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50,000 runners descend on the Capital for London Marathon

The London Marathon first began in 1981 and is one of the most prestigious races in the running calendar. Last year was the first year the race took place outside of springtime due to the coronavirus. The professional athletes begin proceedings at 8:30 am an hour before the general public take on the route. 

One reason why runners enjoy the London route is because it’s flat with only a slight incline for a couple of miles. Another attraction is the endless sightseeing venues you runners see along the way such as Tower Bridge, Trafalgar Square, and the grandstand finish Infront of Buckingham Palace.

Where to watch: Don’t fancy running 26.2 miles on Sunday morning? The BBC has your back with coverage of the event beginning at 8.30am on BBC Two. The race will also be streamed on the BBC website and iPlayer.

The capital’s transport (TFL rail) has only just recovered from the sudden rush of tourists after the late Queen Elizabeth II funeral, Roads are expected to close across South East and Central London between 4am-7pm. Meanwhile buses in central London and Greenwich will terminate early, or be diverted, from 6.30am to 7.30pm.

A boost for runners hoping to get through the gruelling 26 miles is the opportunity to rung alongside famous stars such as Mark Wright, Chris Evans, or former England international Stephen Warnock. 

If you’re looking for inspiration to run or donate to a charity, then look no further than former Rugby League legend Kevin Sinfield who this week agreed to take on 7 ultra-marathon’s in as many days possible. Sinfield is aiming to “navigate on foot from Murrayfield, Edinburgh to Melrose, Newcastle, Middlesbrough, York, Leeds, Bradford before he enters the field at Old Trafford at half-time in the men’s Rugby League World Cup final on Saturday, November 17”. All this is in hope of raising even more money for Motoneuron disease which his best friend Rob Burrow is battling. 

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