The London Marathon was first run on March 29, 1981 and has been held in the spring of every year since 2010. It is sponsored by Virgin Money and was founded by the former Olympic champion and journalist Chris Brasher and Welsh athlete John Disley.

It is organized by Hugh Brasher (son of Chris) as Race Director and Nick Bitel as Chief Executive. Set over a largely flat course around the River Thames, the race begins at three separate points around Blackheath and finishes in The Mall alongside St. James's Park.

Since the first marathon, the course has undergone very few route changes. In 1982, the finishing post was moved from Constitution Hill to Westminster Bridge due to construction works. It remained there for twelve years before moving to its present location at The Mall.

TCS is the new sponsor taking over from Virgin Money starting from the 2022 race. Roughly 40,000 people took part in the 2021 race with another 40,000 doing the virtual race. More than 350,000 people entered the ballot to take part in the 2022 race.

Bekele sets world master record finishing 5th in 2022 clocking 2:05:53. He says he can run faster!

2022

2023

Experience the oldest marathon in Western Europe!

We write about August 1946. The European Athletics Championships were held in Olso and the I.A.A.F. conference had taken place. During that conference, an agreement was made to hold an athletics competition between the Netherlands and Czechoslovakia in Enschede in July 1947. Saturday July 12, 1947 was the big day: 51 participants took off, hoping to return fit and healthy to the summery Van Heekpark after 42 km and 195 m.

Of that group, 33 athletes did indeed complete the race and Eero Riikonen from Finland took the first place. The Enschede Marathon was born.

Whether you’re a newbie marathon runner or a more seasoned athlete looking for a personal best, The Shakespeare Marathon and Half Marathon offer runners much more than a great course, which is superbly Marshalled and brilliantly organized. This is a chance to experience world famous Stratford-upon-Avonand to run amongst some of the most historical buildings in the the country and through miles of beautiful Warwickshire countryside.

You’ll enjoy a mainly flat, fast course, starting in the center of the town, opposite Shakespeare’s old school, taking in sights such as the River Avon, Holy Trinity Church (home to the grave of William Shakespeare) and the Royal Shakespeare Theaters.You’ll run through quintessential English villages, where chocolate box thatch roof cottages, hump back bridges and pretty dry stone walls are a joy to behold.

The Shakespeare Marathon has been awarded the BARR Gold standard, reflecting the high standards achieved in every aspect of its organization. As some elements of the event are sponsored and it is organized and Marshalled solely by volunteers, an absolute minimum is spent on administration and facilities. More than half the money raised from the event goes to local charities including the Shakespeare Hospice (founded by Rotary), Stratford Samaritans, Life space Trust and ESH Works.In addition to these there are multiple other charities and good causes that also benefit throughout the year.

The Nice Half Marathon is an annual road running competition over the half marathon distance (21.1 km) held in April in the city of Nice, France. It is organized by the Azur Sport Organization, who hold several races in the region, including the annual French Riviera Marathon.

The men's course record is held by Bernard Kiprop Koech of Kenya, who at 59:57 minutes is the only man to win the race in under an hour. The women's record of 1:08:42 dates back to 2003, when Olympic medallist Isabella Ochichi won the race.

Launched in 1992, the race reached an international standard around 1995, which coincided with an increase in the number of East African runners entering (and winning) the race. Since 1995 only two non-Kenyans have won the men's race. The most successful athlete of the competition's history is Alina Gherasim of Romania, who took three straight wins from 1997 to 1999. No man has ever won the Nice Half Marathon multiple times.