Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson
Eleven-time Paralympic champion on BBC TV

David Weir just wants to be better all the time, and always improve himself. With the London Marathon he knows every twist and turn of the course. Where he's dominant is knowing when to kick on the final turn. The other athletes will make him really fight for this because they know how much this race means to him.

There's probably about eight or nine guys in the pack today who could win the sprint finish.

There's no Manuela Schar in the elite women's wheelchair race, but it's still a Swiss athlete at the front with Catherine Debrunner leading in the early stages.

Already, defending champion Marcel Hug has taken charge of the men's race, with the USA's Daniel Romanchuk for company.

Another Swiss one-two on the cards?

Women's world record holder Brigid Kosgei was another high-profile athlete to withdraw from the London marathon earlier this week.

The two-time winner in London was fourth in last year's race after taking silver at the Tokyo Olympics, but the Kenyan will not take part after a hamstring injury disrupted her training.

"I would like to prepare to be in top condition," she said. "We've decided it's best I withdraw and get further treatment on my injuries."

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The pacers have been asked to go out at a world record pace in the elite women's race. No hanging about!

Once again England's Euro 2022 champions Leah Williamson, Ellen White and Jill Scott are called upon to hit the buzzer and signal the start of the elite women's race.

Off they go!

And now the elite women are about to head out on to the road too.

It's an incredibly competitive field. We'll run you through some of the names to look out for shortly.

Britain's eight-time champion David Weir admitted in the build-up to last year's London Marathon that Marcel Hug and American Daniel Romanchuk were in a "different universe".

He proved to be correct, the Briton finishing third on the day as he came out on top in a sprint finish with Canada's 2020 winner Brent Lakatos.

The “WeirWolf”, 43, is competing in his 23rd consecutive London Marathon today - yes, you read that right! - and he recently won the Big Half in preparation for his latest tilt at his home event.

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Kings Heath RC: Good luck to our runners taking part in today’s London Marathon - Darren, Ruth, Emily, Emma, Rahema, Rakesh, Humera, Dave and Helen! We are all immensely proud of you and hope you enjoy every minute of it!

Last year's Swiss winners in the men's and women's wheelchair races were both due to compete again today, but women's champion Manuela Schar has not made the start line this morning.

Compatriot Marcel Hug and Schar both set course records as they won the men's and women's events respectively.

Paralympic champion Hug beat 2019 champion Daniel Romanchuk and Britain's David Weir to the title in 2021, finishing in one hour 26 minutes and 27 seconds.

Can he repeat that feat today?

The 2022 London Marathon is GO!

The men's and women's elite wheelchair races are about to get under way...

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This year's London Marathon will be officially started by a trio of England's Euro 2022 champions.

Leah Williamson, Ellen White and Jill Scott - the latter a winner of the Mini Marathon back in 2001 - will all be present to get the race under way.

“This will bring back some special memories," said Scott. "I won the Mini Marathon before I decided to focus on my football. Crossing the Finish Line first on The Mall was an amazing feeling.

"Part of the joy of our success this summer was hearing how it inspired young people to get out and play football, or any sport, and the Mini London Marathon has the same power.”

Another British athlete who will not be on the start line today is Mo Farah.

The four-time Olympic champion had been due to contest his first full marathon since 2019.

But Farah, 39, was forced to withdraw from the race earlier this week due to a hip injury.

The Briton won the Big Half in September as part of his preparations for the London marathon and said missing out was "really disappointing", but despite his best efforts to overcome the problem "it hasn't proved enough".

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Victoria Smith: Good Luck to our marathon man, Ollie Smith, running for Swindon's neuro wellbeing centre. You've got this! Love Victoria, Verity and Lois xx

June Sampson: Good luck Scarlet Sampson, running for Whizz Kids. After all the training, enjoy this huge victory lap!

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Britain's Charlotte Purdue is among the late withdrawals from the 2022 London Marathon.

Purdue, who has been unwell since overnight on Friday, was the first domestic athlete across the line at the London Marathon in both 2019 and 2021.

She finished 10th last year in a personal best of 2:23:26 - the fourth fastest time ever achieved by a British athlete.

Australia's Madison de Rozario, winner in 2018, has withdrawn from the women’s wheelchair race due to illness, after Briton Shelly Woods withdrew on Friday following a problem with her racing chair.

Keeping an eye out for a family member, friend, colleague, or simply getting behind every single participant taking on the London Marathon?

We want to hear from you!

You can send in your messages of support using the hashtag #bbcmarathon on Twitter, or text 81111 (UK only - texts will be charged at your standard message rate).

Here are the times you need to be aware of this morning (all times in BST):

• 08:50 - Elite wheelchairs
• 09:00 - Elite women
• 09:40 - Elite men and mass start

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Good morning!

And happy London Marathon day.

We'll be bringing you live updates from the elite races, all the best bits from around the course following the mass start, as well as sharing your messages of support for those taking on the 26.2 miles around the streets of London.

Let's take a look at the schedule - and also how you can get in touch.

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