Image source, Reuters

Fair play to anyone running in fancy dress today.

I'd imagine the person under this chicken costume is rather hot ... mind due it might create a bit of a breeze if you're around it!

Matt Taylor
BBC Weather

It may have been a little fresh on the starting line for many, but runners are probably feeling the heat under those sunny skies.

At midday we hit 16 Celsius (61F) in Manchester, and 19 Celsius (66F) at St James’s Park in London. That will feel especially warm for runners in London as there is little breeze to offset the strength of the sun.

And Jo (see below) stopped to talk to BBC One a little earlier as she made her way towards halfway.

"I have never experienced anything like this is my life," she said. "It is fabulous.

"I have my two little girls waiting for me, hopefully somewhere around this corner.

"If anyone saw our story today they would know I am a very average mum who is not a runner, would never have done this but it is the ultimate tribute to my husband who desperately wanted to do this."

Every year the London Marathon has an official charity. This year it is Pancreatic Cancer UK.

Pancreatic cancer is the most deadly of all common cancers in the UK and many people today are running to raise money and awareness.

One of those is Jo Curtis, who is running in the place of her husband Stewart who had a place booked for the marathon in 2022 and 2023 but was not well enough to compete. Stewart died in January 2024.

"A key thing for me has been that we can't have gone through this for no positive to come from it. I kept thinking, 'What can I do?' There was a lightbulb moment where I thought, 'I can do the marathon for him'," Curtis told BBC Sport.

Watch more on their story above.

Jess Warren
BBC journalist

There is a busy and energetic feel at Cutty Sark in south-east London, with some spectators even climbing on to roofs to get a good view of the marathon runners.

Pubs and cafe's are packed out as runners complete their first six miles of the course.

BBC One

In addition to David Stancombe and Sergio Aguiar running for Alice Aguiar, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Bebe King, the headteacher of Churchtown Primary, where Alice and Bebe attended, is also taking part.

Jinnie Payne has been speaking to the BBC: "I am feeling absolutely amazing because the crowds are unbelievable. Thank you so much. This whole event is fantastic.

"This is the most important thing for Alice, Bebe and Elsie and that is my stride. I just go one, two, three.

"The Southport community are wrapping their arms around us. I can feel it."

Image source, Getty Images

One slightly surprising runner you may want to watch out for today is Italian footballing legend Leonardo Bonucci.

The former Juventus centre-back, whose son fell seriously ill in 2016, retired last summer but is running today for Young Lives vs Cancer.

"Given the experiences Pietro [his running partner] and I have shared, supporting this cause was the most natural choice," said Bonucci, who won Euro 2020 with Italy and played 121 times for his country. "It truly felt like ours

“If someone had told me a year ago that I would run all these kilometres, I would have thought they were crazy.

"I, who have always hated running and believed it to be endlessly boring.

"But then a challenge arose: to find something that, after football, would push me to challenge myself, and thus the desire to run a marathon was born."

Jess Warren
BBC journalist

Nurse Emma Jones, from Herefordshire, told BBC London it had “always been a dream” to do the London Marathon ever since she was a little girl watching it on TV.

“I have never been able to get in and then this amazing charity Kidney Care UK got me a place. I’ve raised over £5,500 and it is amazing so special.

“I have been excited, nervous; I have not got a finishing time, I just want to complete it.”

I can tell you both Sergio and David are beyond halfway in their marathons.

Truly inspiring.

We have already mentioned Sergio and David, two days from Southport who are running for their daughters who were killed in the attack last year,.

Sergio is raising money to build a new playground, including a performance stage and library, at Churchtown Primary School, where Alice and Bebe were pupils.

"Twenty-six miles, I've never done anything like that before. But for my girl, I would do 26 or 50 - whatever," he said.

"The pain doesn't matter, I'm going to do it."

David is raising money for Elsie's Story, a charitable trust that makes grants to assist young people and support others in the Southport area.

"I keep saying Elsie and those other girls will live longer than us," says her mum, Jenni. "Elsie's Story and the work that we're doing in the community will continue [her legacy]."

Read more on the Southport dads running the London Marathon

Image source, Getty Images

Broadcaster Adele Roberts is no stranger to record-breaking feats on the streets of London.

She already holds a record as the fastest woman with a stoma to complete the London Marathon and is going for another this year.

Today's race is the final leg of her challenge to become the fastest woman with a stoma to complete all six world marathon majors in the space of eight months.

New York, Chicago, Berlin, Tokyo and Boston have all been completed, with the Boston event taking place last weekend.

Today is the final lap...

Image source, Getty Images

World records have become part of the tradition of the London Marathon and this year there will be 87 world record attempts.

One of those is Alexander Knox, Jasper Wolley, Ben Littlejohns and Jim Baillie, who will try to set a new record for the fastest time in a four-person costume. They'll be dressed as Scooby Doo's Mystery Machine.

Other record attempts include:

• Fastest marathon in a firefighter's uniform and breathing apparatus
• Three separate attempts at fastest marathon dressed as a knight
• Fastest marathon dressed in a tent
• Fastest marathon on crutches

Eleri Griffiths
BBC Wales journalist

After finding out my GCSE’s were cancelled due to Covid, I needed to shift my attention from revision to a new hobby … and that’s when I found my love for running! It began with daily 5ks and then I eventually built up to doing my first half marathon in 2023. The atmosphere of the race was electric and the feeling of completing it was just indescribable.

I told myself I wanted to do a marathon before my 20th birthday but last year I sadly had to defer my London Marathon place at the last minute due to a leg injury. I was devastated and felt like I’d let myself down. However it’s made this year even more special. I have done everything in my power to avoid an injury and I really do hope my months of training, tears and tantrums will pay off and I will officially get to say I’m part of the 1% club.”

Image source, Steve Tomlinson

"I can't do any worse than last year."

These are the words of the man who finished last in the 2024 London Marathon and hopes to avoid the same fate this year - despite not being able to train.

Fred Tomlinson, from Doncaster, made headlines when he crossed the line in 13 hours and 23 minutes, finishing after midnight.

The 76-year-old will take on his 33rd consecutive London Marathon on 27 April to raise money for the Rainbow Trust Children's Charity in memory of his daughter Claire, who died just before her 15th birthday.

Discussing his race strategy, Mr Tomlinson said he planned to "just put my head down".

The former police officer said his marathon preparations had been hampered by knee replacement surgery in November.

With one week to go, his training had so far consisted of "just walking up and down" but he hoped any pain on the day would be temporary.

"When you are in the hospital ward and there's children dying it hits home - it still does now," said Mr Tomlinson.

Read more

If you were just watching on BBC One, you'd have seen a clip about Angus Leckonby.

He was diagnosed as severely autistic aged two but is attempting to break two world records today.

Watch his remarkable story above.

And with the elite races now complete, attention turns to the 37,000 others taking on the London Marathon today.

Some are running for fast times, others are running for their own special and emotional reasons.

We'll bring you as many as we can over the next few hours and share the best of the colourful action from the streets of London.

Don't forget you can send in your messages of support to friends and loved ones.

It was a Swiss double in the wheelchair races with Catherine Debrunner and Marcel Hug defending their titles.

Eden Rainbow-Cooper was the best-placed Briton in fourth in the women's race...

David Weir, meanwhile, finished sixth in his 26th successive London Marathon.

Sabastian Sawe came out on top but here are your final standings from the men's race.

The women's race was won by Tigst Assefa in a women's only world record.