2012 Virgin London Marathon
The London Marathon was first held in March 29th 1981 and since then the event has continued to grow in size, stature and popularity.
This year the 2012 Virgin London Marathon is on Sunday 22nd April 2012.
With more than 35,000 runners each year, in all, a total of 746,635 people have completed the race since it began.
The course starts in the beautiful Greenwich Park and takes you past some of London's most famous sights including Cutty Sark, Canary Wharf, Tower of London, Nelson’s Column and the Millennium Wheel - before finishing in front of Buckingham Palace.
As a fundraising event, there is no marathon in the world that comes close to the Virgin London Marathon.
One of the dominant images of the race is that of thousands clad in fancy dress, tramping the cobbles in support of charitable causes dressed as rhinos, football team mascots, giant trees and the like.
In 2008 £46.7 million was raise for charity and is the largest annual fundraising event in the world!
www.virginlondonmarathon.com
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Olympic Qualifying Time for British Hopefuls
Scott Overall will run as a pacemaker for British men hoping to gain Olympic qualifying times at the 2012 Virgin London Marathon on Sunday 22nd April.
Overall beat the qualifying time on his debut at the Berlin Marathon last September when he was fifth in 2 hours 10 minutes 55 seconds and he was named in the British team for the London Olympics last December.
The 29-year-old Londoner will be one of the pacemakers aiming to give a group of leading British men the best possible chance of finishing within the required standard of 2:12:00.
It was fantastic to beat the qualifying time in Berlin and to be selected for the Olympic Games in my home city.
But I don't want to be the only British man on the start line on 12th August. I want to have friends and team mates beside me and am happy to do whatever I can to help them beat the time.
Of course, it will also be a good opportunity for me to have a serious workout on the London Marathon course as part of my preparations for the Games.
Overall was named in December along with Paula Radcliffe and Mara Yamauchi in the first wave of Olympic marathon selections.
With three places available in the men's and women's teams, any final selections will be announced by UK Athletics and the British Olympic Association the day after the London Marathon, on Monday 23rd April.
Among the leading contenders running in London are Lee Merrien, who was first Briton home in last year's race, Benedict Whitby, Andi Jones and Phil Wicks, while Liz Yelling, Claire Hallissey, Louise Damen and Susan Partridge are vying for the one remaining women's spot.
For more information visit www.virginlondonmarathon.com