The elite women are just being introduced to the crowd. Here are the names to look for...

Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson
Six-time London Marathon wheelchair race winner on BBC TV

That is devastating.

Sad times for Francisco Sanclemente. Will the Colombian have to call it a day after his chair proved irreparable? Or can he get a magic fix?

Image source, Getty

The ballot for the 2020 London Marathon is now open!

Usually you can only get your application in for the next year's race a week or so after the current race is done.

Not this year. You can sign up for next year's race right here if you are in the UK, ballot.virginmoneylondonmarathon.com, external, or here, https://www.virginmoneylondonmarathon.com/enter-now-international, external

if you are coming from overseas.

Strike while the emotions are high...

How long does it take to go from running novice to marathon warrior?

BBC Bitesize have been crunching the numbers and apparently you can go from nought to 26.2 in about six months.

Read more here.

Which brings us neatly to some breaking news...

Morven, aged 10

Perry, Bath

Rachael, Simon, Logan & Korben

A nightmare start for Colombia's Francisco Sanclemente.

The gun goes for the start of the elite wheelchair race and the 31-year-old goes nowhere.

A mechanical problem with his wheelchair leaves him stranded in the wake of the rest of the field.

As they speed up the road he is wrestling with innertubes and gas cannisters trying to get himself up and running.

Image source, Getty Images

Madison de Rozario made history last year.

Just a week after collecting two Commonwealth Games gold medals, she hopped on the red eye from the Gold Coast to London and reeled in the London title as well.

But she will need to be at her best to hold off the red hot form of Manuela Schar.

The Swiss is the current holder of the other five major marathon titles after wins in Berlin, Chicago, New York, Tokyo and Boston. She is only missing London from an extraordinary clean sweep.

Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson
Six-time London Marathon wheelchair race winner on BBC TV

David Weir is incredible. When he says he's happy, that's the most important thing that affects how he races.

It's going to be a tough race for him today, there are lots of sprinters in there so David has got to have his wits about him today.

Rio was tough for David, he needed time out. For Tokyo, there are high expectations for what the Paralympics are going to be.

He's not ready to quit and that break was good for him. When he's happy, that's when you get the best out of him.

BBC Two

David Weir said: "The prize money is going up and we are part of the world series now. It just makes the athletes feel wanted and part of a major world series.

"When I was growing up, you were stared at like you were an alien but it has changed people's mindset on disability. We are just as good as the Mo Farah's and the Paula Radcliffe's of this world. I'm in good shape and I have listened to my body. I'm ready."

Image source, Getty

Meet the new kid on the marathon beat.

Dan Romanchuk is just 20, but announced himself with victories in Chicago and New York in the autumn.

David Weir and Swiss rival Marcel Hug were left in his slipstream on both occasions.

Can Weir, chasing an unprecedented ninth London marathon title, beat the American and Father Time at the age of 39?

The first elite races to head off today will be the men's and women's wheelchairs.

We have just seen a shot of David Weir, inscrutable behind his sunglasses, on the startline.

Let's get the lowdown on how it might go down...

Neil: Good luck to all the runners and well done to all the supporters. Who once again have turned out in numbers for the London Marathon Every runner should be so proud of themselves. Go get them champs

Carrie: Love and luck to all those running, walking, limping, cheering and volunteering today.

Rob: It's that annual Sunday Morning where people amazingly run 26 miles through London whilst I sit here watching whilst eating chocolate eggs.

Image source, Getty

Here's how you can follow what's happening on the BBC.

• 08:30-10:00 - BBC Two - includes start of the wheelchair races at 09:05, IPC races at 09:10 and women's elite race at 09:25.
• 08:30-14:30 - Uninterrupted coverage, Connected TV & online
• 08:55-12:25 - Elite races, BBC Red Button, Connected TV and online
• 09:00-13:00 - Uninterrupted coverage, BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra
• 10:00-14:30 - BBC One - includes the start of the men's elite race and the masses at 1010
• 12:30-17:30 - Finish line, Connected TV and online - try and spot friends and family crossing the finish line.
• 14:30-16:00 - Playlist, BBC iPlayer, Connected TV and online - a special programme presented by Radio 1's Adele Roberts focusing on the masses, combining pictures and music requests.

What kind of runner are you? BBC Radio 1's Adele Roberts takes a look at the various kinds of runners taking part in this year's London Marathon.

You'll be able to see more of Adele in a special programme - focusing on the masses and combining pictures and music requests - on the iPlayer, Connected TV and online (at the top of this page) from 14:30-16:00 BST.

Image source, Getty

We are open for your messages of support and good luck to those running in the race.

(Big shout out here to my own mum Anne Henson, Louise, Katy and Rebecca running for Isabel Hospice and our colleague Andrew Bassett running for Cardiac Risk in the Young)

Hit us up on 81111 on text - WITH YOUR NAME! - or #bbcgetinspired on Twitter., external

Image source, Getty Images

Pre-marathon press conferences can be all rather worthy, but bland quotes about giving it your best shot and the high quality of the rest of the field.

Well, Mo Farah turned Wednesday's press launch into a celebrity Tripadvisor spat, claiming he had had money, phones and an expensive watch stolen while staying at a hotel run by Ethiopian distance great Haile Gebrselassie.

Gebrselassie in turn accused Farah of "blackmailing" him and not following the hotel's advice on security arrangements. He also claimed that hotel staff reported "disgraceful conduct" by Farah and his entourage.

Image source, Getty Images

That is how London Marathon event director Hugh Brasher described today's London Marathon.

And it is difficult to argue with the numbers.

414,168 applied for a place in the race, 56,398 picked up a golden ticket, along with the elite marathoners of the world.

Join us for the next few hours of pain, joy, and camaraderie.

Image source, Getty Images

Sir Mo Farah, Eliud Kipchoge, Mary Keitany, Vivian Cheruiyot, Sir David Weir, Madison de Rozario, Amelie Mauresmo, Andy Murray, Adam Woodyatt, a giant Happy Sunglasses emoji, a panda, more than 40,000 runners and even more spectators cordially invite you to:

"Britain's biggest street party"

Dress code: vest, trainers and vaseline.