April 24, 2016
Men’s race
The brutal pace is taking its toll, and the surprise is that Wilson Kipsang has fallen away after moving across at a water station and dropping right back. That has left the Kenyans Kipchoge (last year’s winner), Biwott (the New York Marathon winner) and, incredibly, Ethiopia’s 33-year-old legend Kenenisa Bekele leading the way. This trio are still going at a stunning pace near world record time.
RACE UPDATE: 74:49 through 17 miles, 4:37 for the last mile. Kipchoge, Biwott and Bekele in charge at the front. #LondonMarathon
— LondonMarathon (@LondonMarathon) April 24, 2016
Women’s race
There’s been a collision between Mergia and Sumgong at a water station and both fell, but somehow Sumgong has got herself up and back into the leading five, and with four miles to go she’s in the hunt, behind Dibabe, Tufa and Kiplagat.
Back down the road Sonia Samuels and Alyson Dixon are the leading British runners and will secure their places in Rio.
Updated
.@EliudKipchoge leading the men, 61:23 at halfway, fastest first half of #LondonMarathon EVER!
— LondonMarathon (@LondonMarathon) April 24, 2016
Women’s race
This is shaping up to be a battle between Kenya and Ethiopia and particularly between last year’s surprise winner, Tigist, the two-times winner Mary Keitany, and the Olympic champion in Beijing, Mare Dibabe, who leads the pack.
After 30km
1. Mare Dibaba (ETH) 01:41:39
2. Tigist Tufa (ETH) 01:41:39
3. Florence Kiplagat (KEN) 01:41:39
4. Jemima Sumgong (KEN) 01:41:40
5. Feyse Tadese (ETH) 01:41:40
Men’s race
The leading group of Kenyan and Ethiopians (and one Eritrean, Ghirmay Ghebreslassie), stride over a packed Tower Bridge as they pass the halfway mark and head north of the river. On the other side they will turn east and head for Canary Wharf.
Men’s race
The men are flying right now, through 10 miles at 46.32 which in world record pace. The big names are all in the mix with Kenenisa Bekele on the front.
The Guardian’s Science Editor, Ian Sample, is at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne today watching Tim Peake complete his marathon feat on the ISS, which Ian assures me is a far more glamorous task than simply watching a man on a treadmill for four hours. Here’s Ian:
Tim Peake has started his treadmill marathon. He set off at 10am London time - somewhere over the Pacific Ocean - at a pace of 7.5mph. A glitch in setting up the high definition video camera on the International Space Station meant the screens were blank for a while here in the medical operations console at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne. In a side room though, the crew surgeon and a biomedical engineer have been watching on a restricted feed. They are monitoring his heart rate and the treadmill data. If he maintains this running pace he’ll have a finishing time of about 3.5 hours. But he may well slow down at some point, to adjust the harness. “Or it may be set up perfectly from the start,” says his trainer, Patrick Jaeckel, “and he’ll just power through.”
Tatyana McFadden wins women’s wheelchair race!
Tatyana McFadden wins her fourth successive London Marathon with a time of 01:38:32, but this time she was pushed right to the line by Manuela Schar of Switzerland. The American McFadden will be the one to beat in Rio.
Updated
Men’s race
With more than 10k ticked off there is a pack of eight runners all together, and they are zipping along a fair pace too of 28min 37sec, though the early part of the race does benefit from Shooter’s Hill. Kenyans Kipchoge, Lagat, Kipketer, Biwot are all there, with Ethiopian legend Kenenisa Bekele and Eritrea’s young runner Ghirmay Ghebreslassie in tow.
Australian Kurt Fearnley, the 2009 winner and course record holder (1:28:57), finished second behind Hug.
WINNER! @MarcelEricHug takes the men's wheelchair race! 🏆🇨🇭 1:35:19 #LondonMarathon #oneinamillion 2nd @kurtfearnley 3RD @davidweir2012
— LondonMarathon (@LondonMarathon) April 24, 2016
Marcel Hug wins the men's wheelchair race!
They push round the final corner and attack down The Mall with Hug leading Weir and the rest. The powerful Swiss opens up a 3m lead and no one can keep up with him as he hits the tape with a time of 1:35.19. Dave Weir finishes third and his seventh London Marathon win will have to wait.
Updated
The 1,000,000th London Marathon runner will cross the line at some point during the 36th London Marathon today. Officials will wait for a couple of weeks to make absolutely sure before announcing who that person is, but while we are there here are some more running totals:
300 Litres of blue paint used to mark the fastest line through the course.
50,000 Length in metres of the barriers put up to secure the course.
1,263 Portable toilets.
7,000 Total of marathon marshals (1,000 at the start line; 2,000 at the finish line; 1,500 stationed along the course, and 2,500 manning the drinks stations).
1,200 St John’s Ambulance volunteers, with …
300 Stretchers on hand for exhausted runners.
500 Ice packs to apply to muscle strains.
40,000 Foil blankets for finishers to wrap themselves in.
600,000 Total of items in the goody bags that are given to all finishers – as well as their medals.
Men’s wheelchair race
A group of seven have split away from the rest and Dave Weir is well positioning in the group. Marcel Hug is setting the pace and looks to be setting things up for a sprint finish – if it is possible to sprint at the end of a marathon. Pierre Fairbank tries to kick off the front but the rest of the pack quickly pin him back.
1. Marcel Hug (SUI) 01:06:16
2. Kurt Fearnley (AUS) 01:06:16
3. David Weir (GBR) 01:06:17
4. Aaron Pike (USA) 01:06:17
5. Pierre Fairbank (FRA) 01:06:17
Women’s wheelchair race
Britain’s double Paralympic silver-medallist Shelly Woods has been forced to retire from the race around Tower Bridge. In the men’s wheelchair race Switzerland’s Marcel Hug, who won the 2014 event, tries to attack off the front but Dave Weir follows him closely.
"That was the most dramatic start I've seen," says Brendan Foster on @BBCSport of @astro_timpeake's start from space! #LondonMarathon
— LondonMarathon (@LondonMarathon) April 24, 2016
Men’s race
Tim Peake is the official starter, on board the ISS, and they’re off! The Kenyan troupe lead the way from Greenwich Park out east towards Woolwich and through south-east London before snaking back over Tower Bridge, around Canary Wharf and then west towards The Mall, and 36,000 runners follow.
Womens’ race
For the British contingent, they must run under 2hr 31min to qualify for London. Only Sonia Samuels and Alyson Dixon have done so before, so the others – Susan Patridge, Charlotte Purdue, Freya Ross – will have to run PBs. The top two will guarantee their places in Rio.
1. Angela Tanui (KEN) 00:16:312
2. Helah Kiprop (KEN) 00:16:313
3. Aselefech Mergia (ETH) 00:16:314
4. Jemima Sumgong (KEN) 00:16:315
5. Tigist Tufa (ETH) 00:16:31
The wheelchair races are well under way. Britain’s David Weir is chasing his seventh London Marathon win to go beyond Tanni Grey-Thompson’s mark of six, but a competitive field should make it tough for Weir this time around, much like last last year when he was beaten by the American Josh George with a sprint to the line down The Mall. Tatyana McFadden is the heavy favourite in the women’s wheelchair race, going for her fourth win – and fourth course record – on the trot.
Men’s wheelchair race: halfway
1 Marcel Hug (SUI) 00:45:272
2 Kurt Fearnley (AUS) 00:45:273
3 David Weir (GBR) 00:45:274
4 Aaron Pike (USA) 00:45:395
5 Ernst Van Dyk (RSA) 00:45:40
Women’s wheelchair race: 15k
1Wakako Tsuchida (JPN)00:35:482
2 Manuela Schar (SUI) 00:35:483
3 Tatyana Mcfadden (USA) 00:36:014
4 Amanda Mcgrory (USA) 00:36:015
5 Lihong Zou (CHI) 00:36:02
Tim Peake will be running 400km above London harnessed to an International Space Station treadmill like some mad experiment on an imprisoned superhero. Something like that anyway. Brilliantly, he will be running it through a virtual reality scene of the streets of London.
“One of the biggest challenges I’ll be facing is the harness system,” he explained. “It has a waistbelt and shoulder straps. That has to provide quite a bit of downforce to get my body on to the treadmill, so after about 40 minutes, that gets very uncomfortable. I don’t think I’ll be setting any personal bests. I’ve set myself a goal of anywhere between 3:30 to 4 hours.”
Updated
Tim Peake will also be running the 26.2 miles today:
Hello! The 36th London Marathon will be under way shortly. While the legion of amateur runners try to break last year’s fundraising record, the pros will be hoping to win their place at the Rio Olympics – as well as a place in this famous race’s history books. In both the men’s and women’s races it will almost certainly be the battle between the Kenyan and Ethiopian runners for the win. Here are the day’s start times:
9am BST – wheelchair race
9.15am BST – women’s race
10.00am BST – men’s race and amateur runners
And here is Sean Ingle’s take on what to expect:
Dennis Kimetto, the world marathon record holder, believes he is in similar shape to when he gatecrashed the history books in Berlin two years ago. Eliud Kipchoge, the world No1 and reigning London champion, insists he is better than ever. And the course record holder Wilson Kipsang looks you straight in the eye when he promises he is also back on form.
They might all be telling the truth, too. Which means that this year’s men’s London Marathon could be every bit as enthralling as last year’s epic when these three Kenyans slogged it out so magnificently and dramatically before Kipchoge kicked clear of Kipsang on the Mall to win in 2hr 4min 42sec.
Usually in London Marathon week the dozens of unofficial conversations with coaches, agents and former athletes offer a strong indication of who is on form, and who is showing up for the appearance money. Not this year. Not only are all the athletes promising they are in tip-top shape, which is nothing new, but those sentiments are being echoed by those usually in the know.
Updated
