The inaugural London Marathon was established in 1981 and proved to be an instant success. More than 20,000 people applied and 7,747 ran over the finish line which was at that time in Constitution Hill.
Today a record 98,500 people have applied for a capacity of 46,500 places. These applicants come from all over the world and from every walk of life. Most will have raised significant amount of funds for their favoured charities.
From 1981 to 2004 the course has remained much the same, the only changes being at the finish. In its second year this moved to Westminster Bridge where it stayed until 1994, repairs to the bridge meant relocating to the Mall where it has remained to this day.
For 2005, however, the marathon has witnessed the biggest shake up in its history. The notorious Tower of London cobble stones have finally disappeared and been replaced with a fast flat stretch along the highway. This should mean that with the removal of the twists and turns around Tower Hotel Race Headquarters, the elite runners could knock 45 seconds off their times.
The start of the race at Blackheath and Greenwich Park has remained constant throughout the race’s history.
The race is 42km / 26.4 miles and runners are directed past some of London’s most famous landmarks including:
| Cutty Sark | National Maritime Museum |
| London Eye | Canary Wharf |
| Tower of London | Big Ben |
| Houses of Parliament | Tower Bridge |
| Cleopatra’s Needle | London Bridge |
| Tate Modern | HMS Belfast |
| Thames Barrier |
