Editing London Marathon (section)

==History==
[[File:20060423 Felix Limo and Martin Lel.jpg|thumb|upright=0.75|2006 winner [[Felix Limo]] (left) and 2005, 2007 & 2008 winner [[Martin Lel]] (right)]]
The London Marathon was not the first long-distance running event held in the city, which has a long history of marathon events. The [[Polytechnic Marathon]] (also known as the ''Poly'') was first held in 1909.<ref name=PolyHistory>{{Cite web|url=http://www.kingstonandpoly.org/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=115&Itemid=30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071009093900/http://www.kingstonandpoly.org/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=115&Itemid=30|url-status=dead|title=Kingston Harriers, The Polytechnic Marathon, a short history|archive-date=9 October 2007}}</ref>

The current London Marathon was founded in 1981 by Olympic champion and journalist [[Chris Brasher]] and athlete [[John Disley]].<ref name=VirginHistory>{{cite web | title=Virgin London Marathon&nbsp;– Background | url=http://www.virginlondonmarathon.com/marathon-centre/history-london-marathon/in-the-beginning/ | access-date=29 April 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090506092528/http://www.virginlondonmarathon.com/marathon-centre/history-london-marathon/in-the-beginning/ | archive-date=6 May 2009 | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IsgDAAAAMBAJ&q=London+Marathon&pg=PA92-IA1 |title=Runner's World, Vol. 42, No. 1|journal=Runner's World Magazine. 2016.|date=Jan 2007 |page=82 |publisher=Rodale, Inc.|issn= 0897-1706 |access-date=30 September 2010 }}</ref> Shortly after completing the [[New York City Marathon]] in November 1979 Brasher wrote an article for ''[[The Observer]]'' newspaper which began:

<blockquote>
To believe this story you must believe that the human race be one joyous family, working together, laughing together, achieving the impossible. Last Sunday, in one of the most trouble-stricken cities in the world, 11,532 men and women from 40 countries in the world, assisted by over a million black, white and yellow people, laughed, cheered and suffered during the greatest folk festival the world has seen.<ref>{{cite news
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/3547639.stm
|title=The London Marathon story
|work=[[BBC Online]]
|date=7 April 2004
|access-date=14 May 2012}}</ref></blockquote>

The first London Marathon was held on 29 March 1981, more than 20,000 applied to run. 6,747 were accepted and 6,255 crossed the finish line on Constitution Hill. The Marathon's popularity has steadily grown since then. As at 2009, 746,635 people have completed the race since its inception.<ref name=VirginHistory/> In 2010, 36,549 people crossed the line, the biggest field since the race began.<ref>{{cite web | title=Record Numbers Finish Virgin London Marathon | url=http://lrn.london-marathon.com/record-numbers-finish-first-virgin-london-marathon/ | access-date=30 April 2010 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20120715185126/http://lrn.london-marathon.com/record-numbers-finish-first-virgin-london-marathon/ | archive-date=15 July 2012 | url-status=dead }}</ref> The first wheelchair marathon race was held in 1983 and the event was credited with reducing the stigma surrounding disabled athletes.<ref>[http://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/English/Collections/OnlineResources/X20L/Themes/1383/1169/ London Marathon]. [[Museum of London]]. Retrieved on 29 April 2009.</ref> In 2013 the [[International Paralympic Committee|IPC]] Athletics Marathon World Cup was held within the London Marathon featuring athletes of both genders in the T42–T46 and T11–T13 categories.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.paralympic.org/news/ipc-athletics-partners-london-marathon |title=IPC Athletics partners with London Marathon |publisher=Paralympic.org |date=21 April 2013 |access-date=2 June 2017}}</ref> In August 2013 it was announced that the event would be staged in London until 2017 and feature athletes in the T11-T12, T13, T42-T44, T43, T45-46, T51-52 and the T53-54 class.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.britishathletics.org.uk/media/news/2013-news-page/november-2013/19-11-13-ipc-marathon/ |title=British Athletics Official Website &#124; New event added to 2014 IPC Athletics Marathon World Cup |publisher=Britishathletics.org.uk |date=19 November 2013 |access-date=2 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131127113429/http://www.britishathletics.org.uk/media/news/2013-news-page/november-2013/19-11-13-ipc-marathon/ |archive-date=27 November 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

For many years the London and Polytechnic Marathons competed with each other until, in 1996, the latter folded in due to the popularity of the former.<ref name=PolyHistory/>

Following the [[Boston Marathon bombing]], organisers of the 2013 London Marathon undertook a review of their security arrangements, despite no specific threats against the event.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.3news.co.nz/London-to-review-marathon-security/tabid/417/articleID/294437/Default.aspx| work=3 News NZ| title=London to review marathon security| date=16 April 2013| access-date=16 April 2013| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130613153855/http://www.3news.co.nz/London-to-review-marathon-security/tabid/417/articleID/294437/Default.aspx| archive-date=13 June 2013| url-status=dead}}</ref> A 30-second silence was held before the start of the marathon to show respect and support to those affected by the tragedy.<ref>{{cite news|title=London Marathon: 30 seconds of silence for Boston|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-22237659|work=BBC News|publisher=BBC|access-date=21 April 2013}}</ref>

In April 2025, race organisers announced they will no longer post on [[Twitter|X]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-04-24 |title=London Marathon boycotts X after 'descent into gutter' |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/articles/cwynx45gxglo |access-date=2025-04-25 |website=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}}</ref>