This year’s London Marathon will be all about togetherness as runners gather to run the race for the first time since the pandemic started.
More than 40,000 people will take part in the charity fundraiser on Sunday. Whilst these athletes will run the traditional 26.2-mile route from Blackheath to Westminster, another 40,000 will choose their own course anywhere in the world.
This is a continuation of last year’s makeshift marathon where all runners, except elite athletes, completed the race virtually. Online participants still receive a T-shirt and a medal.
Event director Hugh Brasher said: ‘It is the first time in the four decades of our history that people have run the London Marathon together in this way: on roads in London, on roads across the UK, and on roads around the world.
‘Tomorrow will show the true spirit of the London Marathon at its very best. A spirit forged by shared experience, by pain, by joy, by achievement and by togetherness.
‘Togetherness is what we have missed so much over these past 18 months. Togetherness in mind, in body and in spirit.’
Although the marathon is able to go ahead this year, it still remains changed by the pandemic.
The race, which is usually held in spring, is taking place in October for the second time. This is because organisers tried to leave the event until later in the year while there was still uncertainty around coronavirus restrictions.
The date is not the only change. Runners will have to leave their belongings at the finish line, as opposed to the usual bag drop at the start of the race, and finishers will not be awarded medals by volunteers.
Instead, people will find their medals in their bags.
Runners will also not all start together, they will be set off in more than 40 waves across a 90-minute period and there will be no official pacers.
They have been asked to invite just one supporter, to reduce crowds, and they have been encouraged to wear a bottle belt so they have to stop and gather to drink less.
Those running in central London will have to be able to show a negative lateral flow test for Covid-19.
This year’s marathon will be ‘will be one of the greatest days of the year for charity fundraising in times that have been incredibly difficult,’ said Mr Brasher, whose dad founded the London Marathon in 1981.
Indeed, runners have raised more than £1 billion for charities in the past 40 years.
Eight of the Ever Presents, who have run every London Marathon, will run again this year. Seven will run in London while Ken Jones, 88, from Strabane, Co Tyrone, will take part closer to home.
Chris Finill, 62, from Cranleigh, Surrey, said: ‘With all but the elite running the race virtually last year, the opportunity to run the traditional course this year is wonderful.
‘The sensory invasion of running London for real will be in powerful contrast to the many lonely miles often clocked up in preparation for the big day out in the capital.
‘Some of the logistics this year, for example the kit drop-off and collection, are more complex than normal, but hopefully such Covid-related measures will be unnecessary by next year’s race, scheduled for October 2, 2022.’
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