Live Updates of London Marathon 2023 by The Guardian

Eliud Kipchoge starts the race with a calm and focused demeanor.

Among the competitors is 90-year-old David, who has been running these races since 1982. Lana, the youngest racer at 18, was convinced to participate by her marathon-running parents.

Mo Farah looks relaxed, but the pace may be too hot for him. Eliud Kipchoge, who holds the course record and considers London his home, is excited for the race.

The Eastenders contingent adds to the excitement of the event.

Marcel Hug is leading the men’s wheelchair race while Tanni Grey-Thompson cautions about punctures caused by grit washed into the road during rain. Runners like George and Georgie are raising awareness for charities, and Paul Evans is aiming to break the record for fastest marathon dressed as a knight.

Race organizer Hugh Brasher acknowledges the importance of causes like Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil, and emphasizes climate change as a topic worth discussing. Finishers have the option to plant trees instead of receiving a t-shirt, and those who traveled from abroad paid a carbon offset tax.

In the women’s race, Hassan follows the blue line of the route while Kosgei appears to be limping. The racers aim to punish the second half of the race.

Dibaba leads the greatest marathon field ever assembled while Hug is the favorite to win the men’s race. The stress on wheelchair competitors can be similar to cycling, and Tomoki Suzuki of Japan leads the early stages of the race.

The racers are ready, and the horn signals the start of the race!

Major Sally Orange, who has run seven marathons across seven continents and supports mental health causes, encourages those struggling to seek help.

Ah, here’s Ingrid Kristiansen (née Christensen) – for those of us who grew up in the 80s, a legend of this race in particular – she won it four times – and distance-running in general. We see footage of her in 1985, breaking the record, and somehow the tone of it puts me in mind of this.

It’s absolutely mad, is this.

We’re now watching a thing about Couch to 5k, which I heartily recommend – it’s changed the life of a few people I know. If you’re looking for a shove to get you out there, download it.

We’re doing alright so far…

Paula Radcliffe thinks we might get a record in the women’s race. She thinks the course is faster than people think it is, but the kind of time we get depends on how tactically people run.

It’s a shame there’s no Eilish McColgan, who’s had to withdraw injured. Here 10,000m win at the Commonwealth Games was one of my performances of 2022 and I was looking forward to seeing her over the longer distance. Next year…

I’m a mess already. Go on everyone!

Marcus Mumford, meanwhile, is running for Grenfell Foundation, while Adele Roberts who’s with them, is trying to break the world record for running with a stoma, which helped her recover from bowel cancer surgery. how candidly she speaks about this, on telly now but also in general, is great. Greg James tells her she the most remarkable person he’s ever met; ahhhhh.

We’re now hearing from Scott Mitchell, the late Barbara Windsor’s husband, who’s leading an Eastenders contingent raising money for dementia research – one in three of us will have to deal with that in our lives. What a nice man.

On which point:

It may surprise some that when it comes to general participants of running events in the UK, diversity levels among them is woefully low https://t.co/aU6QjgQsyj

Jeanette Kwakye is speaking to a group who’ve been training during Ramadan; I can’t even, what an effort. We’re hearing from a woman who says the lack of sleep was more of an issue than the lack of food, and knowing when her body felt strong … and she’s also a teacher! Goodness me. And now we’re hearing from someone she’s with who’s just run Boston, but he says he’s still go the good vibes of Eid.

I said temperate, but actually it’s looks, at least, pretty alright at Blackheath. We’re currently seeing a bunch of Bake-Off contestants running for Great Ormond Street and specifically a new cancer centre. Good luck people.

Morning all! Anyone fancy a quick 26.2 miles? No? How about a swift 42.1 km? Also no? Snap.

I can’t lie, I do have an I ran the London Marathon 2006 running top, which I borrowed from a friend to do three peaks – thanks Chris – and failed to return – also thanks Chris. But otherwise, the notion of putting my body and brain through the slog of a run like this could not be less appealing. Just focus on the next step? Not for me, Kenenisa.

However, luckily for us, 45,000 or so heroes feel differently. Doing last year’s race, I seemed to spend half the time tending to my uncommonly sweaty eyeballs as ordinary people related their extraordinary tales, and I’m certain today will be the same, an inspiring triumph of the human spirit. If you’re there or know people who are, feel free to send in your photos, anecdotes and charity links.

Otherwise, though the elite men’s race doesn’t feature Eliud Kipchoge, who’ll be starting us off, it will include Kenenisa Bekele, the second-fastest man in history, and given he’s 40, we’re mandated to enjoy him while we still can; Kelvin Kiptum, who ran the fastest marathon debut ever in Valencia last year; Sir Mo Farah, competing for the final time; Tamirat Tola, the world champion; and Gabriel Geay, who came second in last week’s Boston event.

As for the women, we’ve got Brigid Kosgei, the world record holder; Yalemzerf Yehualaw, the 10km world record holder; Peres Jepchirchir, the Olympic champion; Genzebe Dibaba, the world 1500m record holder; and Tigist Assefa, the 2022 Berlin champion. Look out for a fast time in that one, especially given the, er, temperate conditions.

And, in the wheelchair races, Marcel Hug and Catherine Debrunner, defending champs and world record holders return – their events will be started by Gordon Perry, winner of the first such contest 40 years ago. This is going to be affirming!

Elite wheelchair races: 9.15am BST

Elite women’s race: 9.25am BST

Elite men’s race and mass Start: 10am BST