It will be some time before the last participant crosses the finishing line but you can continue to watch the action at the top of this page.

There will be no more live text commentary though, I'm afraid, because I haven't done the necessary training to go the distance; energy levels are low, a wall has been hit and it's time to say goodbye before my fingers turn to jelly. Thanks, as always, for joining us. Until next year...

People are running the London Marathon for a number of reasons, some are hoping to achieve a lifetime's ambition, others doing in in memory of loved ones. Everyone has a target, everyone has a story to tell.

Somewhere in the crowd is Ian Unsworth, who is running in honour of his mother who died of bowel cancer, and Harry Batchelor will be among the masses, too, digging in for his daughter who was recently diagnosed with a form of autism.

Not content with knowing everything, Eggheads quizzer CJ de Moi has completed the distance to finish as the quickest celebrity, beating the likes of former England footballer Michael Owen and Olympians James Cracknell and Katherine Grainger.

"I'm amazed," he says on BBC One. "I've always loved running, it's the only sport I've ever done. Long-distance running I absolutely adore. I hit the wall about 16-17 miles and the crowd just lifted me."

In breaking news, Chris Atkins, who wanted to become the fastest man to complete a marathon dressed as a toilet has crossed the line in under three hours and that, ladies and gentlemen, is a Guinness World Record. , external

All he had to do was stagger home in under four hours but it was far from a bog standard performance from Mr Atkins.

There are a number of ways to block out the pain during a leg-numbing 26.2-mile run and one such way is to stick on the headphones and listen to some mood-boosting tunes.

But what would be on your playlist? For the purposes of this exercise, Survivor's Eye Of The Tiger is off the list. You can tweet your musings using the hashtag #bbcmarathon

There are runners from all over the world in London today. One Moldovan, two chaps from Nepal and a whopping 521 from the United States. Although, there isn't anyone from the South Sandwich Islands taking part.

If you're from the South Sandwich Islands, or if the sight of the young and old has inspired you to take up the sport, there is information available on the Get Inspired website.

Retired marathon runner Mara Yamauchi has even come up with '10 reasons to start running' so there are no excuses anymore. And anyone can do it, just listen to pensioner Pat Ainsworth who is running her 18th marathon today.

Image source, Getty Images

Impressively, classical singer Laura Wright is still able to hit Top C even though she has run 13 miles. The singer, official anthem singer for England's rugby union team, belts out a pitch-perfect Jerusalem on Tower Bridge and attempts to get BBC Sport presenter Denise Lewis to join in, but the former Olympic heptathlon champion refuses to test her vocal chords.

British marathon record holder Steve Jones on Farah

"As a debut performance it was extremely good. He is a class act and the greatest distance runner this country has ever had. It is an honour to still have my record seeing as Mo stated that was his target. But I think he coped pretty well considering it was his first marathon."

Image source, Getty Images

But how do you avoid hitting the wall, stop your legs from feeling like guacamole? Professor Greg Whyte, who has worked on 22 Comic and Sport Relief challenges, has some words of wisdom.

"Hitting the wall is the culmination of a number of factors but primarily it happens when you are very low on energy, usually carbohydrates," he says. "As well as physical symptoms of fatigue and a reduction in pace you will also have psychological changes related to mood, such as increased anger and depression.

"That is entirely avoidable by ensuring you run your race at your pace, and your nutrition is well planned and executed so take on board fluid and fuel - little, often, and early."

The masses are continuing to run, jog or gingerly walk the streets of London. There will be tough times for them all; moments when legs will wobble, when they feel as if they can't go on. But how do they push themselves through the pain barrier?

Paul Freedman, the oldest runner at this year's event, has a few tips. The 89-year-old says following a nice bum is often a good ploy.

"I am almost down to walking pace, but what keeps me going is raising money for the hospice I'm running for and the thought of my friends and family at the finishing line," he tells BBC Sport.

Paula Radcliffe
Women's marathon world record holder on BBC TV

"I do think Mo made the right decision to come to London. If you are a British runner and you want to attack the marathon, you do it in London, there is no better stage. The plan was to go through the first half at slower pace and that was what he did but wasn't quite able to come back in the second half of the race. I think he has found out what the marathon is all about. He wanted to win but also have a chance to try it all out and feel it but it is about a different strength and having to hang on when everything else is falling apart."

Image source, Getty Images

Wheelchair marathon winner Marcel Hug tells BBC Sport: "This is a really sweet victory and it feels great to finally win this race. It was a tight finish but I was glad to be in front. It is great to compete against David Weir and also great to beat him."

Weir added: "It is disappointing but I felt strong all the way through but Marcel was just that bit ahead."

Image source, Getty Images

Tom Fordyce
BBC Sport's chief sports writer in London

"Chastening debut for Mo, and now the questions will come: was he right to make his bow in a field of this quality? Has he stepped up too soon? What will this do for his aura on the track, and does this now mean he will stick with 5,000m/10,000m at the next Olympics in Rio?"

There were 169,682 applications for this year's London Marathon but only 49,872 were accepted, while around 36,000 runners were estimated to have started this morning.

Image source, PA

More than 70 entrants wanted to attempt a Guinness World Record and one of those was Glen Burmeister, who wants to become the fastest marathon runner carrying a 100lb pack.

Who wouldn't want to run run 26.2 miles with a Rhinoceros on their back? Burmeister must cross the line in under eight hours if he is to become a world record holder.

The upbeat sound of a steel band reminds us that, for the majority, the London Marathon is not over. Actor Dominic West has got to the 20km-mark in 2:09.19, while news reader Sophie Raworth is some distance ahead of The Wire star, clocking 2:10.25 at 25km.

"I will be back," says Mo Farah, talking with ease and not out of breath. "I'm not going to finish it like this. I would have been disappointed to do my first marathon anywhere else. I gave it my all but I just wish I gave a little bit more to the crowd and all the supporters.

"It was pretty tough. I'm quite disappointed but you try things and if they don't work, at least you gave it a go. I missed one drink station but it was really just the pace - I should have gone with the front group. The pacemakers I had were slightly ahead of me but you learn - life goes on."

Brendan Foster
BBC Sport athletics commentator

"Why would Mo Farah want to take on guys like Wilson Kipsang in the marathon in the future? These guys are just so strong. I hope Mo stays on the track, runs the shorter distances and defends his title in Rio. I just think this is too much of an unknown territory for Mo."

Steve Cram
BBC athletics commentator

"If Mo didn't know the marathon was a hard event beforehand, he does now. I think he will be disappointed with his time but the point is you won't know what a marathon is like until he does one."

Image source, Getty Images

The decibels rise as Mo Farah emerges from the final bend and the Briton grits his teeth down the home straight, breaking the English record to finish eighth in 2:08.21.

Champion Wilson Kipsang whispers a prayer on the finishing line with compatriot Stanley Biwott, who finished second, while Tsegaye Kebede and Ayele Abshero sprint down The Mall in a battle for fourth. It's Kebede, last year's winner, who comes out on top to cross the line third.