Part 1

:00:17. > :00:30.Surely destined to become one of the great events in history.

:00:31. > :00:42.Tufa of Ethiopia, heading for victory. One of the greatest pieces

:00:43. > :00:49.of running we have ever seen. Shoulders burning, fingertips

:00:50. > :00:55.pushing. The London Marathon belongs to Eliud

:00:56. > :01:04.Kipchoge. A sight to behold every single year.

:01:05. > :01:09.Welcome to the Virgin Money London Marathon where runners of all

:01:10. > :01:14.shapes, sizes and abilities are about to embark on this historic

:01:15. > :01:21.26.2 miles journey. They have any reasons for running. Maybe they want

:01:22. > :01:26.to inspire others, raise money, get fit or just have fun. They are

:01:27. > :01:33.taking part in a day among the most special in the sport Canada. And for

:01:34. > :01:36.one of the finish is today a place in history awaits.

:01:37. > :01:52.-- one of those finishing. They go to finish together.

:01:53. > :02:11.The fastest time by a woman in history.

:02:12. > :02:19.I have been doing my exercises. With salsa dancing.

:02:20. > :02:25.It is nice to have a challenge. There is the physical side, but it

:02:26. > :02:29.is really believing you can do it. I am running to make sure kids have a

:02:30. > :02:34.voice. Every step will help young people.

:02:35. > :02:37.To raise as much money as we can, that is it.

:02:38. > :02:40.The best in the world are here, but he is the champion.

:02:41. > :03:04.The biggest win of her career. Best of luck to all those incredible

:03:05. > :03:10.runners, just over 35,000 of them at the start in Blackheath. So many

:03:11. > :03:14.have arrived. In 90 minutes the masses will begin their long journey

:03:15. > :03:20.after the elite wheelchair races, IPC athletes and best men and women

:03:21. > :03:25.in the world have got under way. What a fantastic day in store, and

:03:26. > :03:32.the sun is daring to peek through the clouds. The rain has stopped. It

:03:33. > :03:36.promises to be another emotional, historic and inspirational day and I

:03:37. > :03:41.am at the bandstand in Greenwich Park. Behind me, everyday runners,

:03:42. > :03:47.like you and me, they are getting ready, taking on board last-minute

:03:48. > :03:55.snacks and high energy drinks. One of them could be the 1,000,000th

:03:56. > :04:02.finisher of this incredible race. Maybe it could be this man, Chris.

:04:03. > :04:06.One of the 12 ever presents, 12 men who have started and finished every

:04:07. > :04:12.single London Marathon, you crazy man! You must love the race. I do

:04:13. > :04:18.love it, a tremendous event. I could not imagine all those years ago

:04:19. > :04:22.taking part and being here today, the tremendous atmosphere. The great

:04:23. > :04:28.way the race has evolved and raised money for charity. And changes you

:04:29. > :04:35.must have seen from the early race, which was almost unique at the time.

:04:36. > :04:39.There were only 6500 runners and very few women taking part and

:04:40. > :04:45.charity had not become the backbone of the event it is today. You are

:04:46. > :04:49.with your son, Nicholas, taking on the family tradition. Are you

:04:50. > :04:55.pressured in your family? You have to do this, a rite of passage? That

:04:56. > :05:00.is a good way of putting it. I am the youngest of three and my dad and

:05:01. > :05:06.my two siblings and my mum has done it so it was my turn. You are

:05:07. > :05:11.raising money. A charity, a connection with someone local put an

:05:12. > :05:16.advert in the paper, the Orchard Vale trust. The obvious thing to say

:05:17. > :05:23.is will it be a race down the Mall for the two of you. You could be far

:05:24. > :05:28.apart. Embarrassingly, I am 22 years old and I will be beaten by my

:05:29. > :05:37.father. He has instructions not to overtake me! The best of luck to

:05:38. > :05:44.both of you. We will follow the stories of many more inspirational

:05:45. > :05:49.people throughout the day. This man Ben Smith is running 401

:05:50. > :05:54.marathons in 401 days and we have been with him on his journey with

:05:55. > :06:00.the finishing line many months away. She is a double Olympic gold

:06:01. > :06:04.medallist, but Dame Kelly Holmes is entering new territory today. A host

:06:05. > :06:08.of celebrities are running and throughout the morning we will meet

:06:09. > :06:14.some of them as they line up. The best women and men in the world are

:06:15. > :06:22.here and we will mark your card on who is likely to win, the Olympics a

:06:23. > :06:28.price of the British. David Weir gets under way at 8:55am. And we

:06:29. > :06:37.will meet inspiring people running for a reason close to their heart.

:06:38. > :06:43.One goal in mind, to finish. That is what is coming up. These are

:06:44. > :06:49.the famous landmarks the runners will pass today. After six miles

:06:50. > :06:54.they gets to the historical Cutty Sark. Halfway they will see Tower

:06:55. > :07:01.Bridge. Around 18 miles. The business end where they make their

:07:02. > :07:10.way through Canary Wharf. Big Ben and then the greatest site

:07:11. > :07:16.imaginable, the Mall. These are the landmarks, but at the start, a hive

:07:17. > :07:20.of activity. Colin Jackson has managed to find a pretty decent back

:07:21. > :07:26.three defending their honour, no doubt.

:07:27. > :07:30.Good morning. I have wonderful defenders. You will be running

:07:31. > :07:38.longer than 90 minutes, I can assure you of that. Tell us what it will be

:07:39. > :07:45.like for you out there. I am so nervous, it is ridiculous. I have

:07:46. > :07:49.heard about the brick wall. It sounds like the great Wall of China

:07:50. > :07:59.we will be climbing today but I am looking forward to it. I am running

:08:00. > :08:06.for the Bobby Moore foundation. I cannot wait to contribute. Gary, as

:08:07. > :08:15.manager of Birmingham City, are you superfit? I would not imagine all of

:08:16. > :08:26.them are superfit, but I did not stop playing that long ago so I have

:08:27. > :08:32.an advantage. I am raising money for meningitis. I am sure they are going

:08:33. > :08:37.through more pain that I am going through today. You are a bit more

:08:38. > :08:45.experienced, why are you running? I am doing the Bobby Moore fund. The

:08:46. > :08:52.50 year anniversary since he lifted the World Cup. I hope the crowd get

:08:53. > :08:56.me round. Everybody at home, get out on the streets, supporters. I have

:08:57. > :09:03.done one before. It was not particularly planned and it will

:09:04. > :09:09.hurt. I have a lot of faith in you. You will have support. All of the

:09:10. > :09:15.best. It certainly is a raise of two

:09:16. > :09:16.halves, that is all I can say! This is the timetable with races

:09:17. > :09:35.starting at different times. A stellar field has been assembled

:09:36. > :09:55.once again for the women's elite race. And at 10am, the men and the

:09:56. > :10:00.masses start. It does not matter when you finish. Incredible reasons

:10:01. > :10:03.the runners are out here. And if you want to get in touch,

:10:04. > :10:03.which is And if you want to get in touch,

:10:04. > :10:10.start, they are in And if you want to get in touch,

:10:11. > :10:18.inspiring the runners. Sending good luck messages to friends and family,

:10:19. > :10:27.to comment on what you are watching, you can, send us a text. Get in

:10:28. > :10:33.touch via Facebook and social media. The NSPCC is the official charity

:10:34. > :10:40.and to mark their relationship with ChildLine, we have teamed ChildLine

:10:41. > :10:45.running. You are looking very good. Big smiles, whether they will be

:10:46. > :10:49.like that in a few hours, who knows. You have your own reasons for

:10:50. > :10:56.running with teamed ChildLine. What is your relationship? ChildLine

:10:57. > :11:05.supported me. I am trained as a ChildLine counsellor. And a

:11:06. > :11:13.volunteer. How many children are helped by ChildLine? On average, a

:11:14. > :11:23.child contacts ChildLine every 25 seconds. In the 30 years it has

:11:24. > :11:30.helped almost 4 million children. 300,020 14-15 alone. When it started

:11:31. > :11:36.there was a need for it, are you surprised 30 years later the demand

:11:37. > :11:40.is still so great? It is shocking there are this many children that

:11:41. > :11:47.need help but it shows the importance and value of ChildLine.

:11:48. > :11:52.And also why we are running today. The problems children face today are

:11:53. > :11:59.different from 30 years ago. You have used services, are you a team,

:12:00. > :12:03.will you run together? We are not necessarily going to run together.

:12:04. > :12:13.Most are running in pairs, in threes. We have kept contact using

:12:14. > :12:23.WhatsApp. We are a team and definitely teamed ChildLine. Has it

:12:24. > :12:29.been inspiring training to -- together? We are doing it for a

:12:30. > :12:36.charity we all believe in and it has been inspiring for us. I cannot

:12:37. > :12:43.believe it is 30 years. Well done. We will speak to Dame Esther

:12:44. > :12:48.Rantzen, later, the founder of ChildLine. Colin Jackson has two

:12:49. > :13:00.runners you might recognise, who are running for the NSPCC.

:13:01. > :13:07.Two famous faces from Hollyoaks. Why are you running for NSPCC? We have

:13:08. > :13:11.been working with NSPCC doing a child sexual abuse storyline at

:13:12. > :13:17.Hollyoaks. We met young survivors who came to talk to us about the

:13:18. > :13:21.trial process and they have helped us with the storyline. They have

:13:22. > :13:25.been inspiring. It was a hard-hitting storyline that has hit

:13:26. > :13:32.home. We have had amazing response from people watching this story. And

:13:33. > :13:37.support from NSPCC, we went to see their work in the offices in

:13:38. > :13:43.Liverpool. So we thought, let's give today a go. You have run a marathon

:13:44. > :13:50.before, will you take her through? For the first couple of miles and

:13:51. > :13:58.then I might leg it! You just take it and go for it. I wish you all the

:13:59. > :14:03.best. The masses are arriving. Imagine the

:14:04. > :14:08.nerves jangling, excitement, anticipation and for many it is

:14:09. > :14:13.their debut. They will experience pretty good weather. We were warned

:14:14. > :14:19.earlier in the week of snow but none of that. It will be pretty

:14:20. > :14:24.consistently drive. Light rain seems to have gone away. Sun peeking

:14:25. > :14:35.through at 10am. Temperatures will not be high. It will not really get

:14:36. > :14:42.above 10 degrees. At least no rain, the layers might stay on longer, but

:14:43. > :14:46.not bad conditions. I have two more incredible runners

:14:47. > :14:55.next to me who are running for different reasons. Grace, tell us

:14:56. > :15:02.your story. After two incredible years in your life. Two years ago I

:15:03. > :15:09.was involved in a serious road traffic accident and broke 28 bones,

:15:10. > :15:16.I split my liver in half, my spleen was bleeding, my kidneys failing.

:15:17. > :15:23.You were broken. I spent a month in an induced coma in St George's

:15:24. > :15:32.Hospital. I spent two month before going into rehab in Queen Mary's,

:15:33. > :15:38.which my charity covers, those hospitals. Can you believe two years

:15:39. > :15:43.on you are here and are about to start this incredible race? It was

:15:44. > :15:50.two years today I was moved from intensive care a ward. When you see

:15:51. > :15:59.the crowds, you under any doubt you can get through this? I will do it.

:16:00. > :16:05.100%. Walking, crawling. I will not put any pressure on myself, I just

:16:06. > :16:14.want to embrace every moment. Enjoyed a special atmosphere. Tell

:16:15. > :16:19.us your story. You are running for Parkinsons. I am running for the

:16:20. > :16:27.trust to raise money for Parkinson's disease. I was diagnosed eight years

:16:28. > :16:31.ago. I am raising awareness for the charity, for people with Parkinson's

:16:32. > :16:38.disease and to try to get fitter to achieve this. Tell me about how it

:16:39. > :16:44.affected you and manifested itself. It started eight years ago. I was

:16:45. > :16:50.getting a cramp in my foot. I anticipate that to happen today. My

:16:51. > :16:57.right leg goes extremely stiff and it twists and bairns. It could

:16:58. > :17:00.happen 50 yards in, at 26 miles, -- it and burns. There are a multitude

:17:01. > :17:15.of symptoms. Does running help? It does help, my

:17:16. > :17:17.walking has improved and my gait has improved so it's important for

:17:18. > :17:23.Parkinson's. Whatever happens you will finish today? Yes, six hours,

:17:24. > :17:29.one week, I will finish, definitely. Maybe not the week! Thank you, the

:17:30. > :17:32.best of luck to you. Just two of the many inspirational stories and

:17:33. > :17:38.figures that you will hear and see about today. David Weir is certainly

:17:39. > :17:44.one of those. The Paralympian and wheelchair racer who has won six of

:17:45. > :17:48.these London marathons, today he's going for an historic seventh, it

:17:49. > :17:53.has eluded him so far but he is one of a very impressive field in the

:17:54. > :17:57.men's wheelchair race and the women's too, Phil Jones is here to

:17:58. > :18:03.talk us through the names. Canvas finally be the year for David

:18:04. > :18:09.Weir? Six times a Paralympic gold medalist, the best of British and

:18:10. > :18:12.also won the London Marathon six times, the last time in 2012 when he

:18:13. > :18:17.equalled Tanni Grey-Thompson's record. The American beat George

:18:18. > :18:21.Weah by a second last year, and he described himself as the most hated

:18:22. > :18:32.man in London and took the world title in the bargain, George did

:18:33. > :18:35.returns to defend it. The Swiss man was the champion last year. Marcel

:18:36. > :18:40.Hug is a multiple world champion of outstanding quality. Brilliant and

:18:41. > :18:44.dominant, Tatyana Mcfadden leads the women's wheelchair elite, the

:18:45. > :18:47.American claiming 15 Marathon wins over the last four years, a fourth

:18:48. > :18:53.straight London title is her gold today. Switzerland's 2013 world

:18:54. > :18:57.champion Manuela Schaer has finished second to McFadden in London,

:18:58. > :19:01.Chicago and New York last two years and was runner-up once more in

:19:02. > :19:05.Boston last Monday. She again carries major threat. Written's

:19:06. > :19:11.Shelly Woods saw her hopes punctured last year, but pulled's shining

:19:12. > :19:14.light is twice a winner here including 2012 when she also won

:19:15. > :19:24.marathon silver at the Olympics in London. She is raring to race.

:19:25. > :19:29.Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson and Steve Cram are on The Mall today,

:19:30. > :19:37.part of the fantastic commentary team. I saw him during the week at

:19:38. > :19:41.XL when he was getting his race number and registering and he said

:19:42. > :19:44.he was tired after Boston and finished fourth, he couldn't read

:19:45. > :19:48.too much about his form, can you read anything into his performance

:19:49. > :19:53.and will the seventh win come today? Could come today but he doesn't

:19:54. > :19:57.normally race Boston Marathon where the other top ten guys are used to

:19:58. > :20:01.doing marathons so close to each other. He will hope for a bit of

:20:02. > :20:12.rain, wet conditions releasing David Weir. It will be close but he will

:20:13. > :20:17.have to watch out for Marcel Hug and his other opponents who will race

:20:18. > :20:20.against him together. With Rio looming in a few months' time is it

:20:21. > :20:25.difficult for the wheelchair racers to be peaking at various times in

:20:26. > :20:29.the season, or is this something he is fairly adept at? Wheelchair

:20:30. > :20:33.racing is more like cycling and running so they can quite easily did

:20:34. > :20:38.ten or 12 marathons a year and go and race on the track and come back

:20:39. > :20:41.on the road. It is unusual Dave is choosing to do so many races this

:20:42. > :20:46.year, but I think he needs that going into Rio, he needs more race

:20:47. > :20:54.practice and he has had for the last two or three years. Tatyana Mcfadden

:20:55. > :20:59.is chasing your record. Tatyana Mcfadden is amazing. She did really

:21:00. > :21:03.well in Boston last week. She is very strong. It is hard to see who

:21:04. > :21:06.will come close to her. London is quite a flat course and she doesn't

:21:07. > :21:10.like going down very steep hills so if the women are going to break her

:21:11. > :21:17.they will have to do it early in the race. Stephen, the elite race is

:21:18. > :21:21.interesting for the British athletes because it is effectively a trial

:21:22. > :21:26.for Rio. Explained to us how it will work. It is pretty straightforward,

:21:27. > :21:31.the qualifying time for the men, two hours 14 and two hours 31 for the

:21:32. > :21:35.women and you have to have a qualifying time to finish in the top

:21:36. > :21:38.two to guarantee selection. Callum Hawkins and Scott overall already

:21:39. > :21:43.have the time so they will try and make sure they only finish in the

:21:44. > :21:49.top two to be guaranteed selection -- Overall. Samuels and Dixon also

:21:50. > :21:52.have to qualify within the period for the women. If they finish in the

:21:53. > :21:57.top two it is pretty straightforward for the selectors. They can take

:21:58. > :22:00.three so there is a bunch of other British athletes hoping to come

:22:01. > :22:03.today and get inside the qualifying times and hope that tomorrow when

:22:04. > :22:11.they pick the marathon team for Rio that they will be selected. It is

:22:12. > :22:17.loaded, isn't it? The elite race. You will enjoy a really high quality

:22:18. > :22:21.field. Thank you, Steve and Tanni, more from them this morning. And

:22:22. > :22:31.wheelchair race is about to go off, so let's go down and say hello.

:22:32. > :22:37.COMMENTATOR: We are so excited about this, one of the great days of the

:22:38. > :22:41.year as far as marathon running and marathon pushing is concerned. Here

:22:42. > :22:46.is the line-up for the men's race. It is going to be so, so difficult

:22:47. > :22:49.for David Weir to make it a magnificent seven. Not impossible

:22:50. > :22:58.but Joshua George is the defending champion. David Weir is wearing 36.

:22:59. > :23:05.Six times, the Paralympic champion. But they will all be out to stop him

:23:06. > :23:08.making history here. Speaking of history makers, Tatyana Mcfadden

:23:09. > :23:16.going for four in a row here in London, although her winning streak

:23:17. > :23:20.was brought to an end by Waikato Toshiba recently. The Japanese

:23:21. > :23:22.athlete is nine times a winner in Tokyo and will fancy she can put

:23:23. > :23:30.McFadden under some kind of pressure. So, just the last few

:23:31. > :23:36.seconds ticking by. Dave Weir has said he is fit this year than he has

:23:37. > :23:43.been in previous editions of this race. He hasn't won this since 2012.

:23:44. > :23:47.There is Tatyana Mcfadden, the most successful female wheelchair racer

:23:48. > :23:58.in history. Multiple world champion, multiple Paralympic champion, going

:23:59. > :24:06.for four in a row in London. The crowd realise they are witnessing

:24:07. > :24:12.some great, great racers. Waikato to Cedar, included the first defeat on

:24:13. > :24:17.Tatyana Mcfadden in three years. Can she do something very special again,

:24:18. > :24:25.or can Shelly Woods make it a third victory here in London? Double

:24:26. > :24:25.or can Shelly Woods make it a third back to form. The defending champion

:24:26. > :24:31.said he was back to form. The defending champion

:24:32. > :24:35.people in Britain last year, Josh George, four times a winner in

:24:36. > :24:43.Chicago, faces a huge challenge to defend his world title but he won

:24:44. > :24:47.here 12 months ago. Marcel Hug, multiple world holder, multiple

:24:48. > :24:50.world champion, a little bit tactically naive last year at the

:24:51. > :24:57.World Championships in Doha but a huge performer. Listened to the

:24:58. > :25:04.reception for the Weir Wolf. Six times a winner, six times a

:25:05. > :25:08.Paralympic champion, can he make it the magnificent seven? This is going

:25:09. > :25:16.to be one of his toughest challenges to date.

:25:17. > :25:22.They are under this is without doubt one of the most eagerly anticipated

:25:23. > :25:27.wheelchair races we have had in the 36 year history of the virgin London

:25:28. > :25:32.Marathon. David Weir has it all to do here, he finished fourth in

:25:33. > :25:38.Boston last week, although that was his first outing on that particular

:25:39. > :25:41.course and they do say you need to push Boston three, four, or even

:25:42. > :25:49.five times to give yourself a chance of winning.

:25:50. > :25:58.So, you can just see how quickly the field is stretching out. There will

:25:59. > :26:01.be some tactics here. We saw it all those years ago, is it really almost

:26:02. > :26:08.four years since David Weir completed those four golds at the

:26:09. > :26:11.marathon on that occasion they tried to work together to deny Dave the

:26:12. > :26:18.fourth gold, the best of the rest, and it work then. We have some very

:26:19. > :26:22.experienced and very inform rivals to put Dave under pressure here.

:26:23. > :26:30.Ernst van Dyk is pushing really well. It's not just about Kurt

:26:31. > :26:36.Fearnley. Marcel Hug. Hug leading at the moment, a long way to go, and

:26:37. > :26:40.there will be some real cat and mouse here. We've been speaking

:26:41. > :26:45.about David Weir aiming to become the most successful wheelchair racer

:26:46. > :26:48.in London Marathon history. We were catching up with him earlier this

:26:49. > :26:52.week, he's been a man in demand in the lead up to the race, as you

:26:53. > :26:54.would expect, and he has spoken about what it is going to take to

:26:55. > :27:02.win. It will take beating Marcelle, Kurt

:27:03. > :27:07.and Ernst and they are pushing really well. I've had a really good

:27:08. > :27:11.winter, I've had a solid lot of mileage, back in the gym, I don't

:27:12. > :27:21.know if it is because it is Olympic year and you get the buzz again,

:27:22. > :27:28.We have you back in the commentary box, Tanni Grey-Thompson, this is a

:27:29. > :27:32.huge task for Dave, we don't want to play the chances down but we should

:27:33. > :27:35.not underestimate the size of the challenge in hand because some of

:27:36. > :27:40.his biggest rivals are in cracking form. Marcel Hug has had renewed

:27:41. > :27:43.confidence in the last 18 months, probably two years ago a lot of the

:27:44. > :27:49.male athletes used to let Dave make all of the decisions on the road and

:27:50. > :27:52.Ernst van Dyk, Marcel Hug and Kurt Fearnley from Australia, I wouldn't

:27:53. > :27:56.be surprised if they try and race together a bit in the first 15, 16

:27:57. > :28:04.miles to make it a real challenge for David Weir. Marcel Hug leading

:28:05. > :28:10.at the moment. Remember he won this two years ago, but last year when he

:28:11. > :28:15.was in really cracking shape he dropped out. He had a puncture

:28:16. > :28:19.somewhere around Tower Bridge. We kept looking for him 12 months ago

:28:20. > :28:24.but he has some unfinished business as far as this race is concerned. He

:28:25. > :28:27.will be disappointed by how he performed on the track in Doha at

:28:28. > :28:31.the well Championships last autumn. It's difficult because the guys race

:28:32. > :28:36.week in and week out and they want to come out and win. Biggest

:28:37. > :28:40.challenge for the guys today might be how much it rained in the early

:28:41. > :28:43.hours of the morning, it washed up a lot of grit onto the road and it

:28:44. > :28:47.would be a massive shame if any of the leading men didn't get to the

:28:48. > :28:50.finish line. Marcel Hug indicating he'd like some body to come through

:28:51. > :28:54.to the front, there is a big difference sitting on the front, you

:28:55. > :29:01.take a lot more of the wind and obviously Marcel doesn't want to do

:29:02. > :29:05.all of the running. Yes, it is really intriguing to watch the

:29:06. > :29:12.tactical battles unfold in wheelchair racing. A lot more

:29:13. > :29:17.changes of lead you have in the wheelchair is compared to the

:29:18. > :29:28.able-bodied runners. Still preparing to do battle. So, we have a number

:29:29. > :29:32.of IPC athletics World Cup races, T51/52, the athletes with the least

:29:33. > :29:37.upper body function, Santiago Sans against Ray Martin, Ray Martin is a

:29:38. > :29:43.very talented athlete from the United States and he will be the

:29:44. > :29:47.favourite. ANNOUNCER: We are 30 seconds away

:29:48. > :29:52.from the next start, stand-by. COMMENTATOR: Here are the rest of

:29:53. > :29:59.the IPC athletics World Cup athletes, a mixture of visually

:30:00. > :30:06.impaired and we have arm amputees as well. Many of these athletes running

:30:07. > :30:11.with guides. That is a story for another day actually. The

:30:12. > :30:15.relationship between the guides and visually impaired athletes is

:30:16. > :30:23.incredible. They run in sync, it's the epitome of teamwork. Some of

:30:24. > :30:26.these athletes are completely blind. Some have very limited vision which

:30:27. > :30:31.gives them the option of running with a guide and you will see a few

:30:32. > :30:36.wearing sunglasses who have just enough vision to be able to run on

:30:37. > :30:44.their own. But still something under 15-10% overall. It is a great

:30:45. > :30:45.feature of the London Marathon now that we have an opportunity for some

:30:46. > :30:53.of the leading Paralympic that we have an opportunity for some

:30:54. > :30:59.to compete on the same course as the able-bodied athletes. They don't

:31:00. > :31:07.have too many chances to run in front of such huge crowds. It's

:31:08. > :31:14.brilliant to see. You can just get a glimpse of, with his arm in a sling,

:31:15. > :31:24.Derek Rae representing Fife. We will keep ROI on him as the morning

:31:25. > :31:28.progresses. Moreno, T11/12, 11 is blind, 12 is visually impaired,

:31:29. > :31:33.could this be Moreno's chance to seal gold, multiple silver-medallist

:31:34. > :31:36.in the Paralympics, and in previous editions of the World Championship,

:31:37. > :31:44.and the Colombian Wylfa see his chances. -- will fancy his chances.

:31:45. > :31:50.This is the women's race, visually impaired and blind athletes, great

:31:51. > :31:56.representation for the Japanese. She was fifth last year, she is 50 and

:31:57. > :32:03.still running outside three hours, there is hope for us all. T13,

:32:04. > :32:07.visually impaired, bass and toss will start as favourite, Prendergast

:32:08. > :32:12.will have plenty of friends, the New Zealander who now lives in Maida

:32:13. > :32:17.Vale, representing Wood Green. 45 and 46, these are the arm amputees,

:32:18. > :32:22.or equivalents. The Italian will hope to recapture the title in fine

:32:23. > :32:32.style that he won a few years ago. Watch out for Derek Rae, he lost the

:32:33. > :32:39.use of his right arm through nerve damage in a motorbike accident and

:32:40. > :32:41.he is flying. He is down at two: 14 these days. Magnificent day, it's

:32:42. > :32:48.one of the world's great marathons. Backed with the glamour boys as far

:32:49. > :32:59.as the world of wheelchair racing Backed with the glamour boys as far

:33:00. > :33:05.concerned. Ernst van Dyk is in cracking form. Second in Boston this

:33:06. > :33:10.year. A big sprint for the line. He has had good

:33:11. > :33:14.year. A big sprint for the line. He finishing on the podium two years

:33:15. > :33:16.ago and 2013, and he will hope to put Dave Weir under pressure. Dave

:33:17. > :33:22.Weir is put Dave Weir under pressure. Dave

:33:23. > :33:43.is not coming to the front. He has let Ernst van Dyk and

:33:44. > :33:54.Fearnley take the league. Marcel Hug at the back of that quartet of

:33:55. > :33:58.athletes. I am interested to see how Marcel Hug will cope. He is

:33:59. > :34:09.brilliant when he is the favourite and does not have anybody else to

:34:10. > :34:15.compete against. His string of world titles in Lyon were fantastic. But

:34:16. > :34:19.when he is in a race, with loaded opposition, he can sometimes spend

:34:20. > :34:24.too much time focusing on the other athletes and not his own race.

:34:25. > :34:28.Especially the speed they are going. They are getting close to 30 miles

:34:29. > :34:30.an hour coming down the hill. The sprint speed is almost identical and

:34:31. > :34:36.sometimes it is who has the sprint speed is almost identical and

:34:37. > :34:41.nerve and who goes first. Ernst van Dyk is probably the heaviest man in

:34:42. > :34:47.the pack, and he is normally quick going down the hills. He takes risks

:34:48. > :34:52.and has crashed a couple of times in the past. It is interesting to see

:34:53. > :34:55.how Dave is going down the hill, making distance on them, but it will

:34:56. > :35:02.come back together as soon as they hit the flat. There is the angle

:35:03. > :35:06.from the helicopter. Clear skies at the moment. Looking out from the

:35:07. > :35:13.commentary position. The helicopters will be flying high. This view to

:35:14. > :35:17.pursue an indication as to just how fast they are pushing, albeit that

:35:18. > :35:24.it is slightly downhill. We expect the winner to come home around an

:35:25. > :35:30.hour and a half, very fast pushing, indeed. To give you an indication as

:35:31. > :35:34.to how fast the races are, David Weir said earlier this week they can

:35:35. > :35:43.get up to 45 mph. Somebody has gone down. I think it shows, on the

:35:44. > :35:54.slippery roads, you have to be careful. They will have made

:35:55. > :35:59.decisions on what tyres to put on. The slightest hit on the road, you

:36:00. > :36:02.can go out. Lucky they did not take more athletes stand in that crash

:36:03. > :36:10.because they are going really quickly and they are tight turns.

:36:11. > :36:18.And there he goes. He was on his own and so it was lucky that nobody else

:36:19. > :36:24.went with him. Early drama in the wheelchair race. Plenty more to

:36:25. > :36:30.come. It is cat and mouse. The big names are in contention. There is a

:36:31. > :36:35.long way to go. The wheelchair and IPC races are

:36:36. > :36:41.under way and if you want to watch continued coverage and all the elite

:36:42. > :36:46.races, press the red button. The red button will be dedicated to those

:36:47. > :36:51.this morning. The masses are gathering and we are just under one

:36:52. > :36:55.hour away to the start. I am sure you know someone running today. One

:36:56. > :37:00.of the best sporting days. The countdown clock tells you we are

:37:01. > :37:07.coming up to 53 minutes away from the start. The lady beside me cannot

:37:08. > :37:11.wait to get going, she has won Olympic gold medals and achieved

:37:12. > :37:17.more in her sporting life we can dream. Dame Kelly Holmes, I get

:37:18. > :37:26.feeling that this is as nerve-racking as all of those. You

:37:27. > :37:30.have huge support. I have been trying to switch off, but like

:37:31. > :37:39.everything out, but you can't. This is the best thing. Being with all

:37:40. > :37:46.these people. It really is. It is so exciting. Everyone has energy.

:37:47. > :37:56.Everybody seems happy. You can master 800, 1500, but the marathon,

:37:57. > :38:04.how has the training on? The last five weeks I have had steady runs. I

:38:05. > :38:10.find the process of the distance... I am trying to get into my mindset,

:38:11. > :38:17.not to go off too fast. And hit that wall. I am not used to running with

:38:18. > :38:23.people. I run on my own in the countryside. I am feeling anxious

:38:24. > :38:27.about how I will be with that. You are doing it for great causes and

:38:28. > :38:38.they will keep you going when you hit the wall. And I got my nails

:38:39. > :38:42.done. Red, for Eddie Izzard the Union Jack for the Queen, of course.

:38:43. > :38:59.They will keep me going. Five charities. I want to get awareness

:39:00. > :39:10.and a hospice. A cancer centre, which is a centre for respite. And

:39:11. > :39:18.the Dame Kelly Holmes trust. If anybody wants to sponsor me, please,

:39:19. > :39:23.I am trying to get ?250,000. You have dug deep into your contacts

:39:24. > :39:28.book and a close athletics friend, Paula Radcliffe, has given you

:39:29. > :39:32.advice. It is not what you know, it is who you know, what has she told

:39:33. > :39:39.you? Paula is great. She said to have fun. She is talking about

:39:40. > :39:49.hydration. Do not just drink water, take salts. The mental attitude. Try

:39:50. > :39:54.to pitch into it. Half of it you take, because you think it is good

:39:55. > :40:00.advice, and half of it you think, you are world record-holder, it does

:40:01. > :40:05.not apply to this! She can run this rather quick, as you mentioned. I

:40:06. > :40:12.know you do. Want to give an absolute time, but a ballpark area.

:40:13. > :40:19.I would like to run under 3.30. James Cracknell has you down for

:40:20. > :40:25.something closer to 2.40 five. Best of luck. You have plenty of people

:40:26. > :40:29.to run with. Paula Radcliffe you will hear from later, she is part of

:40:30. > :40:34.the commentary team for the elite races. The women will go off in a

:40:35. > :40:40.few minutes. Here is Phil Jones to talk you through.

:40:41. > :40:44.Ethiopia's Tigist Tufa won last year, ending a run of four

:40:45. > :40:50.consecutive Kenny Wiggins and she will defend her crown. Her team-mate

:40:51. > :41:10.won the championships in Beijing and now wants London glory. Aselefech

:41:11. > :41:15.Mergia. Mary Khatami is the second is fastest woman of all time.

:41:16. > :41:26.Her compatriot also triumphed in London in 2013 and won Olympic

:41:27. > :41:32.silver in the previous year. Twice a long distance world champion,

:41:33. > :41:46.Florence Kiplagat's London's best was a runners-up spot. She will try

:41:47. > :41:50.to top that. Jemima Sumgong can complete the Kenyan quartet.

:41:51. > :41:56.Gathered in London once more, an elite field of a standard so

:41:57. > :42:01.supreme. It will be a fascinating race with a

:42:02. > :42:04.lot at stake. Let's go over to the commentary team, Brendan Foster,

:42:05. > :42:11.Paula Radcliffe, and Steve Cram. Good morning.

:42:12. > :42:16.It is fantastic. The sun is finally coming out. I hope everybody is

:42:17. > :42:21.keeping warm down at the start. You are in for a treat because the women

:42:22. > :42:27.will set us off on what promises to be a fantastic day's racing. As well

:42:28. > :42:32.as the 37,000 who will be starting at 10am. The elite women go first.

:42:33. > :42:37.You can see some of the British names trying to make their way into

:42:38. > :42:42.the Olympic team. More of that once they get going. A big day for the

:42:43. > :42:51.international field and a massive day for British athletes. This is

:42:52. > :43:01.Priscah Jeptoo. Winner of the London Marathon back in 2013. I had one of

:43:02. > :43:07.those earlier, that looks good! A famous name, Mare Dibaba, Ethiopia's

:43:08. > :43:13.first world Harrison, female world marathon champion in Beijing. Watch

:43:14. > :43:20.out for her. Florence Kiplagat is a regular visitor and has not won yet.

:43:21. > :43:24.This is the fifth attempt. World record-holder in the half marathon.

:43:25. > :43:37.Another great athlete from Ethiopia. The winner in 2010. Aselefech

:43:38. > :43:43.Mergia. Fourth here last year. For many, the favourite, Mary Khatami.

:43:44. > :43:53.Only Paula Radcliffe has covered the marathon distance quicker. --

:43:54. > :43:57.Keitany. Last year, Tigist Tufa won, to the surprise of most people.

:43:58. > :43:59.Finished sixth at the World Championships and followed that with

:44:00. > :44:04.a third in November. A great field. Championships and followed that with

:44:05. > :44:13.Let's not forget the British athletes. Sonia Samuels and Alyson

:44:14. > :44:19.Dixon. Friar Ross is hoping to make the team she did in 2012. A big day

:44:20. > :44:20.for the British women with only two guaranteeing their Olympic selection

:44:21. > :44:52.today. Waiting for the last countdown. Down

:44:53. > :44:57.in Blackheath. The street saying "London ahead those quote await

:44:58. > :45:09.-- London ahead awaits them. There is not much breeze. The sun is

:45:10. > :45:14.trying to come through. Around about 7-8d, perfect.

:45:15. > :45:20.The London Marathon elite women under way in Olympic year, the great

:45:21. > :45:27.champions are here, and those wanting to make their own mark and

:45:28. > :45:32.try, perhaps, to guarantee Olympic selection as well as complete the

:45:33. > :45:37.great London Marathon on this pretty fine Sunday morning. Joining me in

:45:38. > :45:44.the commentary box as ever Brendan Foster. You've been here many years,

:45:45. > :45:47.we all have, but every year the excitement seems to ratchet up,

:45:48. > :45:53.great field again and great British interest as well. This is a

:45:54. > :45:56.particularly good one as you mentioned, it is Olympic year, the

:45:57. > :45:59.British athletes in the second group with the pacemaker are aiming for a

:46:00. > :46:03.race between them and I would think the first three have every chance of

:46:04. > :46:07.being selected for the Olympic Games. At the front it is looking

:46:08. > :46:12.like a competitive race and similarly the Ethiopian and Kenyan

:46:13. > :46:16.athletes looking for Olympic selection, so we virtually have two

:46:17. > :46:22.races, the elite race to try and win the race and as we come into shot,

:46:23. > :46:27.the elite athletes running together, you just look at your competitors

:46:28. > :46:40.and the first one across the line will go to Rio. The race for Rio is

:46:41. > :46:48.the second group. Kota Hokinoue we has gone to the front of this

:46:49. > :46:53.fascinating men's wheelchair race. It was the big four for quite awhile

:46:54. > :46:56.and they decided slow up and you can tell, even if you are not an expert

:46:57. > :47:00.in wheelchair racing, just how steadily they are taking this

:47:01. > :47:06.section. They put a real injection of pace in about a mile or so ago it

:47:07. > :47:09.was looking pretty fast with the likes of Ernst van Dyk Kurt

:47:10. > :47:14.Fearnley, Marcel Hug and David Weir, and all of a sudden Marcel Hug sat

:47:15. > :47:20.up, stretched his shoulders and the chase pack chased down and it's Kota

:47:21. > :47:26.Hokinoue taking them through one of the iconic landmarks of the London

:47:27. > :47:31.Marathon, anybody sitting at home who have run the London, it's a nice

:47:32. > :47:35.feeling when you see Cutie suck, six and a bit on the clock, you see

:47:36. > :47:36.loads of people on the crowd, and you think, OK, the race is

:47:37. > :47:50.unfolding. We are you think, OK, the race is

:47:51. > :47:54.of the way through the race but it is Kota Hokinoue we who has taken up

:47:55. > :47:59.the reins in the men's race but it is very tactical it looked like the

:48:00. > :48:03.big four were going away and the second group caught up. A lot more

:48:04. > :48:06.tactics to unfold in this race. Written's Simon Lawson just went

:48:07. > :48:10.through in the second pack, it's a surprise some of the Japanese

:48:11. > :48:13.athletes were not closer to the front in the first ten kilometres

:48:14. > :48:19.but that the fastest part of the course for the wheelchair athletes,

:48:20. > :48:25.especially down Shooters Hill Road where we saw them go down at 30 mph.

:48:26. > :48:29.This road is quite bumpy, so it breaks up people's pushing technique

:48:30. > :48:34.coming round, so I would expect to see a few more breaks at the front

:48:35. > :48:39.of the pack. There they are at Cutty Sark, and if you miles back down the

:48:40. > :48:45.road, about five miles, to be honest, all the way back through

:48:46. > :48:50.Greenwich, a quiet part of the route in terms of spectators, but a really

:48:51. > :48:54.important first few miles to set you up for the rest of the race. Here we

:48:55. > :49:01.have the British women, and let's talk about these for a women,

:49:02. > :49:10.Charlotte -- for a moment. Lee Dickson on the far side of the curb

:49:11. > :49:15.next to Freya Ross, Susan Partridge in the dinky vest, if we describe it

:49:16. > :49:18.that way. This is not just about Times today, it's about position and

:49:19. > :49:24.watching the other British athletes, they have to run under 2.31 and the

:49:25. > :49:29.top two are guaranteed selection. Absolutely and the only two with the

:49:30. > :49:33.qualifying time Sonia Samuels and Ali Dixon in the sunglasses on the

:49:34. > :49:38.far side, the other girls need to run a faster time and finish in the

:49:39. > :49:44.top two. The options are there for Alyson Dixon and Sonia to finish in

:49:45. > :49:49.the top two whereas the onus is on the others to try and run the

:49:50. > :49:53.quicker time. I should point out the pacemakers are in the black and

:49:54. > :49:58.white striped vests. Karen Jones and Charlotte Ahtoug are helping them in

:49:59. > :50:05.that pace group and another pace group is set to run 2.21, 2.26 pace,

:50:06. > :50:08.a wide margin, they will look to the girls who are meant to be in that

:50:09. > :50:13.group for guidance of what pace they should run at. But the first few

:50:14. > :50:17.miles I just about getting into it, relaxing into it, seeing how the

:50:18. > :50:23.body feels and hoping the body feels as it should do and backing up the

:50:24. > :50:26.training they have all done, letting the nerves settle, checking who is

:50:27. > :50:30.around you and not getting too carried away in the early stages.

:50:31. > :50:35.Charlotte Purdue closest to the camera, a big day for her, big

:50:36. > :50:43.junior career but lots of injury problems. She said, I think this is

:50:44. > :50:47.my distance, this is the distance I felt destined to run. She did say

:50:48. > :50:51.that, she has all was wanted to run a marathon and she has been a

:50:52. > :50:54.talented athlete all the way through and had serious injuries en route,

:50:55. > :50:58.it looks like she could be a very good distance runner. Can she

:50:59. > :51:02.translate it to the marathon? She is here to find out today and that is

:51:03. > :51:06.why we are here. From my point of view it's interesting to see the

:51:07. > :51:10.whole group of British athletes racing, but looking at other

:51:11. > :51:14.athletes in this competition looking for best times and fastest times, we

:51:15. > :51:18.are looking at a real race and it will be fascinating. They are all

:51:19. > :51:21.there. I was watching the Susan Partridge at the back just behind

:51:22. > :51:24.the leaders and you could sense she was anxious to get amongst the

:51:25. > :51:30.pacemakers and get moving, she is very experienced, she was the first

:51:31. > :51:34.written in the Commonwealth Games in 2014 and just behind the black and

:51:35. > :51:38.white stripes, I will not say any more about the black-and-white

:51:39. > :51:42.stripes! Sorry! More about that later. All and I were at the press

:51:43. > :51:51.conference earlier in the week and Susan and Alyson Dixon and they said

:51:52. > :51:56.I think we will all run together and looked at everybody else and there

:51:57. > :52:00.was a chuckle from the audience because Sonia and Ali looked at the

:52:01. > :52:04.floor as if to say we will not let you know what we are doing. It is up

:52:05. > :52:08.to Susan, she's the one who doesn't have the qualifying time, just

:52:09. > :52:14.missed it in rather unluckily, she has done it in the past, so the onus

:52:15. > :52:17.is on her. Yes and she learned lessons in Chicago and said in the

:52:18. > :52:22.press conference she didn't realise she was as close as she was to the

:52:23. > :52:26.qualifying time. Hopefully she has been times in her head she needs to

:52:27. > :52:31.hit and she can work it out and that she won't go too quick to early

:52:32. > :52:36.which is a danger, sometimes Susan can be too aggressive in the first

:52:37. > :52:40.half and pay for it in the second half. She will rely on Charlotte

:52:41. > :52:45.Arter and Carol Jones among those two setting a good pace. I'm not

:52:46. > :52:48.sure how far the pacemakers will be able to go, they will be on the

:52:49. > :52:54.verge of their own half marathon personal bests to get halfway at the

:52:55. > :52:59.time requested, 2.28, I think 2.28 is a bit quick for Susan to aim at

:53:00. > :53:02.but you can see already the is there. Susan Partridge at the head

:53:03. > :53:08.of the British contingent, the others just having a look behind,

:53:09. > :53:09.and they themselves are probably already 15 or 20 seconds behind the

:53:10. > :53:14.lead group. Susan Partridge already 15 or 20 seconds behind the

:53:15. > :53:19.be running well with the leading group. She's been in Boulder,

:53:20. > :53:24.Colorado, with her coach Steve Jones, still the British

:53:25. > :53:27.record-holder, set in 1984, 2.08, the world record them, and Steve

:53:28. > :53:28.Jones is a former winner of this event and a very good coach bringing

:53:29. > :53:33.on his athletes. Now we look at event and a very good coach bringing

:53:34. > :53:38.leading group, some of the talent, Dibaba in the purple vest just

:53:39. > :53:43.behind the two leaders, that's the world champion, won last year in

:53:44. > :53:55.Beijing, and has every intent here to run fast and run well.

:53:56. > :54:05.Well, early stages for the women, they went through the first mile in

:54:06. > :54:09.around 5.25. And then they have a couple of quick miles coming up

:54:10. > :54:17.shortly. It's only after the first 5K that things start to settle down.

:54:18. > :54:22.Meanwhile, you can get an 5K that things start to settle down.

:54:23. > :54:29.is the leading contenders are in the men's wheelchair race. It is Marcel

:54:30. > :54:35.Hug who is leading at the moment. There is a group of about eight or

:54:36. > :54:39.nine. There is Hug with that distinctive silver bullet helmet and

:54:40. > :54:42.it has all got a little bit tactical from the British perspective, Dave

:54:43. > :54:47.Weir tucked in behind his great rival. They have had some epic

:54:48. > :54:51.battles over the years. They have been, and their arrival has been, a

:54:52. > :54:56.fabulous advert for wheelchair racing. But don't forget about the

:54:57. > :54:59.likes of Ernst van Dyk and Kurt Fearnley, and remember, Dave Whelan

:55:00. > :55:03.was beaten into fourth place in Boston, Dave is just on the right of

:55:04. > :55:07.the picture, in the long white sleeves, Hug leading, Dave was

:55:08. > :55:13.fourth in Boston at the start of this week, so a win is by no means a

:55:14. > :55:17.given here. They take different lines across the various

:55:18. > :55:22.roundabouts, still cat and mouse here in the men's wheelchair race.

:55:23. > :55:31.. Forget the elite races continue live on the red button if that what

:55:32. > :55:37.is like to see. -- don't forget. In half an hour over 30,000 people of

:55:38. > :55:45.all shapes and sizes will be racing 26.2 miles for so many worthwhile

:55:46. > :55:50.causes and reasons. As we watch the elite flyers to the 80-year-old

:55:51. > :55:52.triers, as some of you may well know, it is worth remembering

:55:53. > :56:01.everybody has their own special reason for running the.

:56:02. > :56:06.Marathon. When he was just five, Stuart Eggleshaw lost his mother to

:56:07. > :56:09.pancreatic cancer, today the 44-year-old from Mansfield is

:56:10. > :56:15.running for the charity Smiles and Cancer Research UK after beating his

:56:16. > :56:20.own health battles. Following a car crash in 2012 he lost a staggering

:56:21. > :56:23.22 stone and nine lb through the Body Magic programme that promotes

:56:24. > :56:30.healthy eating and exercise and he's making his marathon debut. Heather

:56:31. > :56:34.Duff was 12 when she ran the mini London Marathon in 1999 and promised

:56:35. > :56:38.herself she would return one day to complete the full adult course. Two

:56:39. > :56:42.years ago the 29-year-old from West Lothian was diagnosed with a rare

:56:43. > :56:48.form of cervical cancer, so rare in fact it was only the 19th reported

:56:49. > :56:51.case. Now in remission Heather will fulfil her marathon of our today

:56:52. > :56:58.while raising money for Cancer Research UK. Lewis is running in

:56:59. > :57:04.honour of his son who age six in 99 received a life-saving stem cells

:57:05. > :57:08.bone marrow transplant, Daniel beat leukaemia, but after further health

:57:09. > :57:13.complications sadly passed away in 2008. This year marks the 20th

:57:14. > :57:17.anniversary of the African Caribbean leukaemia trust, created in Daniel's

:57:18. > :57:21.memory by his parents. The 58-year-old from Bromley hopes to

:57:22. > :57:24.raise ?20,000 for the charity on his marathon debut and as a tribute to

:57:25. > :57:34.his son. Your stories are also inspirational

:57:35. > :57:42.and incredible and so different. When you are out there today,

:57:43. > :57:47.keeping Daniel's memory live and the money that you raise will keep you

:57:48. > :57:50.going through the 26.2 miles. Definitely, it's about keeping his

:57:51. > :57:56.memory alive, I will have tough moments. Raising money for the

:57:57. > :58:01.charity is what it is all about and inspiring young people to fight for

:58:02. > :58:08.the gift of life. If you want to give, go to Virgin Money giving. I

:58:09. > :58:13.need all the help I can get. I'm sure lots of people will be

:58:14. > :58:19.inspired. Heather, you are a example of a lady whose life took a

:58:20. > :58:22.different turn after you thought you would come back and run the full

:58:23. > :58:26.marathon. You didn't know it would be such a tough journey. I always

:58:27. > :58:30.said to myself at some point I would run the full marathon, I never

:58:31. > :58:34.counted I would have cancer to overcome before I got here. That was

:58:35. > :58:38.two years ago and it has been a long journey. I suppose what it has

:58:39. > :58:42.taught me is anyone can get cancer and to get to this point was a huge

:58:43. > :58:46.personal challenge but a great about unity for me to give something back

:58:47. > :58:50.to cancel, as if it wasn't for Cancer Research UK I genuinely

:58:51. > :59:03.believe I would not be here today -- give something back to. The visual

:59:04. > :59:08.images we have seen of what you have achieved phenomenal. Can you believe

:59:09. > :59:11.that that person who had so much weight to carry around, and I

:59:12. > :59:16.imagine walking down the road must have been a struggle, is about to

:59:17. > :59:19.embark on 26 miles? It is an absolute shock. Thinking about it

:59:20. > :59:24.when I was walking 50 yards and having to stop and get my breath

:59:25. > :59:29.back. Today in front of these amazing people here I'm joining in

:59:30. > :59:33.with them rather than sitting and thinking I would love to do that

:59:34. > :59:37.watching it on television. You will be out there with all kinds of

:59:38. > :59:40.incredible people and pace, doesn't matter what time you finish, the

:59:41. > :59:45.fact you are here is an incredible achievement, Stuart. It is indeed

:59:46. > :59:49.and as Heather said it's that thing that shows I can get through

:59:50. > :59:54.adversity, I can do this and I'm here today. If you can then others

:59:55. > :59:59.can too. The best of luck to all three of you. Enjoy it.

:00:00. > :00:04.If these amazing people do not inspire you then I don't know who or

:00:05. > :00:09.what will and you can send your good luck messages to friends and family

:00:10. > :00:15.and loved ones, the details are on the screen, don't forget you can

:00:16. > :00:20.text on 81111. The runners are gathering at the stats and among

:00:21. > :00:27.those running our affair number of celebrities. We've picked ten for

:00:28. > :00:32.what we like to call the Face Race. These are the stars of the Face

:00:33. > :00:39.Race, Dame Kelly Holmes winning double gold at the Olympics. If

:00:40. > :00:44.Nadine Muller Keren can handle Hollyoaks she can handle the

:00:45. > :00:49.marathon in under five hours. Natalie Dormer hopes her latest

:00:50. > :00:52.block buster hit is a marathon finish of three hours 45. Former

:00:53. > :00:57.footballer Clarke Carlisle has tackled countdown, Question Time and

:00:58. > :01:02.now this, for the half hours is the goal. BBC newsreader Sophie Raworth

:01:03. > :01:06.hopes seventh Heaven comes in her seventh marathon courtesy of a sub

:01:07. > :01:09.four hours' time. Radio 2 Buzz sevens would exactly need to be in

:01:10. > :01:18.Top Gear all the way round to reach the foreign half-hour target. An

:01:19. > :01:23.early start is not a problem for Good Morning presenter. Rob Trinder

:01:24. > :01:30.has some pedigree, hence his three-hour target. Making his London

:01:31. > :01:33.debut aiming for a four hour finish. Distance is no object for British

:01:34. > :01:37.astronaut Tim Peake to become the first man to run a marathon in space

:01:38. > :01:42.using a treadmill on the International Space Station. These

:01:43. > :01:49.are the Face Space runners to watch today.

:01:50. > :01:59.Surely I have the best job this morning. Look at these smiling

:02:00. > :02:04.faces. Please tell us, your family have been watching. Normally you are

:02:05. > :02:09.a critic on Gogglebox. How will you do today? Fingers crossed I should

:02:10. > :02:13.be doing all right. Dad will be watching and will be bragging about

:02:14. > :02:19.the fact he is not doing it. I will get him doing it next year. You have

:02:20. > :02:25.one under your belt. I was a lot fitter, it was before Gogglebox, now

:02:26. > :02:34.I sit down watching TV, I am not as fit. You are up early in the morning

:02:35. > :02:44.for Good Morning Britain. No make up. This is me, I am afraid. I am

:02:45. > :02:51.excited and nervous. I thought of the 64 million people and we will be

:02:52. > :02:58.in the one in a million who have done it. I am nervous and excited.

:02:59. > :03:01.My first marathon. I just want to get through it. I am doing it for an

:03:02. > :03:08.amazing charity and cannot wait. Will you run together? I am so slow.

:03:09. > :03:20.They will be ahead of me. I will be running with -- Iva Barr, who is 88,

:03:21. > :03:27.the oldest runner here. Give us a piggyback if you see us!

:03:28. > :03:35.Colin and the guys at the start. If you are not there, you must get a

:03:36. > :03:42.move on, 10am for the mass race. And London even on a day like today

:03:43. > :03:48.looks beautiful. The first water station, the elite women. This is

:03:49. > :03:53.always a scenario that can cause consternation if they are not

:03:54. > :04:05.organised. Paula is always animated about people at water stations.

:04:06. > :04:06.Early stages. The pacemaker is trying to force it along a little

:04:07. > :04:25.bit. They will be watching Mary Keitany.

:04:26. > :04:30.She is the only one I did not see take a drink. Maybe she did not

:04:31. > :04:34.notice it, Mr bottle, or felt she did not to take one that early. She

:04:35. > :04:39.is controlling it, but not showing willingness to go with the

:04:40. > :04:49.pacemakers, who are up ahead. Good pedigree for the pacemakers,

:04:50. > :04:55.pacemaker number one is a world medallist, Roddy in the race won

:04:56. > :04:59.pacemaker number one is a world Mare Dibaba. -- running in the race

:05:00. > :05:07.won by Mare Dibaba. Dibaba winning when she got onto the track at the

:05:08. > :05:11.end. Will we see a sprint finish? Priscah Jeptoo is already off the

:05:12. > :05:17.lead group. So far, the British women and one or two other

:05:18. > :05:24.international athletes. They are all locked together at the moment. Susan

:05:25. > :05:28.Partridge, Charlotte Purdue at the front of the British contingent.

:05:29. > :05:33.Charlotte Purdue moving through the group. She took time to settle. It

:05:34. > :05:40.is a big step, up towards the marathon. So young and coming from

:05:41. > :05:45.the background of serious injuries in the past couple of years but she

:05:46. > :05:49.is in good shape, happy with the way preparation has gone. Happy with

:05:50. > :05:52.is in good shape, happy with the way volume and intensity she has

:05:53. > :05:59.absorbed in the training cycle. She will always race aggressively and

:06:00. > :06:01.give 100%. If this was a half marathon you would think Charlotte

:06:02. > :06:08.Purdue in good form would be able favourite but the question is

:06:09. > :06:14.whether Charlotte Purdue can stay with this pace on her debut

:06:15. > :06:19.marathon. 20 of track runners who step into the marathon do that

:06:20. > :06:27.conscientiously and run good marathons -- plenty of track

:06:28. > :06:32.runners. We have the rubber in 2012, stepping in and running the marathon

:06:33. > :06:38.when Paula was injured. And friar Ross took Paula's place. She was at

:06:39. > :06:41.work on the Monday and running the marathon at the weekend and had no

:06:42. > :06:47.chance to tell everybody she would do that. It was a secret you were

:06:48. > :06:51.injured. She left a note on the computer, saying out of office and

:06:52. > :07:01.she said I will be away for a few days, I am running the Olympic

:07:02. > :07:10.marathon! The British women are already around one minute behind the

:07:11. > :07:15.leaders. Keitany taking water this time. It is not particularly warm

:07:16. > :07:17.but it is good conditions for quick running, as long

:07:18. > :07:23.but it is good conditions for quick not pick up in the later stages. We

:07:24. > :07:25.expect a breeze to pick up but nothing too bad. Keitany forcing

:07:26. > :07:32.things. The group is more spread out nothing too bad. Keitany forcing

:07:33. > :07:50.now. The cadence has picked up a little. Dibaba, Tufa, Florence

:07:51. > :07:56.Kiplagat. Feyse Tadese. Meanwhile the wheelchair races

:07:57. > :08:03.coming up to Tower Bridge. Once you have done Cutty Sark, Tower Bridge

:08:04. > :08:10.is the next major target. It is a magnificent sight. You know when you

:08:11. > :08:14.get to Tower Bridge the race is about to begin. You have knocked off

:08:15. > :08:21.the first 12 and a half. This is where the training begins to pave

:08:22. > :08:25.dividends. Marcel Hug has gone to the front with Kurt Fearnley behind

:08:26. > :08:33.him and Dave Weir in third. They have not been among the leaders in

:08:34. > :08:38.the past couple of miles. With elite wheelchair racing, the lead changes

:08:39. > :08:42.more frequently than it does with traditional able-bodied athletes.

:08:43. > :08:48.The big three have decided to make their presence felt at the front.

:08:49. > :08:52.Marcel Hug, every time he makes a move he looks over his shoulder to

:08:53. > :09:01.Kurt Fearnley, who looks over his shoulder to David Weir. They know

:09:02. > :09:08.who is in contention. Dave Weir is running a smart and tactical race.

:09:09. > :09:12.The climb over Tower Bridge is steeper than you think and the

:09:13. > :09:19.run-off down the other side is very nice. They are in great position.

:09:20. > :09:25.They will snake around to their right-hand side. This, perhaps, is

:09:26. > :09:31.the beginning of a fascinating second half of this race. Kota

:09:32. > :09:33.Hokinoue was involved in setting the pace but the big three are out front

:09:34. > :09:44.in the elite wheelchair race. The sun is out, the choir in fine

:09:45. > :09:49.voice and we are getting ready, 20 minutes away from the masses and the

:09:50. > :09:54.men's elite runners taking to the streets of London. Conditions a

:09:55. > :09:58.little bit cold, maybe no world records in the men's race today. But

:09:59. > :10:07.many people going for their own world records. If you could tell me

:10:08. > :10:14.what the record is. My name is leave from London Fire Brigade. There are

:10:15. > :10:22.five representatives -- Lee. Different people from the Fire

:10:23. > :10:28.Brigade, cadets, a firefighter and a group. The world record is four

:10:29. > :10:34.persons in a costume and the current record is six hours and 23 minutes.

:10:35. > :10:39.We are absolutely going to smash it. I bet you had fun coordinating

:10:40. > :10:47.training. It has been a little bit wild. We are raising money for the

:10:48. > :10:55.firefighters' charity. A big shout out to the Water station. Well done.

:10:56. > :11:05.Best of luck. Tell me your record. I hope to set the world record for

:11:06. > :11:10.appliances. White appliances, any kitchen product over 25 kilograms

:11:11. > :11:17.and I hope to set a five hour record. It weighs 26 kilograms. It

:11:18. > :11:22.is real, as well! Raising money for kidney disease which my nephew has,

:11:23. > :11:28.any thing to find a cure. How did you decide on which white appliance?

:11:29. > :11:34.It was in the kitchen and we had nowhere to fit it in the kitchen!

:11:35. > :11:41.What are you? Good morning. I am Ian Bates running the Guinness World

:11:42. > :11:45.Record for the fastest dinosaur. It will take probably all day.

:11:46. > :11:53.Hopefully within seven hours, we will be happy. A very handsome man

:11:54. > :12:00.under that. Best of luck. What is your record? My name is Jill, I am

:12:01. > :12:04.running for Cancer Research UK and hopefully I am the fastest animal

:12:05. > :12:16.running the marathon today. Show us the head. A polar bear? Absolutely.

:12:17. > :12:25.Snow-white. Fastest book character. I am running for action on hearing

:12:26. > :12:30.loss. Best of luck. I am Jonathan Scott, fastest marathon dressed in a

:12:31. > :12:35.replica astronaut suit. You have quite a lot to do with astronauts. I

:12:36. > :12:40.am lucky enough to work as part of the team for the European Space

:12:41. > :12:47.Agency who helped prepare Tim and other European astronauts for their

:12:48. > :12:52.missions. We helped Tim prepare for his marathon. He is starting the

:12:53. > :12:58.race in space. Incredible. Are you hoping to beat him? Maybe, maybe. I

:12:59. > :13:05.will let you know at halfway. Best of luck, all of you. You are

:13:06. > :13:14.absolutely brilliant. We can get back out on the course.

:13:15. > :13:23.You can see where the wheelchair athletes have reached and the elite

:13:24. > :13:28.women, not too far away from Cutty Sark, after going through a swift...

:13:29. > :13:35.Just gone through five miles, the elite women. It is a quick part of

:13:36. > :13:45.the course. Paula Ratcliffe, 5.11, 5.2. Meaning business. A few are

:13:46. > :13:50.going quicker than 5.2. Meaning business. A few are

:13:51. > :13:56.done. I think Keitany took time to settle. Let the first two tick by

:13:57. > :14:02.and then decided to run quicker. She moved through on the slightly

:14:03. > :14:05.downhill third mile. 5.2 on the next mile, not so downhill, and looks

:14:06. > :14:09.like she is maintaining pace and asking questions of those in the

:14:10. > :14:17.group who are in single file behind her. Mergia looking back. A long way

:14:18. > :14:22.down the road, I cannot see Priscah Jeptoo. The next group are not even

:14:23. > :14:29.in sight. Really pushing on. Cannot even see the pacemakers ahead. She

:14:30. > :14:34.is not really getting... She does not need much protection because it

:14:35. > :14:36.is not windy at the moment. I think they are anticipating a pick-up in

:14:37. > :14:51.wind towards the end of the race. The elite women are at Tower Bridge

:14:52. > :15:01.and Tatyana McFadden is back in the lead and early on we saw a break

:15:02. > :15:07.from the athlete who brought Tatyana McFadden's winning streak to an end

:15:08. > :15:13.early in the year. Now back at the front where she believes she

:15:14. > :15:27.belongs. The long white sleeves. She has the ponytail, as well. A big

:15:28. > :15:33.opportunity for Tatyana McFadden to go four in a row.

:15:34. > :15:38.She is back with the lead group and it's a different dynamic we have

:15:39. > :15:42.seen in the last three years when she was way out front in her own,

:15:43. > :15:48.four together at the front of the elite women's wheelchair race. Aaron

:15:49. > :15:53.Pike has been at the front for a couple of miles. We did have fun

:15:54. > :16:00.dyke and firmly and Marcel Hoog and Dave Weir but Aaron Pike is a rather

:16:01. > :16:08.surprise leader -- Van Dyk. Plenty of drama to come in the race.

:16:09. > :16:14.Uninterrupted coverage of all of the elite races, press your red button

:16:15. > :16:18.and if you want to get in touch with us at Virgin Money London Marathon

:16:19. > :16:24.you can via the social media platforms, 811 11 two text your

:16:25. > :16:29.messages. The atmosphere is building down at the start and it is getting

:16:30. > :16:32.tense as runners of all ages and abilities get ready to line up on

:16:33. > :16:37.the grid. Colin caught up earlier with a group of familiar faces

:16:38. > :16:41.hoping to reach not just Top Gear but any year would do.

:16:42. > :16:49.I'm here with the radio to running team, good morning. Good morning!

:16:50. > :16:58.And the fully fledged member, Chris Evans, Mr Top Gear himself. Glastir

:16:59. > :17:06.Uran 4.53. That is very respectable. -- last year you ran 4.53. We have

:17:07. > :17:12.Virgin Money London virgins, we have a couple of veterans, someone did 14

:17:13. > :17:16.marathons, somebody did a 200 mile race, Jules overhear, but a great

:17:17. > :17:24.mixed bunch, they all have different secret agendas they are not letting

:17:25. > :17:29.on. My watch says Sunday the first, 3:43am and I can't get a signal,

:17:30. > :17:32.that is my excuse! They've raised loads of money for Children in Need,

:17:33. > :17:38.they've been to Steve Cram's training camp in New York and lovely

:17:39. > :17:41.bunch of people. Is there anybody I should specifically watch out for,

:17:42. > :17:46.bunch of people. Is there anybody I Watch out for the dark horse, my

:17:47. > :17:51.wife, who is giving nothing away! I've no idea, we live in the same

:17:52. > :17:54.house, we have the same Georgian, I've no idea what she is up to but

:17:55. > :17:59.something is going on over there. People don't like to let on about

:18:00. > :18:03.their own agenda. What do you all think? I'm looking forward to it,

:18:04. > :18:08.excited, I'd like to get a half decent time, I just hope my wife

:18:09. > :18:12.doesn't punish me because she had never run in her life until January

:18:13. > :18:16.and I slipped her in in your auction. All the best out on the

:18:17. > :18:27.course, I wish you the best. I'm with a special man indeed,

:18:28. > :18:29.33-year-old Ben Smith running the 26.2 miles today, but just one small

:18:30. > :18:38.step on an incredible challenge. For most people doing one marathon

:18:39. > :18:43.is the pinnacle, the ultimate ambition, but in September 20 15th

:18:44. > :18:47.Ben Smith took the first steps on a journey that will see him run over

:18:48. > :18:53.10,000 miles, or more accurately, 401 marathons in 401 consecutive

:18:54. > :18:57.days. Ben was bullied at school Milli school to such an extent he

:18:58. > :19:01.suffered a nervous breakdown and try to take his own life. Three years

:19:02. > :19:06.ago, depressed and overweight he started running and has not looked

:19:07. > :19:11.back. Now he is travelling around the UK raising awareness about the

:19:12. > :19:16.impact of bullying. Do we think bullying is good or is it bad? Bad!

:19:17. > :19:20.The challenge will take him from lands end to John O groats meeting

:19:21. > :19:26.and running with masses of people along the way. London will be

:19:27. > :19:28.marathon to have 37 for Ben. Only 165 to go for this incredible

:19:29. > :19:38.marathon man. The stories get more and more

:19:39. > :19:41.amazing, the people more and more inspirational, Ben, you are a

:19:42. > :19:46.phenomenon, to do what you are doing a to undertake it at any point, at

:19:47. > :19:52.the other thought this was a crazy idea, enough is enough? Crazy idea,

:19:53. > :19:54.yes, enough is enough, no. When you are extremely passionate about

:19:55. > :19:58.something you want to achieve and wake up every morning happy it makes

:19:59. > :20:03.it easier. You are putting a smile on lots of people's faces, but you

:20:04. > :20:07.are running with quite a few people then you have so far. It is a little

:20:08. > :20:10.overwhelming this morning, I've been up since five o'clock, and it's

:20:11. > :20:13.amazing and I've already heard incredible stories and I don't think

:20:14. > :20:18.I will get through today without crying. You brought a tear to my eye

:20:19. > :20:22.when I saw your story yesterday. Toll is a bit about why you're doing

:20:23. > :20:27.this. I was badly bullied at school for eight years of my life and that

:20:28. > :20:31.led to me taking trying to take my own life at the age of 18 and I'm

:20:32. > :20:35.passionate about not letting this happen to kids any more. Hopefully

:20:36. > :20:39.with the money raised it will go to support the two charities in

:20:40. > :20:44.tackling these issues. You've gone out on your way and talked to kids,

:20:45. > :20:48.so important, it was a dual attack. Definitely and it's important for

:20:49. > :20:52.our kids to grow up in a society where they know they can be who they

:20:53. > :20:56.want to be. It took me 18 years to figure out who I was, let's not make

:20:57. > :21:01.the same happened to them. Do you have a time in mind? I don't know,

:21:02. > :21:05.it depends how much fun I have. It doesn't matter, just go out and have

:21:06. > :21:10.a great time today. Whatever time you do it will not be up there near

:21:11. > :21:13.two hours or so, which is what the elite men will do, they are

:21:14. > :21:17.sprinting for just over two hours and it's an impressive field. Who is

:21:18. > :21:22.Phil Jones having a look at the elite men.

:21:23. > :21:30.Eliud Kipchoge is the sixth fastest marathon man of all time, his record

:21:31. > :21:34.since 2013, six marathon stars, five wins, won second place, he defends

:21:35. > :21:38.his London Crown. Wilson Kipsang was defeated in a sprint finish last

:21:39. > :21:45.year, twice London Marathon champion and the course record-holder, he's

:21:46. > :21:50.back to resume the Kenyan dual. Another Kenyan Dennis Kimetto is a

:21:51. > :21:54.world record holder, the first man to go under two hours and three

:21:55. > :21:58.minutes for a marathon and he hasn't won race since the staggering record

:21:59. > :22:03.in Burlington 17 months ago, he was third here last year. Stanley Biwott

:22:04. > :22:09.is a fourth Kenyan of our standing pedigree, reigning New -- New York

:22:10. > :22:15.Marathon champion, fourth in London last year and run up the year

:22:16. > :22:20.before. Ethiopian distance legend makes a comeback after an injury

:22:21. > :22:24.wrecked 2015, princely three Olympic golds on the track, also a world

:22:25. > :22:31.cross-country King hoping he is ready to take it. Get breast lassi

:22:32. > :22:37.is the reigning world champion, sensational teenager winner last

:22:38. > :22:41.year, the youngest gold medalist in history, he makes his debut. The

:22:42. > :22:48.men's elite, another Stella Quast on show on the streets of the capital

:22:49. > :22:54.today. -- Stella Billy Bakker stellar

:22:55. > :22:59.we will follow them closely. The start is minutes away for the

:23:00. > :23:03.masses, just over 35,000 will begin their quest and one of them will

:23:04. > :23:07.become the 1,000,000th finisher and earn a place in history. Who that be

:23:08. > :23:11.and what time, who knows? The London Marathon organisers will announce it

:23:12. > :23:15.in a couple of weeks' time, they want to be absolutely sure of that

:23:16. > :23:19.important person. We won't know either until then but what a

:23:20. > :23:25.landmark for this race, race that the best want to win and so many

:23:26. > :23:33.want to take part in. It all started 35 years ago on the 29th of March

:23:34. > :23:40.1991, 6747 runners were accepted to take part and 6225 crossed the line

:23:41. > :23:46.on Constitution Hill, the elite men's race won in a tie between the

:23:47. > :23:52.American and the Norwegian. Since then the race has grown so much at

:23:53. > :23:55.elite and mass participation level. The race's co-founder and former

:23:56. > :24:00.Olympic steeplechase champion died 13 years ago and sadly this year the

:24:01. > :24:06.London Marathon's other co-founder passed away in February aged 87.

:24:07. > :24:10.John was born in Gwyneth, Wales and competed for Great Britain at the

:24:11. > :24:14.1952 Helsinki Olympics winning the bronze medal in the 3000 metres

:24:15. > :24:19.steeplechase, he was a PE teacher and set wealth wreck -- Welsh

:24:20. > :24:23.records. His legacy, like Chris's, will always live on with the London

:24:24. > :24:28.Marathon. It is now fitting before the elite men and masses given their

:24:29. > :24:31.race, everyone will pay their respects to John, a visionary, an

:24:32. > :24:49.innovator and a true gentleman. ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen,

:24:50. > :24:55.debris this year the London Marathon's co-founder John Disley

:24:56. > :24:58.CBE died aged 87. He was an Olympic medallist and a pioneer of mass

:24:59. > :25:04.participation in sport, who along with crisp ratio dreamt and

:25:05. > :25:07.delivered this incredible event. He also designed the course you run on,

:25:08. > :25:12.which today will see the 1,000,000th finisher complete the race will stop

:25:13. > :25:16.to commemorate his place in athletics history in the company of

:25:17. > :25:20.his wife Sylvia and daughters Emma and Kate, let's joined together in

:25:21. > :25:26.applause to remember this remarkable man.

:25:27. > :26:01.thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen, great tribute to John

:26:02. > :26:06.Disley. We are a few moments away from introducing you to the final

:26:07. > :26:16.line-up, and you can see the masses, 39,000 runners getting ready to get

:26:17. > :26:21.underway on the 2016 virgin London marathon.

:26:22. > :26:26.Wonderful moment commemorating John Disley and lovely to see his wife

:26:27. > :26:30.and daughters here. The start of a 36 London Marathon is almost upon

:26:31. > :26:36.us, Gertje 5000 runners are ready, so let's handover to our, to Tom

:26:37. > :26:44.Derrey team, Rob Walker, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, Steve Cram. --

:26:45. > :26:49.commentary team. COMMENTATOR: There was a wonderful memorial service on

:26:50. > :26:55.Thursday which so many attended and indeed some of these Olympic

:26:56. > :26:59.athletes, great man and a great tribute to his work. Those are some

:27:00. > :27:02.of the names going through, we will introduce the top names in a moment

:27:03. > :27:07.for the British men as for the British women, a big day and a big

:27:08. > :27:09.day of selection for them. Scott Overall and Callum Hawkins have the

:27:10. > :27:14.qualifying time already and it's good to see Chris Thompson back.

:27:15. > :27:18.This man became the youngest ever world champion in Beijing last year,

:27:19. > :27:26.Ghirmay Ghebreslassie could be the youngest winner ever if he triumphed

:27:27. > :27:34.today. 22 champions a world champion and three times and Olympic

:27:35. > :27:41.champion. Kennedy said the Kelly -- candies of the Caley, could you

:27:42. > :27:49.produce something special today. -- Kenenisa Bekele. From New York,

:27:50. > :27:53.Stanley Biwott, from Kenya. He knows how to win in London. As the Olympic

:27:54. > :28:06.bronze-medallist and course record-holder Wilson Kipsang.

:28:07. > :28:11.2:02.57, the incredible world record held by

:28:12. > :28:17.Dennis Kimetto, which he managed to do in Burlington over 18 months ago.

:28:18. > :28:20.Great track career and then moved onto the roads and he's having a

:28:21. > :28:24.wonderful marathon career. He's only ever been beaten once and that was

:28:25. > :28:26.in a world-record race in Berlin when Kipsang broke the record before

:28:27. > :28:30.in a world-record race in Berlin Kimetto, Eliud Kipchoge, last year's

:28:31. > :28:37.winner coming to try and get the victory today. What about the Brits?

:28:38. > :28:42.Chris Thompson there. He has done the time in the past, Callum Hawkins

:28:43. > :28:49.as the time this year with Scott Overall as well. So the British men

:28:50. > :28:53.will be following and we will follow their stories as they try and gain

:28:54. > :28:59.selection for Rio. They are lining up with the thousands of runners. In

:29:00. > :29:03.the year when the millionth finisher will cross the line it's at this

:29:04. > :29:10.most powerful and greatest of human races begins with a start that is

:29:11. > :29:11.out of this world. Joined Tim Peake at the

:29:12. > :29:36.International Space Station. RADIO: Three, two, one. Hi, I'm

:29:37. > :29:40.astronaut Tim Peake on board the International Space Station. It's a

:29:41. > :29:45.huge honour to be asked to be the official start of the 2016 London

:29:46. > :29:48.Marathon. I'm excited to be a per joined the runners on earth from

:29:49. > :29:53.right here on board the space station. Good luck to everybody

:29:54. > :30:02.running and I hope to see you all at the finish line.

:30:03. > :30:14.Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three 02, one, go! We have

:30:15. > :30:22.liftoff. Liftoff for the London Marathon

:30:23. > :30:27.2016. The elites on their way, cheered by those in the grandstands,

:30:28. > :30:33.and I'm sure by everybody watching around the world, and indeed in

:30:34. > :30:39.space. Tim Peake will be setting off on his own quest to complete this

:30:40. > :30:45.most traditional of distances. On a weekend when we

:30:46. > :30:49.most traditional of distances. On a birthday of Shakespeare his words

:30:50. > :30:58.are pretty apt, now bid me run and I will strive for things impossible.

:30:59. > :31:07.36000 and more setting great journey. And, this year, it

:31:08. > :31:17.will be the year the 1,000,000th finisher will cross the finishing

:31:18. > :31:21.line in the London Marathon. The blue start and green start will

:31:22. > :31:26.come together after around one mile. The redstart and Greenwich Park on

:31:27. > :31:30.the right. They will head on their path towards a meeting point at

:31:31. > :31:36.three miles, when all three come together. There they are in

:31:37. > :31:42.Greenwich Park. It will take a few minutes for most of them to

:31:43. > :31:47.eventually cross the line, but it happens incredibly smoothly. The

:31:48. > :31:56.organisation, as ever, all of the planning, ensuring that everybody

:31:57. > :32:01.will get their turn. Brendan, it is a site that never fails to inspire

:32:02. > :32:08.all around the world. A special year for a special event. It is, I have

:32:09. > :32:12.sat here 36 years in a row watching the London Marathon and that was the

:32:13. > :32:19.most dramatic yet, a start from outer space. What a week so far in

:32:20. > :32:23.London with the Queen's birthday celebrations, we are having the

:32:24. > :32:28.Shakespeare 400th anniversary celebrations and, today, the biggest

:32:29. > :32:33.mass participation marathon in the world will celebrate its 1,000,000th

:32:34. > :32:40.finisher. Who would have thought all those years ago when 6000 runners

:32:41. > :32:43.lined up at Greenwich Park we would be looking at an event where 1

:32:44. > :32:49.million people have taken part. If you think back when they watched the

:32:50. > :32:52.first marathon in 1981, only a few hundred people in Great Britain had

:32:53. > :32:58.had experience of running a marathon. People watching today will

:32:59. > :33:01.see that colourful site and over 1 million will have experienced the

:33:02. > :33:05.modern phenomenon that is the marathon. The crowd is excited at

:33:06. > :33:14.the start. The runners hopefully not too excited at the start. They have

:33:15. > :33:21.to take it carefully, start slow. These are great conditions for

:33:22. > :33:24.distance running, Paula. They are very good conditions. A great cause

:33:25. > :33:30.and a great place to do it. They are at the start, but the whole way

:33:31. > :33:34.along the route and at the mall, waiting for the runners to finish

:33:35. > :33:37.their journey and arrive at the finishing line that little bit

:33:38. > :33:45.stronger. Where would you rather be now? In the fitness right now, that

:33:46. > :33:50.I am being, I would probably rather be sitting here but I always want to

:33:51. > :33:59.be out there running. There are thousands and thousands of stories

:34:00. > :34:02.that have helped people get to the starting line. So many are running

:34:03. > :34:09.for charity, it will be another record year for charity. The event

:34:10. > :34:15.organiser telling us this week that that continues to grow and grow. A

:34:16. > :34:25.couple of friends of mine are out there. Graham, running for the

:34:26. > :34:32.benevolent fund. Luke, running for pancreatic cancer. We have seen

:34:33. > :34:37.radio to's Chris Evans. So many great stories. We will try to bring

:34:38. > :34:45.you as many of those as well as the story of the elite race. It has

:34:46. > :34:50.become a British institution. Springtime in Britain, the London

:34:51. > :34:54.Marathon. This is what 40,000 people looked like, with the same

:34:55. > :34:57.intention, the same idea, and that is to get over the finishing line.

:34:58. > :35:04.If you think of the hours of training to get here, millions of

:35:05. > :35:09.miles and millions of hours, thousands of hours is of people

:35:10. > :35:16.doing it. If you are not inspired by this, what would inspire you? When I

:35:17. > :35:19.think back, the difference between the first marathon and how it has

:35:20. > :35:26.changed. The first thing that strikes me is the colour. We saw

:35:27. > :35:32.shots of the first, it was great and raining. It is nice now, it was

:35:33. > :35:36.raining early on, and a colourful array of runners. This is a modern

:35:37. > :35:45.phenomenon, a wonderful event, a great event, the London Marathon.

:35:46. > :35:51.Good luck to you all. We will be scrolling messages across. That is a

:35:52. > :36:01.nice outfit, well done. I hope he wore a coat on the way there. Good

:36:02. > :36:06.luck to David, for the British Heart Foundation, raising ?10,000. It does

:36:07. > :36:13.not matter if you raise 100, tens of thousands, well done to you all. We

:36:14. > :36:19.will take a few minutes for those to cross the starting line. Exit, turn

:36:20. > :36:29.left, then they get running. The official starting line outside the

:36:30. > :36:33.gate. Overseas competitors, celebrity competitors in the blue

:36:34. > :36:40.start. Club athletes. All of the running clubs in the UK are there.

:36:41. > :36:43.And the green, the blue, those starts come together fairly quickly.

:36:44. > :36:53.About a mile and a half down the road, and then everybody comes

:36:54. > :36:57.together after about three miles. We can have a closer look at exactly

:36:58. > :37:03.where they are heading. We are at the finishing line waiting patiently

:37:04. > :37:08.for them but the 26 miles, which has become familiar to a lot of them.

:37:09. > :37:13.They have never been here before. People have come from around the

:37:14. > :37:18.world. They come together at three miles through the quickest part of

:37:19. > :37:21.the course and then heading towards Cutty Sark, where the big crowds

:37:22. > :37:34.will be gathered at around six miles. Always a popular place. Then

:37:35. > :37:37.310 miles and they will see Tower Bridge in the distance. Across Tower

:37:38. > :37:47.Bridge, big crowds, heading out towards Canary Wharf, as they manage

:37:48. > :37:50.to get through the halfway point. 15 miles and through the twisting,

:37:51. > :37:57.turning parts of the cause, and then the long run for home, back towards

:37:58. > :38:01.the Tower, along the bank and in the last two, three miles. Some of the

:38:02. > :38:07.great sights of London, you can see Big Ben down the embankment.

:38:08. > :38:14.Buckingham Palace and into the mall. Passing in front of us. And the 250

:38:15. > :38:19.metres to the finishing line. Meanwhile, making her way around the

:38:20. > :38:24.course, hoping to hone in on a fourth title, Tatyana McFadden,

:38:25. > :38:28.followed by Manuela Schar. A great race developing as far as the elite

:38:29. > :38:38.women are concerned in the wheelchair confrontation. Early on

:38:39. > :38:44.there was a lead for Tsuchida. Moving towards Canary Wharf. Tatyana

:38:45. > :38:50.McFadden with Manuela Schar for company. While that race is going

:38:51. > :38:54.well, disappointment for the double Paralympic silver medallist Shelly

:38:55. > :38:59.Woods, having to bring her race to a premature end around Tower Bridge. A

:39:00. > :39:04.great competitor. It looked as though her season was progressing

:39:05. > :39:09.reasonably well with a win in Lisbon but was only ninth in Boston and she

:39:10. > :39:13.said she did not have a great race and so that is a sad end to the

:39:14. > :39:21.aspirations of Shelly Woods for a third London title. And you never

:39:22. > :39:25.know when a puncture and flat tyre is going to cause you problems. That

:39:26. > :39:31.was certainly something that happened to Marcel Hug 12 months ago

:39:32. > :39:35.was certainly something that but so far, so good, as far as he is

:39:36. > :39:40.concerned. Talk about cat and mouse, we have watched this while enjoying

:39:41. > :39:46.the pictures of the mass start. So many have taken a turn at the front

:39:47. > :39:50.but again it is Marcel Hug. This is absolutely pedestrian for these

:39:51. > :40:00.guys, pushing well within themselves. Turning into a tactical

:40:01. > :40:04.race. The paces up and down. -- is up and down. This is playing into

:40:05. > :40:12.Dave Weir's hands. He is in a great position. Marcel Hug has decided to

:40:13. > :40:17.put a kick in. They were probably pushing 11, 12 mph, they will pick

:40:18. > :40:23.up to 18, 19, but Dave has covered it. Note issue at all for Dave Weir.

:40:24. > :40:29.The only pattern is whenever there has been a break from the front,

:40:30. > :40:35.these three have responded in the fastest manner. Marcel who, Kurt

:40:36. > :40:39.Fearnley and Dave Weir. That could indicate when the definitive break

:40:40. > :40:46.comes, it may be those three battling for the title. They have

:40:47. > :40:50.all won it. Just beginning to gear up to a big finish but a long way to

:40:51. > :40:54.go as far as the able-bodied athletes are concerned.

:40:55. > :40:58.The leader of the women's race America Tani, setting a pace but not

:40:59. > :41:06.as quick as early -- Mary Keitany. America Tani, setting a pace but not

:41:07. > :41:11.Paula Radcliffe is sitting next to me. She is worrying about her course

:41:12. > :41:17.record, but the last couple of miles it has pegged back. After setting a

:41:18. > :41:20.vast pace, Keitany is sitting back in the pack. I

:41:21. > :41:28.vast pace, Keitany is sitting back she wanted to see if anybody else

:41:29. > :41:30.wanted to take the pace on. Mergia came to the front. It then slowed

:41:31. > :41:38.down. The pace kicked came to the front. It then slowed

:41:39. > :41:42.Keitany responded. The trio came to the front. It then slowed

:41:43. > :41:47.Kenyon is back in the front after a brief spell of Ethiopians trying to

:41:48. > :41:51.lead. When they have a class field, looking at the British battle for

:41:52. > :41:57.Rio, who will come out top? Fryar Ross at the back, Susan Partridge at

:41:58. > :41:58.Rio, who will come out top? Fryar the beginning, and followed by

:41:59. > :42:05.Charlotte Purdue. Alyson Dixon. the beginning, and followed by

:42:06. > :42:09.Sonia Samuels. Three English athletes and two Scottish and

:42:10. > :42:13.between the five you are looking at the three who may represent Britain

:42:14. > :42:23.This is an interesting race. You leading group.

:42:24. > :42:28.This is an interesting race. You will come out on top. They have lost

:42:29. > :42:32.their pacemaker, which is a problem but they need to keep going at a

:42:33. > :42:37.strong pace otherwise the qualifying time will be missed. What is

:42:38. > :42:41.happening is Charlotte after is running at the pace she was asked to

:42:42. > :42:48.and they have dropped off at 2.28 pace and we knew it would happen

:42:49. > :42:54.because if Susan does not run 2.28, Sonia Samuels and Aly Dixon do not

:42:55. > :42:58.need to go at that pace. I think the pacemaker is keeping to what she was

:42:59. > :43:00.asked to do but unfortunately she is running on her own and these five

:43:01. > :43:20.are locked into a real race. Meanwhile back at the start, that is

:43:21. > :43:30.the blue start. They are still crossing the line. I wanted to

:43:31. > :43:40.mention a special case. Marcus was meant to be running this year but he

:43:41. > :43:49.lost his battle in February aged 36. The organisers sent his number to

:43:50. > :44:02.his family. Newmarket joggers are running in his memory. Wearing run

:44:03. > :44:05.for Marcus wristbands. So many people running for causes very

:44:06. > :44:16.personal to themselves, or sometimes wanting to help other people. John

:44:17. > :44:20.Philpott, and to big group, 100 runners, from Sydney runners club.

:44:21. > :44:27.They have their runners on the course that they are manning the

:44:28. > :44:38.station at mile 23. -- City runners club. Ryan Burnett, radio

:44:39. > :44:43.commentator from Scotland. -- Brian. Running the race instead of talking

:44:44. > :44:48.about it. Good luck to Victoria French coming

:44:49. > :44:54.from Sunderland. She will be cheering on Aly Dixon, I am sure.

:44:55. > :45:06.And the Mercedes F1 team are running for air ambulance today. Well done

:45:07. > :45:10.to them. A little slower than F1 racing but surely setting a good

:45:11. > :45:18.pace today. The costumes are great. When you look back, that is what

:45:19. > :45:21.arrived British style. The first London Marathon, 6000 athletes

:45:22. > :45:27.trying to get to the finishing line, but when the event took off after

:45:28. > :45:32.that first occasion, the costumes came out in force and if you look

:45:33. > :45:36.around the world, not all of the mass races followed the British

:45:37. > :45:41.style but we take it to an extreme. I remember in the early years

:45:42. > :45:47.watching a guy, at the tube station, with a ladder. We talked to him and

:45:48. > :45:50.he said he was going to run the London Marathon. Why on earth would

:45:51. > :45:56.you want to go to the London Marathon with a ladder on your back?

:45:57. > :46:00.And that sets the tone. It is incongruous when you see them out of

:46:01. > :46:04.context. We drove in this morning along the embankment, people putting

:46:05. > :46:12.up barriers, nobody there, and there was a loan guy dressed as the jolly

:46:13. > :46:17.green giant. Bless him. He did not have a care in the world. Because he

:46:18. > :46:22.was not surrounded by the thousands of others he looked a little odd. Do

:46:23. > :46:23.they go home in the costumes, or do they get changed quietly at the

:46:24. > :46:44.village? ! -- at the finish. He's been in a scrap already.

:46:45. > :46:49.Showing his guns, the Hulk, the Hulk rules. I hope he's doing that at the

:46:50. > :46:56.end. We will find out a little bit later on. More people than ever

:46:57. > :47:01.registered at the exposure over the last three or four days, which means

:47:02. > :47:06.we may well have a record number of finishers. That remains to be seen.

:47:07. > :47:11.All eyes will be on the millionth finisher, which as Gabby said

:47:12. > :47:21.earlier will be announced in a couple of weeks' time. They are

:47:22. > :47:26.having a party at the start. Taking their time to get to the start line.

:47:27. > :47:29.When they cross the start line the transponders will record the start

:47:30. > :47:33.time and that will give them their own particular time on the route.

:47:34. > :47:39.The modern technology they use nowadays is fantastic. As we look

:47:40. > :47:47.down, what a beautiful shot of London. We are

:47:48. > :47:51.down, what a beautiful shot of start line and so are the elite men

:47:52. > :47:57.wheelchair racers. We saw Kota Hokinoue and 15 seconds before you

:47:58. > :48:04.joined us putting on a little sprint at the front. It is the triumvirate

:48:05. > :48:09.of excellence of Hug, firmly and Weir with Kota Hokinoue you in

:48:10. > :48:13.fourth, one or two others still in touch but as we said the last time

:48:14. > :48:20.you joined us, every time there is a break it's the same three who get to

:48:21. > :48:25.the front -- Fearnley. I guess the question, Tanni, the way the race is

:48:26. > :48:29.playing out, does it play into the hands of David Weir, in search after

:48:30. > :48:34.all, let's not forget, after the seventh title that would make him on

:48:35. > :48:37.his own, sorry about this, the most successful wheelchair racer in

:48:38. > :48:41.London Marathon history? Is this the way David would have envisaged the

:48:42. > :48:47.race panning out in an ideal context? This is playing into David

:48:48. > :48:50.race panning out in an ideal Hug, firmly and Van Dyk attacked

:48:51. > :48:59.early and made it hard, but Boston is a hilly course and different to

:49:00. > :49:03.London. They have not actually damaged David Weir at all. Hug will

:49:04. > :49:10.be thinking about tactics, only a few miles left, they will be on the

:49:11. > :49:14.embankment shortly with a tail wind, at what point will they kicked? They

:49:15. > :49:17.don't want to be waiting until the final right turn. Quick look over

:49:18. > :49:20.his shoulders to see where everyone is, David Weir is in a great

:49:21. > :49:25.position and looking comfortable now. Kota Hokinoue is the athlete

:49:26. > :49:26.towards the right-hand side wearing 27, Dave is just

:49:27. > :49:31.towards the right-hand side wearing and stretching out his back and

:49:32. > :49:35.looking over his shoulder. It is worth pointing out... There is Kota

:49:36. > :49:40.Hokinoue we on the right, it doesn't always work out Dave's way when it

:49:41. > :49:53.comes to a sprint, Hug beat him by inches are few weeks ago, Josh

:49:54. > :49:57.George last year. The man in the black beard, he has had a couple of

:49:58. > :50:01.goes on the front. He has been dominant for such a long time,

:50:02. > :50:05.indicative of the fact he has won on six occasions, it was inevitable

:50:06. > :50:11.there might come a day when the dominance would be challenged and

:50:12. > :50:14.questioned. He will have to earn this the hard way for the

:50:15. > :50:19.record-breaking seven. They will not make this easy, on the final turn

:50:20. > :50:23.you can push people wide. Two or three years ago Dave had a much more

:50:24. > :50:27.acceleration and top end speed. This season and the back end of last

:50:28. > :50:34.season it is very even. It is actually about how far the nerve can

:50:35. > :50:37.hold out and who will go first. Hug is controlling everything but he has

:50:38. > :50:44.to be thinking he has to break soon because you don't want a sprint

:50:45. > :50:47.finish, they have the whole width of the road. Ernst has crashed a few

:50:48. > :50:53.times in the last couple of hundred metres as well. You have to have a

:50:54. > :50:57.clear line for the finish. Hug is still driving the pace, firmly in

:50:58. > :51:02.second, wearing the sleeveless vest top, David Weir in third as the long

:51:03. > :51:08.white sleeves on with that distinctive stripy helmet. Pierre

:51:09. > :51:13.Fairbank is going well, he just drifted off to the right-hand side.

:51:14. > :51:18.There he is, the French man, 44 years of age and still going strong,

:51:19. > :51:21.fourth in last year's race and he's decided he doesn't want this to come

:51:22. > :51:26.down to a real burn up in the closing stages. Bronze-medallist

:51:27. > :51:32.last year in the world champs over the 100 and 800. So no

:51:33. > :51:38.last year in the world champs over the Frenchman. He's deciding perhaps

:51:39. > :51:43.the very closing stages of the race. No sooner has the Frenchman gone to

:51:44. > :51:46.the front Marcel Hug has closed him down and that means Fearnley is

:51:47. > :51:52.right behind and so is David Weir. It looks like

:51:53. > :51:56.having a problem with his gloves. You can see him keep trying to fix

:51:57. > :52:00.the plastic. Without that strapped tightly on he will not be able to

:52:01. > :52:07.sprint so I guess he got to the front to give himself some

:52:08. > :52:13.clearance. This men's race is heading towards a climax. At what

:52:14. > :52:18.stage will they make the move? The other point about Dave is he is a

:52:19. > :52:21.six time Paralympic champion, whatever he does in Rio will surely

:52:22. > :52:25.six time Paralympic champion, never eclipse the four golds he won

:52:26. > :52:28.on his own city, especially finishing off with the fourth gold

:52:29. > :52:32.on the roads, which was a special win for him. Does it get to a point

:52:33. > :52:38.where he is struggling for motivation? I don't think so, Dave

:52:39. > :52:40.wants the seventh London Marathon win and he said he will keep going

:52:41. > :52:45.until win and he said he will keep going

:52:46. > :52:53.this position in the top three because they are onto a nice bit of

:52:54. > :52:58.the course now. Pierre Fairbank leads all the main contenders, it

:52:59. > :53:01.may come down to a sprint for the title. David Weir is still in for

:53:02. > :53:17.the hunt for the Tower Bridge and the elite women in

:53:18. > :53:24.the sunshine. The pace has been up and down, very fast through miles

:53:25. > :53:30.and it has slowed down and steadied and it has slowed down and steadied

:53:31. > :53:34.into this slower pace. Having a check to see who is in the group,

:53:35. > :53:39.Keitany has been leading things as ever. Not much change in the last

:53:40. > :53:46.three or four miles. They have just let the pace drop a little. Paula,

:53:47. > :53:50.that will be interesting because it looked like Keitany meant business

:53:51. > :53:54.today but for whatever reason she has decided to back off. I'm

:53:55. > :53:58.intrigued as to what the reason might have been, she looked to be

:53:59. > :54:02.running really well and was full of running early on, and pushed the

:54:03. > :54:05.pace and settled right back, obviously nothing too serious, maybe

:54:06. > :54:10.she had a stomach cramp, maybe because she missed the drink at the

:54:11. > :54:13.first drinks station, or maybe she decided today is a date when she

:54:14. > :54:18.doesn't want to run fast and she wants to concentrate on winning the

:54:19. > :54:22.race. She sat back to see if anybody was prepared to keep the pace

:54:23. > :54:26.pushing along, so she was happy to settle in and around the 5.30 mark.

:54:27. > :54:29.There is something about those athletes, the world champion is

:54:30. > :54:33.there and last year's winner, Keitany was second last year, and

:54:34. > :54:37.sometimes you sense that unless they really personally want to go for a

:54:38. > :54:41.record time, you sensed there is safety in numbers and settling into

:54:42. > :54:43.that group for Mary Keitany, an outstanding athlete and

:54:44. > :54:47.second-fastest marathon runner ever, she is happy and safe there with a

:54:48. > :54:51.group of athletes around her because she knows there is some talent, some

:54:52. > :54:56.real talent there. The other thing on her mind is selection for the

:54:57. > :55:00.Olympic games for Mary Keitany could be as a result of her position today

:55:01. > :55:02.blizzard is the other Kenyans. You've got the bunch of East

:55:03. > :55:10.Africans, you have four Kenyans and three Ethiopians in the group and

:55:11. > :55:15.that could be the Olympic team for both of those countries if this race

:55:16. > :55:20.goes well enough. It's an interesting race from every point of

:55:21. > :55:24.view. -- VZV. Fast times have gone out of the window and who will win

:55:25. > :55:28.this one is more the measure. That is a talented field of good athletes

:55:29. > :55:30.and the British athletes are running in a group of five on the road from

:55:31. > :55:45.this leading group. From the huge pack of leading elite

:55:46. > :55:50.women to the loan leader in the wheelchair race, Tatyana McFadden

:55:51. > :55:54.going for four in a row. Every single year she has won this title

:55:55. > :56:00.she has broken her own course record. She saw a three-year long

:56:01. > :56:05.winning streak come to an end earlier this year at the hands of

:56:06. > :56:09.Bouchicha Toshiba but Tatyana McFadden is looking good for London

:56:10. > :56:24.Marathon title number four. The American has to race under control.

:56:25. > :56:29.-- Lukaku -- Wakako Tsuchida. It is warming up but they are

:56:30. > :56:31.slowing down. They've let the pacemaker go, these five women

:56:32. > :56:38.locked together, Susan Partridge with Dixon, Freya Ross, Charlotte

:56:39. > :56:43.Purdue still together and this has already become a tactical race. They

:56:44. > :56:48.have still got 14 miles to go, Paula, but nobody really wanting to

:56:49. > :56:52.push on at this point. No, that's the danger we talked about in the

:56:53. > :56:55.elite women as well. It's so important to be in the winning

:56:56. > :56:59.position or the first two positions, you don't want to risk too much

:57:00. > :57:03.early on, you don't want to risk going out a little bit too hard and

:57:04. > :57:06.see if you can hang on, you want to make sure and conserve effort and

:57:07. > :57:11.these women are looking at each other and it's going to be a huge

:57:12. > :57:15.test of nerve. The reason Aly Dixon and Sonia don't want to run fast is

:57:16. > :57:19.not because they don't want to run a personal best and lead the others to

:57:20. > :57:23.eight time, they want to save energy for Rio hoping they will qualify and

:57:24. > :57:27.finish in the top two positions with the time already run in Berlin.

:57:28. > :57:32.Incentive for Aly Dixon and sombre Samuelsen would be to go to the

:57:33. > :57:36.front and slow it down even more -- Sonia Samuels. We are looking at the

:57:37. > :57:39.five British athletes come and hear the wheelchair athletes coming

:57:40. > :57:46.around the bend. The athletes at the front are interesting in terms of

:57:47. > :57:53.where they are. We are now into the closing stages. There are so many in

:57:54. > :58:02.touch, still in with a chance of taking the title. Pierre Fairbank

:58:03. > :58:06.had been leading. Dave Weir is still there but this is going to be very,

:58:07. > :58:13.very tough indeed in the last one mile. Who has the strength? Who has

:58:14. > :58:16.the drive? He's decided he needs to make a break early and doesn't want

:58:17. > :58:20.to wait for the sprint finish, he's been off the pack for most of the

:58:21. > :58:29.race and in the last two Miles has caught back up with the lead pack.

:58:30. > :58:36.Great position from behind, Curt firmly. Dave Weir has hardly been to

:58:37. > :58:40.the front of the pack but the chairs are long and if you want to come up

:58:41. > :58:43.for the sprint finish you have a long way to come round and Dave

:58:44. > :58:48.Whelan needs to think about coming out to make sure he has a clear run

:58:49. > :58:54.because if he kicks it takes a while to respond back. James Senbeta, the

:58:55. > :58:59.29-year-old, sixth in the New York Marathon in a couple of years ago,

:59:00. > :59:03.he has played a very canny race and they're very canny game, sat at the

:59:04. > :59:10.back of the lead group, he is in control at the moment. They have put

:59:11. > :59:15.an injection of pace in. All the rest have begun to be spat out the

:59:16. > :59:18.back. James Senbeta leading, that's my code in second,

:59:19. > :59:21.back. James Senbeta leading, that's David Weir in fourth, and van Wyk,

:59:22. > :59:37.the hugely experienced talented South African is fourth. -- Marcel

:59:38. > :59:41.Hug in the second and Kurt Fearnley in third. Weir is beginning to mount

:59:42. > :59:45.his challenge but Marcel Hug is blocking him. He moved across ever

:59:46. > :59:50.so slightly, didn't impede him in anyway but Dave needs to ensure he

:59:51. > :59:54.has a clear run round. There is is like line making the final couple of

:59:55. > :59:59.turns, they will potentially have to use steering but every push them is

:00:00. > :00:07.they can lose half a second. Round the final corner, David Weir is in a

:00:08. > :00:10.great position but Marcel Hug is leading. Weir driving those

:00:11. > :00:16.shoulders on, working those fingertips, the big three are going

:00:17. > :00:21.for it, they have all won before but who will take the title in 2016?

:00:22. > :00:26.Weir trying to come wide on the outside but Marcel Hug is holding it

:00:27. > :00:31.at the moment. Marcel Hug looks as though he's in the driving seat

:00:32. > :00:37.here. Firmly in second place. Hug takes it again, Kurt Fearnley

:00:38. > :00:43.second, David Weir finishes third. He is still on the hunt for that

:00:44. > :00:47.elusive seventh title. Marcel Hug copied and followed every move, and

:00:48. > :00:53.when the moment came to strike nobody, not even the great David

:00:54. > :00:57.when the moment came to strike Weir could respond. Hug has taken

:00:58. > :01:01.the title, as he did two years ago, and that is a very, very important

:01:02. > :01:06.stepping stone on the road to Rio for the man from Switzerland. The

:01:07. > :01:09.only colour medal missing from his collection is a Paralympic gold and

:01:10. > :01:13.he has laid down a marker to Dave Weir and all the best of the rest

:01:14. > :01:19.that he is the man in form moving ahead to Brazil in a few months'

:01:20. > :01:21.time. It is Hug who strikes the psychological blow on the streets of

:01:22. > :01:35.London, that was class. That was a fantastic race for Marcel

:01:36. > :01:40.Hug. Towards the end he looked like he wanted to play games, he did not

:01:41. > :01:44.make decisive kicks. But at the finish he looked like he had a lot

:01:45. > :01:45.left in him. That will give him so much confidence to go to Rio and

:01:46. > :01:50.left in him. That will give him so rest of the road racing season. And

:01:51. > :01:55.I guess you can argue it the other way from Dave Weir's perspective. He

:01:56. > :02:02.will be disappointed not to have won on the streets of his home city, but

:02:03. > :02:06.a huge motivation for David. He has had a reminder the six gold medals,

:02:07. > :02:11.well, they were hard earned. If there is to be a seventh, eighth in

:02:12. > :02:16.Brazil, he has real work to do over the coming months. He will have to

:02:17. > :02:21.have a strong track racing season. At the moment it is not ideally

:02:22. > :02:27.where he wants to be but it is massively motivational. He will have

:02:28. > :02:31.a couple of days of training and be back on the track in two weeks. I

:02:32. > :02:45.would not write off his gold medal chances just yet. Dave just going

:02:46. > :02:50.off for his interviews. And just to get some sustenance on board. Plenty

:02:51. > :02:57.more to come from him this year but the title and the elusive seventh

:02:58. > :03:00.win still yet to be in the possession of Dave Weir. And still

:03:01. > :03:08.they are moving over the starting line.

:03:09. > :03:18.That is back at the start, but the race has been forging on in the

:03:19. > :03:24.elite men. A cracking pace. They are banning an incredibly fast pace.

:03:25. > :03:28.Through the first ten kilometres we covered the wheelchair race, of

:03:29. > :03:33.course, and while that has been happening, in the men's race, they

:03:34. > :03:41.have gone through ten kilometres in an incredibly quick time. 28 .37,

:03:42. > :04:02.which, well is incredible. Which is a sub to -- two our pages.

:04:03. > :04:14.-- our hour pace. It is incredibly too quick. One of the great races of

:04:15. > :04:18.all time, Kenenisa Bekele. People like him, and some of the others

:04:19. > :04:22.will pay for it. This is a race, take a picture now and take a record

:04:23. > :04:25.of where they are and who was in that group and the only thing you

:04:26. > :04:31.can say for is certain is it will not be like this towards the finish.

:04:32. > :04:38.Some of these athletes will pay for that. Some are not in that shape.

:04:39. > :04:41.Wilson Kipsang, in the green vest, the course record holder here, he is

:04:42. > :04:46.travelling faster the course record holder here, he is

:04:47. > :04:48.record today and next to him, with the yellow headband, Eliud

:04:49. > :04:54.record today and next to him, with last year's winner, and behind those

:04:55. > :04:57.record today and next to him, with two, Kenenisa Bekele. We wonder what

:04:58. > :05:02.pace he is in. He would not have wanted to go this quick, this early,

:05:03. > :05:07.especially when he is not sure of his condition and so a lock to

:05:08. > :05:18.change, that is for certain. Earlier on, at the drinks station, that

:05:19. > :05:21.looks like Kipsang who took a for. This happened a while back. We have

:05:22. > :05:29.seen him back in the group, no problems. If any are watching the

:05:30. > :05:36.world half marathon championship in Cardiff when the training partner of

:05:37. > :05:41.Kipchoge fell, he's still got up and managed to win in brilliant style.

:05:42. > :05:49.Kipsang taking a tumble, but he looks absolutely fine. The British

:05:50. > :05:53.race is interesting. We have a group with Callum Hawkins, Scott Overall,

:05:54. > :05:56.who have the qualifying time already, but they are behind

:05:57. > :06:01.Jonathan Hay, who started already, but they are behind

:06:02. > :06:03.got through ten kilometres in 30 minutes and 40, a fast pace

:06:04. > :06:09.got through ten kilometres in 30 man who has yet to run anything like

:06:10. > :06:13.that. Really embarking on his marathon career. Arne Gabius

:06:14. > :06:19.breaking the German record in Frankfurt recently on the far side.

:06:20. > :06:24.Serhiy Lebid, a great figure. Jonathan Hay is not the lead British

:06:25. > :06:43.athlete. Ahead of him, almost 30 seconds ahead, Sigala to -- Tsegai

:06:44. > :06:48.Tewelde. He is the man who is eligible to compete for Great

:06:49. > :06:53.Britain now, wearing 35, all in the blue, there he is, currently the

:06:54. > :06:57.lead British athlete. He is running very quick. He has gone through the

:06:58. > :07:03.first ten kilometres I suspect probably a little bit too quick. A

:07:04. > :07:08.massive frisky is taking. Olympic selection at stake but going through

:07:09. > :07:15.13 minutes and 12 seconds for the first ten is a bit quick. It is a

:07:16. > :07:19.bit quick. He has been based in Glasgow and trained and run well in

:07:20. > :07:24.Scotland the past couple of years, but he is biting off more than he

:07:25. > :07:29.can chew, I am sure. Up at the front, they are going so quick, I am

:07:30. > :07:36.pretty sure there will be a lot of changes happening. 37 minutes in the

:07:37. > :07:42.men's marathon, and the organisers have done a superb job, getting the

:07:43. > :07:46.runners off and on their way. The chief executive said the start is

:07:47. > :07:53.the key part, that they can do it smoothly and they have done that. It

:07:54. > :07:57.is a very good course. They were waiting till yesterday when the

:07:58. > :08:01.course was finalised because they have built the cycle superhighway

:08:02. > :08:05.that was only finished yesterday on some of this course but they did

:08:06. > :08:10.well with transport for London. These guys are burning up that

:08:11. > :08:15.course. Very interesting in this elite

:08:16. > :08:24.women's race. Tatyana McFadden does not have it all her own way. Well,

:08:25. > :08:28.that she is going to have to earned this fourth consecutive title. I

:08:29. > :08:31.think at this point she might have thought she would have broken

:08:32. > :08:35.Manuela Schar. She did not have it all her own way in the first ten

:08:36. > :08:44.kilometres that she has got stronger and a mile ago there was a

:08:45. > :08:47.significant gap. Manuela Schar is a strong sprinter. Tatyana McFadden is

:08:48. > :08:52.not used to having to sprint in the final stages of a marathon. Her

:08:53. > :08:56.first three titles in London were at a canter and it was all about the

:08:57. > :09:00.time, but Manuela Schar is on the back wheel of Tatyana McFadden stop

:09:01. > :09:09.now we find out what the American has got. We'll to wheel, shoulder to

:09:10. > :09:14.shoulder. The athlete from Switzerland, closing. The questions

:09:15. > :09:19.are being asked. Now Tatyana McFadden begins to respond. She is

:09:20. > :09:24.the world's greatest wheelchair racer but this year they have

:09:25. > :09:28.started to make her work for these titles. Digging in, gritting her

:09:29. > :09:33.teeth. She looks up and realises the daylight is there between her and

:09:34. > :09:38.Manuela Schar. She makes it four in a row, but that was the hardest we

:09:39. > :09:42.have seen her win so far and credit to Switzerland's Manuela Schar for

:09:43. > :09:50.coming back into the race. Tatyana McFadden knows she will have to do

:09:51. > :09:55.work so hard to take those medals in Rio because they are no longer

:09:56. > :10:05.prepared to let her win at a procession. Tatyana McFadden was 15

:10:06. > :10:11.seconds down in the first ten and it was interesting Manuela Schar did

:10:12. > :10:16.not give up. She felt she could pull her back in. Tatyana McFadden is

:10:17. > :10:21.looking a little bit tired. Her third marathon this season. She has

:10:22. > :10:25.a massive schedule in Rio and racing every distance on the track and the

:10:26. > :10:30.relay and so she needs to be in Rio in the best shape she can be. This

:10:31. > :10:34.is great for wheelchair racing because it is not necessarily the

:10:35. > :10:38.best advert for a sport when you see a procession or a time trial, you

:10:39. > :10:42.need to know there are other world-class swimming capable of

:10:43. > :10:47.putting the favourite under pressure and they are capable. They ran her

:10:48. > :10:52.close today. We saw the back of her chair, she is carrying a big pack of

:10:53. > :10:56.water which probably weighs an extra kilogram. Not exactly what she wants

:10:57. > :11:08.to be racing with that at the moment she is unbeatable. She will make it

:11:09. > :11:18.really challenging for McFadden this season. Tsuchida. She beat Tatyana

:11:19. > :11:24.McFadden earlier this year, in Tokyo, but not to be today. Tatyana

:11:25. > :11:30.McFadden reigns supreme and is a four time London Marathon winner.

:11:31. > :11:38.We can see the progress of the elite races, the men are through eight

:11:39. > :11:43.miles. The elite women getting to the important part of the race,

:11:44. > :11:47.through Canary Wharf. Keitany where she has been most of the time, just

:11:48. > :11:48.leading the group. Nothing much happening, the pace

:11:49. > :11:54.leading the group. Nothing much the last few miles. Keitany may be

:11:55. > :11:59.just now beginning to think about pushing things on a little. That

:12:00. > :12:10.group has not changed since about the second or third mile. 5.41 for

:12:11. > :12:21.the previous mile. Dibaba looks comfortable. It was a great race in

:12:22. > :12:28.Beijing. Dibaba came through for the win. Jemima Sumgong is rumoured to

:12:29. > :12:34.have been training well. This is the time of the race when you find out

:12:35. > :12:38.those who have done the preparation. If you have missed a bit of your

:12:39. > :12:42.training, you can get to 20 miles and then it will start to unravel

:12:43. > :12:47.and that is the part of the race we are coming to. That is what is

:12:48. > :12:54.happening here. Watching one another, also running for a place in

:12:55. > :12:59.Rio. Both the Kenyan and Ethiopian selectors have not made it clear to

:13:00. > :13:04.the athletes what the criteria for selection in the marathon for Rio

:13:05. > :13:07.is. The British athletes have. Susan Partridge is the first to come under

:13:08. > :13:14.pressure. The group of five. Susan has not got qualifying time so far.

:13:15. > :13:19.She has drifted off the back of the back. Four athletes. Pulling away

:13:20. > :13:24.and Susan Partridge going through a bad time. There was a little pick-up

:13:25. > :13:28.by Aly Dixon. They started to run slowly.

:13:29. > :13:38.They slipped outside the 2.31 time. And I think Aly Dixon was thinking,

:13:39. > :13:44.OK, I feel comfortable here. Nobody is pushing the pace, getting into

:13:45. > :13:50.the corner -- qualifying time bracket. Pressure by Aly Dixon but

:13:51. > :14:00.Susan did not respond. Charlotte Purdue, on her debut, running a long

:14:01. > :14:04.with those who have qualifying time already. A good run by Charlotte

:14:05. > :14:09.Purdue. She is acquitting herself well and showing she is not afraid

:14:10. > :14:14.to get alongside them and push on the pace. I do not know if she gets

:14:15. > :14:17.information on the course or whether she has in her head the spit time

:14:18. > :14:22.she needs to get the qualifying time. They have slipped out wide of

:14:23. > :14:28.it and she needs to get alongside the other two and keep the pace

:14:29. > :14:32.moving. Freya Ross starting to slip. Daylight opening up there that she

:14:33. > :14:38.would not normally want to allow to happen unless she was struggling.

:14:39. > :14:44.Sonia Samuels. A great race in Berlin. A personal best. She missed

:14:45. > :14:48.a drink. Hopefully that will not be significant. We chatted to Sonia

:14:49. > :14:58.Samuels and she said she expected today a different sort of race. When

:14:59. > :15:04.you are in a marathon it is about being tactical, seeing what others'

:15:05. > :15:10.move our and crossing the line in the best positions. I run up to the

:15:11. > :15:14.race. The volume, I am not doing as many miles. I have more time to

:15:15. > :15:18.think about things. Mentally it is tougher in the last weeks because

:15:19. > :15:23.you are not running as many miles. You have to find something to occupy

:15:24. > :15:28.yourself. It certainly is that type of race.

:15:29. > :15:33.It will be an attritional last few miles with a lot at stake. The

:15:34. > :15:40.chance to go to Rio. Aly Dixon missed out in 2012. Sonia Samuels

:15:41. > :15:43.would wish to be part of the Olympic experience. Aly Dixon, 37 years of

:15:44. > :15:48.age, you would think may be her last chance to go to the Olympics.

:15:49. > :15:52.Charlotte Purdue starting on her marathon career and running well.

:15:53. > :15:57.The selectors told me that they will pick the team tonight. It has to be

:15:58. > :16:03.ratified by the British Olympic association and will be announced on

:16:04. > :16:06.Tuesday. At this point the two with the time, looking good, looking

:16:07. > :16:12.comfortable, Charlotte Purdue could run herself into an Olympic spot. It

:16:13. > :16:18.could be controversy because if she misses the time, they will have to

:16:19. > :16:24.have the debate and you are looking about Rio, about athletes' dreams

:16:25. > :16:28.and here it is being forecast. Susan Partridge has dropped. Freya Ross

:16:29. > :16:31.who ran the Olympics for Britain is off the back. You have two

:16:32. > :16:35.who ran the Olympics for Britain is who have qualified and Charlotte

:16:36. > :16:48.Purdue, can she keep going and run well in

:16:49. > :16:56.This is interesting, it has everything, times and drama. It is a

:16:57. > :17:03.dubious honour to run another marathon in the humidity of Rome, --

:17:04. > :17:06.Rio, but the Olympics is special and that's what these people are

:17:07. > :17:24.striving for. Jessica Ennis-Hill is back on top of

:17:25. > :17:33.the world! Nicola Adams has just made history. That is a huge jump.

:17:34. > :17:39.Laura Trott, world champion. Mo Farah streaking away!

:17:40. > :17:49.So, the elite men, big group, despite the fast-paced being set,

:17:50. > :17:56.all of the main contenders very much in there. Wilson Kipsang had a

:17:57. > :18:02.tumble at one of the early water stations, it doesn't appear to be

:18:03. > :18:06.affected too much but fast-paced has been set in the early stages,

:18:07. > :18:11.Kipchoge, the man who won last year, the prerace favourite Kaylee is here

:18:12. > :18:16.despite the fast-paced, lots of question marks about his form coming

:18:17. > :18:23.into this but he's still there. Just slowed down the last couple of

:18:24. > :18:36.miles, 4.47 and 4.45 through mile five and seven. Kipsang's was

:18:37. > :18:41.record, 2:04.29, Glastir, this time 46.32, 50 seconds, 49 seconds

:18:42. > :18:48.quicker through the first ten miles, 46.32 for a ten mile run, in years

:18:49. > :18:52.gone by you would win plenty of ten mile races with that time. I tell

:18:53. > :18:55.gone by you would win plenty of ten you what, it's got to change, too

:18:56. > :18:59.many of these athletes are going far too fast, following the pacemaker

:19:00. > :19:03.which is clever, following a Eliud Kipchoge, the best marathon runner

:19:04. > :19:09.in the world at the moment, Eliud Kipchoge wants to win here and go

:19:10. > :19:11.and win the Olympic Games. We saw Eliud Kipchoge try and win

:19:12. > :19:17.championships on the track and he came close to winning the Olympic

:19:18. > :19:23.5000 metres in 2004, we did see him win the World Championships at 5000

:19:24. > :19:33.metres in 2003 ahead of the Kaylee, and in those years by Kelly went on

:19:34. > :19:43.to win the Olympic Games -- Kenenisa Bekele. Now he says he wants to be

:19:44. > :19:57.the Road Runner... Sorry, attract Runner. He says he is 90% fit. You

:19:58. > :20:04.cannot keep up with this. -- a Road Runner. Still going very quick,

:20:05. > :20:15.12.55.44 through 12 K, there he is in the blue. He is going very

:20:16. > :20:19.quickly. It would be a big surprise if he were to come in in a 2.0 nine,

:20:20. > :20:24.that is the sort of pace he's if he were to come in in a 2.0 nine,

:20:25. > :20:29.running at. A bit behind him Johnny Haynes is in a group on his own and

:20:30. > :20:36.he is about 15 seconds behind through the 15K point -- Jonathan

:20:37. > :20:41.Hay. About 15 seconds behind Jonathan Head, Callum Hawkins, Scott

:20:42. > :20:43.Overall, the favourites from the British point

:20:44. > :20:50.Overall, the favourites from the are 45 seconds behind SoDo Tewelde.

:20:51. > :20:59.As Brendan made the point, it is a big risk, a high-risk strategy to go

:21:00. > :21:03.off at this pace -- Sekajja Tewelde. Are not sure where he has been

:21:04. > :21:07.preparing, whether runners have been around him he's been training with,

:21:08. > :21:11.but to come in on the one hand, when you come in on your debut you have

:21:12. > :21:15.not really got anything to lose and you want to run hard and see how

:21:16. > :21:17.your body responds and how you cope with the distance. That he is taking

:21:18. > :21:21.a big risk and going with with the distance. That he is taking

:21:22. > :21:25.rather than putting himself into no man's's land which might have been

:21:26. > :21:28.the case had he sat back and that maybe was the decision to stay with

:21:29. > :21:32.the pack around him and go with it as long as he can. But the look on

:21:33. > :21:46.his face says it is starting to hurt a little bit now. This is back at

:21:47. > :21:52.Cutty Sark, the masses through six miles through the first 10K or so,

:21:53. > :21:57.continuing to put your messages in. We will see lots of these, of

:21:58. > :22:02.course, the pictures after the elite racers have finished. We will keep

:22:03. > :22:07.an eye out for all of those we are following. We saw Danny Mills

:22:08. > :22:13.earlier wearing 1966, of course the anniversary year for the Bobby Moore

:22:14. > :22:20.fund, he is joined by Paul Miller and Colin Elton and Markel and a. We

:22:21. > :22:28.will follow our celebrities through the day. The funny thing is they say

:22:29. > :22:31.I will watch you through Cutty Sark and cut through and watch on the

:22:32. > :22:35.other side and if you look at the crowds it's impossible to pick them

:22:36. > :22:44.out, but my niece is amongst them, Katie Lovell, 25,947, running for

:22:45. > :22:52.the Macmillan charity, good luck to Katie. Brim Barlow is out there

:22:53. > :22:58.running on his debut marathon, inspired when watching last year.

:22:59. > :23:02.He's raising ?2000, I hope it is going well for himself up, probably

:23:03. > :23:07.because it's only 10K. For those doing this for the first time half

:23:08. > :23:12.of them probably at this point think never again, but they all come back.

:23:13. > :23:14.They'll come back. We were just watching the elite group, we saw

:23:15. > :23:44.Eliud Kipchoge and. The athlete who has

:23:45. > :23:50.run 15.31, the fastest in the field, he is British. I will have to have a

:23:51. > :23:54.think about that. I will let you think and I will tell you the

:23:55. > :24:06.answer. Does Serb count jogging round supporting his son? --

:24:07. > :24:17.Sebastien. Is Peter out there? The Yorkshire terrier John, trying to

:24:18. > :24:22.run 3.30 to beat the 1500 metres. He hasn't got the other 1500 metre boys

:24:23. > :24:32.to sit on and kick past at the end, has he? Good luck to John and all of

:24:33. > :24:35.those out there. In the elite race, meanwhile, the men are progressing

:24:36. > :24:41.very quickly, the women have slowed down rather dramatically. You can

:24:42. > :24:45.see that group is gathering, Keitany is not at the front, Sumgong looking

:24:46. > :24:51.fairly comfortable, Kiplagat is still there, Dibaba has looked

:24:52. > :24:58.quiet, tucked in the middle, Mergia at the back as well and Glastir's

:24:59. > :25:04.winner wearing 101, two Furk, still involved -- last year's winner.

:25:05. > :25:09.Paula, I'm surprised, we heard about people not being in the greatest of

:25:10. > :25:16.shape. Mary Keitany had a cough during the week -- Tufa. We would

:25:17. > :25:20.not normally see her at this stage of the race, if she was feeling good

:25:21. > :25:24.she would not be their. That indicates she's feeling off and just

:25:25. > :25:26.enough to sit at the back of the pack but still stay in touch, so

:25:27. > :25:30.just keeping an eye on what is going pack but still stay in touch, so

:25:31. > :25:34.on and not controlling it too much. Sumgong is the one who looks most

:25:35. > :25:39.comfortable right now. We know that Kiplagat is not in the shape she has

:25:40. > :25:45.been in previous years when she has run a very fast half marathon time,

:25:46. > :25:49.as in Barcelona in January, February time for minutes down on her usual

:25:50. > :25:52.time, but she said that was with a view to performing much better here

:25:53. > :25:56.and her marathon base was stronger than in previous years. We are

:25:57. > :26:01.looking at the leading group, and the interesting thing is the race

:26:02. > :26:06.has changed from a time trial, who will run a time trial, close to 2.20

:26:07. > :26:09.but it's turned into a competitive race and that is the right thing to

:26:10. > :26:13.happen because these athletes are looking for a time on the one hand

:26:14. > :26:16.but really they are looking for selection for the Olympic Games in

:26:17. > :26:21.Rio. Here is the mens rea is, exactly the same once again, the

:26:22. > :26:25.Kenyan athletes and Ethiopian athletes don't know the criteria for

:26:26. > :26:28.selection but they know that a big win for Eliud Kipchoge would get him

:26:29. > :26:35.on the way for the Olympic Games. I am watching Kenenisa Bekele, one of

:26:36. > :26:41.my all-time favourite athletes. We said they were running quick, the

:26:42. > :26:47.Kenyan said he was only 90%, but he is running well. Kipsang just near

:26:48. > :26:50.him. The former record-holder in the green vest, Kipsang, moves up

:26:51. > :26:52.alongside the pacemaker and he is talking to him,

:26:53. > :26:57.alongside the pacemaker and he is slow down because we are going to

:26:58. > :27:03.quick. I just wonder, pacemakers in the black and white shirts with no

:27:04. > :27:09.reference to my football team! Being told to do by Kipsang. He's the

:27:10. > :27:12.President of Kenyan athletics runners Association, so he's

:27:13. > :27:14.probably allowed to tell them what to do. He

:27:15. > :27:18.probably allowed to tell them what group and it looked as if he was the

:27:19. > :27:21.one controlling the pack, running up to the front. To run up through 12

:27:22. > :27:25.miles and say now is a good time to look at your watch and make sure you

:27:26. > :27:35.are running the right pace is leaving it a little bit late. The

:27:36. > :27:40.Shard looks resplendent in a little bit of sunlight as we look down on

:27:41. > :27:48.Tower Bridge, the elite men still forging on at a pace way inside

:27:49. > :27:50.course record, right on world-record schedule. They run

:27:51. > :27:53.course record, right on world-record quicker here. We talk a lot about

:27:54. > :27:57.negative splits for men's big races these days, but the second half in

:27:58. > :27:59.London often ends up being a little bit

:28:00. > :28:05.London often ends up being a little reasons. They will be approaching

:28:06. > :28:11.halfway. Kipsang may be conducting things but Kipchoge is the man, the

:28:12. > :28:17.master at the moment. Kipsang may well be in charge of the athletics

:28:18. > :28:23.union in Kenya, but Kipchoge is a big star. They come from two big

:28:24. > :28:30.rival counties, Kipsang near the Nandi Hills and his group down there

:28:31. > :28:34.and then they are at the resort hotel and in his hotel there is a

:28:35. > :28:38.massive group watching this in Kenya live and they will be cheering for

:28:39. > :28:43.the different camps. They are cheering for Kenya but they all have

:28:44. > :28:47.their favourites. Look at that shot, the crowds on Tower Bridge. The Met

:28:48. > :28:52.office promised snow today but it has cleared away pretty easily. The

:28:53. > :28:55.sun is shining and the London Marathon has defied the weather

:28:56. > :28:59.forecasters and it's a beautiful day now, it is still cool but these are

:29:00. > :29:03.good conditions for running and the crowds have turned out like never

:29:04. > :29:07.before. These crowds are huge, this is only the halfway point. The

:29:08. > :29:13.leading group of men, the exhibition of distance runners, Kenya, Ethiopia

:29:14. > :29:20.and Eritrea, great athletes amongst them, former world track stars,

:29:21. > :29:25.Eliud Kipchoge and Kenenisa Bekele, former world champion and record

:29:26. > :29:30.holders, the current record-holder, and they are turning to the halfway

:29:31. > :29:35.point, and we have a competitive race. The early pace tells me this

:29:36. > :29:38.is going to disintegrate in terms of the group. That

:29:39. > :29:40.is going to disintegrate in terms of whittled down. At the moment there

:29:41. > :29:47.are two pacemakers and eight athletes amongst them. Lemma of

:29:48. > :29:51.Ethiopia is following them across Tower Bridge, getting cheered on by

:29:52. > :29:55.the crowd, but he's running in a difficult area, he's in no man's

:29:56. > :30:04.land between the elite group and the British chasing group. Talking of

:30:05. > :30:11.the British group, wearing 35, still in very good company, some good

:30:12. > :30:16.athletes around him, Tewelde, the Eritrean, now eligible to run for

:30:17. > :30:21.Great Britain. I'm told he's been training in Ethiopia, possibly.

:30:22. > :30:25.Possibly Eritrea, actually. I think he turned down selection for the

:30:26. > :30:29.world half Marathon because he was awake training and the rumours are

:30:30. > :30:33.he was training with the reigning world champion Ghebreslassie, who is

:30:34. > :30:36.way up ahead on the really fast-paced. If he's been training

:30:37. > :30:40.with him he is in good shape, and no wonder he is able to stay with this

:30:41. > :30:45.group and be running at this pace at the moment.

:30:46. > :30:52.We can go back to the front of the men's race because it looks like

:30:53. > :30:56.things might be breaking up. There was a water station and Kipchoge has

:30:57. > :31:02.taken the chance. We have lost Kimetto, he has gone out of the

:31:03. > :31:08.group, Bekele, incredibly, is still there. Biwott is still there.

:31:09. > :31:13.Tilahun Regassa, the enigmatic Ethiopian. Kipsang trying to hang

:31:14. > :31:20.on. Incredible what is going on. The group as to break up at some point.

:31:21. > :31:24.It has broken up because, seemingly, Kipchoge using the water station.

:31:25. > :31:26.They will settle down. Ghebreslassie, that is not the right

:31:27. > :31:30.They will settle down. thing to do, to spread onto the back

:31:31. > :31:33.of the group. You do not accelerate like that in the middle of a

:31:34. > :31:41.marathon but they are approaching the halfway point. 61 minutes at the

:31:42. > :31:45.halfway point. World-record pace for the marathon. If the second half has

:31:46. > :31:49.been like it is in other events, the second half they come back quicker

:31:50. > :31:56.but I cannot believe they will do that today. Kipchoge wants to win

:31:57. > :32:00.this. He won last year. Kenenisa Bekele, a

:32:01. > :32:04.this. He won last year. Kenenisa far. His coach and manager will be

:32:05. > :32:09.happy to get him to a half marathon in 61 minutes but he has another

:32:10. > :32:13.half marathon to go. Can he stay with him? He is an outstanding

:32:14. > :32:17.athlete. We have seen him come back from injury like today and run a

:32:18. > :32:22.phenomenally well but can he do that over a marathon? I would have to

:32:23. > :32:27.question that. Eliud Kipchoge looks to be the man in position. He has

:32:28. > :32:34.followed every move. He did that on the track. He is doing it on the

:32:35. > :32:40.road and doing it brilliantly. That was the fastest ever first half of

:32:41. > :32:43.the London Marathon. 61.20 four. A record for the first half of the

:32:44. > :32:49.race and the second half to come. This is what it looks like. They

:32:50. > :32:54.headed towards Canary Wharf. And then you can get slowed down in this

:32:55. > :32:58.section. There are twisting and turning corners through here and for

:32:59. > :33:04.the elite athletes particularly it can slow them down and then the long

:33:05. > :33:11.run for home along the Embankment. The last three miles, so crucial. We

:33:12. > :33:17.saw what happened last year, a breakaway by Kipchoge and Kipsang.

:33:18. > :33:24.Kipchoge was the man who had enough down bird cage walk to the finish. I

:33:25. > :33:26.am wondering how Tim Peake is getting on. You talk about the

:33:27. > :33:35.loneliness of the long distance Runner, nobody could be more lonely.

:33:36. > :33:39.He seems to be going pretty well. 70% body weight, the harness holding

:33:40. > :33:46.him down to the treadmill. Paula thinks it is cheating, altitude

:33:47. > :33:51.training! Running at 70% body weight, easy! You tell him. And he

:33:52. > :33:56.does not have to worry about missing drinks. Why did you not do an

:33:57. > :34:01.interview with him? He has better things to do. He is concentrating.

:34:02. > :34:05.Good luck to him. He is probably wondering what is going on down

:34:06. > :34:15.here. Not much in the women's elite race. This is unusually, at this

:34:16. > :34:22.point, where we might expect some to breakaway, for a brief moment, Tufa

:34:23. > :34:31.came to the front. Dibaba is happy to sit in there, the world champion.

:34:32. > :34:35.Happy to watch others. Keitany is happy and content to sit in the back

:34:36. > :34:40.of the group. Continuing to move along. 5.40 is slow now. The women

:34:41. > :34:45.are gathering themselves for a finish. This is not about time today

:34:46. > :34:49.it is about winning the London Marathon. As you can see, seven

:34:50. > :35:03.women in with a good chance of doing that. Behind them, of course, the

:35:04. > :35:09.subplot, if you like, selection for Rio. The Kenyan teams will be

:35:10. > :35:14.selected shortly after this, what is considered to be almost a trial for

:35:15. > :35:20.them. Here we have the three together, between these three, let's

:35:21. > :35:24.remind you. 2.31, the qualifying time. Sonia Samuels in the yellow

:35:25. > :35:29.and Aly Dixon on the far side have the qualifying time and if they

:35:30. > :35:32.finish in the top two they have guaranteed selection. Charlotte

:35:33. > :35:36.Purdue does not have the qualifying time. It is her first marathon. They

:35:37. > :35:43.have slipped outside the qualifying time. She is running

:35:44. > :35:49.have slipped outside the qualifying moment 2.31, this is a pace that is

:35:50. > :35:54.a little outside that. It is but I think if Charlotte finished, the

:35:55. > :35:55.first British finisher, the British selection team have the right to

:35:56. > :36:00.select her under selection team have the right to

:36:01. > :36:05.qualifying time which is around 2.4 zero. She will be inside that. They

:36:06. > :36:11.have done it before I think with Lee Merrien. There is the possibility.

:36:12. > :36:16.She has to be well clear of the two who have the qualifying time to

:36:17. > :36:22.stand a chance. If she finishes third, will the selectors not select

:36:23. > :36:27.her? I am not a selector and died there not say how they might think.

:36:28. > :36:32.The safest way would be to run the qualifying time and finish in the

:36:33. > :36:37.top two British finishers and at the moment, in that pack, I would say

:36:38. > :36:44.the experience of Sonia Samuels and Aly Dixon is more likely to tell. We

:36:45. > :36:50.will look at the masses but I want to give you an update on the British

:36:51. > :36:57.men at halfway, going through in 65.13. Jonathan Hay still behind

:36:58. > :37:14.Tewelde. The timing is important. Callum Hawkins, Scott Overall,.

:37:15. > :37:20.Jonathan Hay is going quick. Particularly Tewelde is going very

:37:21. > :37:34.quick. Heading below 2.9 at this point. -- two .09 good luck to

:37:35. > :37:42.asthma UK runners, I am patron of that charity. And the team all in

:37:43. > :37:46.pink vests. And Chris Paterson, who ran with me for much of the first

:37:47. > :37:48.half of last year's race and went as we both did far too fast in the

:37:49. > :37:52.first five miles and paid for it we both did far too fast in the

:37:53. > :38:01.he will go steadier today. Good luck. Also Vanessa Taylor. From BBC

:38:02. > :38:17.Scotland. Pete Harrison. Trying to run below three hours. They are

:38:18. > :38:22.making good progress. Your messages strolling through. There are big

:38:23. > :38:27.crowds now. Not a bad day for spectating. A perfect day to run a

:38:28. > :38:33.marathon with the temperature is spot on. It will get up to 11

:38:34. > :38:37.degrees. A breeze picking up in the mall and we expect it to be in their

:38:38. > :38:45.faces along the In bag and that not too much. It might cool one or two

:38:46. > :38:50.people down. -- along the embankment. The colour and

:38:51. > :38:55.people down. -- along the of the London Marathon on display.

:38:56. > :39:01.For these people, we may see them finish in the programme. We are on

:39:02. > :39:09.air on BBC One and BBC Two until about 2:30pm so stick with us. This

:39:10. > :39:10.is a spectator's journey. They watched their training partners at

:39:11. > :39:14.Cutty Sark and go on watched their training partners at

:39:15. > :39:22.around London. The expert spectators can see you four, five times. They

:39:23. > :39:27.perfect it. We are looking at a talented group of athletes. Among

:39:28. > :39:34.them, the world-record holder. Kipsang. Last year's winner,

:39:35. > :39:41.Kipchoge. The New York marathon winner Stanley Biwott. And the great

:39:42. > :39:45.Kenenisa Bekele in the back of the group. A phenomenal

:39:46. > :39:47.Kenenisa Bekele in the back of the outperforming what you would think

:39:48. > :39:53.he would do. His coach told me last night he hoped to finish in good

:39:54. > :39:58.shape. He is a former Olympic 10,000 metres champion and he would love to

:39:59. > :40:03.run the marathon. For Ethiopians, that is the race to win in the

:40:04. > :40:08.Olympics. He is running himself into that position. Looking over his

:40:09. > :40:12.shoulder he has three canyons around him. His Ethiopian team-mates are

:40:13. > :40:17.not troubling him today. And there is the British Jonathan Hay. Back

:40:18. > :40:21.further down the field. He is third now. Callum Hawkins has just gone

:40:22. > :40:25.further down the field. He is third past him. Callum Hawkins judging it

:40:26. > :40:31.well and he is the one we thought would be the man today. He is

:40:32. > :40:37.building a good reputation, 23 years of age. A marathon career probably

:40:38. > :40:42.ahead of him. He was a good junior athlete, cross-country, on the track

:40:43. > :40:50.will stop his older brother Derek is in the race. His dad coaching the

:40:51. > :40:57.pair of them. It looks to me as if Callum Hawkins has judged this well.

:40:58. > :40:59.Jonathan Hay went off hard. Tewelde still ahead of Callum Hawkins but

:41:00. > :41:07.Callum Hawkins has the qualifying time. He looks strong and looks as

:41:08. > :41:12.if he has judge this well up to this point. There is a long way to go.

:41:13. > :41:17.Tewelde, still a fair way ahead of him, if he has gone too hard it will

:41:18. > :41:20.not be long before Callum Hawkins will start to close that gap. In a

:41:21. > :41:24.few miles he might will start to close that gap. In a

:41:25. > :41:28.British athlete but at the moment Tewelde is the leading British

:41:29. > :41:38.athlete. Callum Hawkins has gone past Jonathan Hay. He is an exciting

:41:39. > :41:42.athlete. Callum Hawkins has gone talent for the future, Callum

:41:43. > :41:46.Hawkins. He races with an aggression that is nice to

:41:47. > :41:50.Hawkins. He races with an aggression happened here. Maybe he has

:41:51. > :41:55.information about Tewelde. Certainly about Jonathan Hay. He has worked

:41:56. > :41:59.his way back through there. Moving forward. Obviously a plan to get to

:42:00. > :42:06.halfway feeling good and push on the pace from there. He is also running

:42:07. > :42:09.for the position as the first Scottish representative. Tewelde is

:42:10. > :42:14.living in Glasgow, representing Great Britain in the Olympic Games,

:42:15. > :42:18.he would also be able to represent Scotland in the Commonwealth Games.

:42:19. > :42:24.You do not want to run this well and not be the first Scotsman. He looks

:42:25. > :42:29.good and comfortable. He is running with aggression, liveliness. He is

:42:30. > :42:33.running confidently. He is looking good and moving neatly through the

:42:34. > :42:38.field. Now he has put himself in a good position. He has a qualifying

:42:39. > :42:42.time and needs to finish in the first two Britons. He is well on his

:42:43. > :42:47.way to Rio. And Sonia Samuels and Aly Dixon perhaps on their way.

:42:48. > :42:51.Charlotte Purdue is struggling to stay with the experienced athletes,

:42:52. > :42:59.the two who have the time, knowing all they have to do is finish in the

:43:00. > :43:01.top two British spots. It does not matter how fast or slow, they are

:43:02. > :43:06.not running the qualifying pace. They have slipped off that a little

:43:07. > :43:10.bit. Charlotte Purdue in her first marathon has acquitted herself well

:43:11. > :43:15.but it will be a tough run in from this point. She has run well in her

:43:16. > :43:18.debut marathon, especially coming back from injuries, Charlotte

:43:19. > :43:23.Purdue. I think she will have a great future as she learns more

:43:24. > :43:28.about it and has fewer injury problems towards the race. These

:43:29. > :43:33.athletes, if they realise, can relax. They are literally running

:43:34. > :43:37.for automatic selection. They would not have to wait on the selectors,

:43:38. > :43:43.they have qualifying times. Finish in the first two and you are in the

:43:44. > :43:50.team. Brilliant. There have been changes in the men's race at the

:43:51. > :43:56.front. Nothing happening at the front of the women's race. A big

:43:57. > :43:59.group is still there. This race has taken its toll. Kenenisa

:44:00. > :44:03.group is still there. This race has gone and so has Wilson Kipsang. He

:44:04. > :44:08.has just dropped off this little group. There was a water station

:44:09. > :44:15.half a mile back. Kipsang Web that quits when we went to it. -- went

:44:16. > :44:21.backwards. He almost seemed to give up at the water station and the gap

:44:22. > :44:25.has become big. Three of us are surprised to see Kenenisa Bekele

:44:26. > :44:33.still there. I heard rumours he had not done much training longer than

:44:34. > :44:36.an in build-up to this and so he is into unknown territory but he is

:44:37. > :44:43.hanging in there and staying in touch. Better than Wilson Kipsang

:44:44. > :44:47.further back down the road. Looking at the experience of Eliud Kipchoge,

:44:48. > :44:53.every time he makes a break, it is just after a drink station. He grabs

:44:54. > :45:01.the bottle, runs quicker, holds onto the bottle and uses the time later

:45:02. > :45:05.to settle and get his drink. Drama in the men's race but as I was

:45:06. > :45:11.saying, nothing was happening at the front of the women's race. A few

:45:12. > :45:18.moments ago, this happened. Water stations, Paula talks about them.

:45:19. > :45:24.Find where you want to go. Jessica some gone. She takes down the

:45:25. > :45:31.prerace favourite Keitany. Mergia also going down. They were going so

:45:32. > :45:35.easily and Serena Lee. A macro these three. These things happen but

:45:36. > :45:39.usually it is to do with cutting across each other. It looks like

:45:40. > :45:44.Jemima Sumgong was looking at her watch, looking for a line into the

:45:45. > :45:52.water station. She responded better than the other two and has got

:45:53. > :45:59.herself back onto the group. To fag, and look her, looking around saying,

:46:00. > :46:08.is Keitany? She is behind this group -- Tufa. She hit her head when she

:46:09. > :46:12.went down. You do not want to see anybody fall. It looked like there

:46:13. > :46:19.was not too much reason. She was trying to pick her line to the drink

:46:20. > :46:24.station but there was 100 metres to get yourself into position and she

:46:25. > :46:29.took down two other runners. For Keitany, her race might be pretty

:46:30. > :46:35.much over. Florence Kiplagat was looking around and there is not a

:46:36. > :46:39.lot of love lost between those two. Florence Kiplagat took the half

:46:40. > :46:50.marathon record from Keitany, who would love to get it back, she

:46:51. > :46:52.certainly feels the marathon is her territory and she is the better

:46:53. > :46:57.runner over the marathon distance than Florence Kiplagat.

:46:58. > :47:02.The Olympic dreams for some of these athletes could be thrown into

:47:03. > :47:06.disarray because of that lack of discipline. That is sad because the

:47:07. > :47:07.athletes are not looking for confrontation, or to push each other

:47:08. > :47:14.and block each other, they run in a confrontation, or to push each other

:47:15. > :47:20.certain convention, that maybe there should be more of a convention,

:47:21. > :47:23.awesome service for the top athletes from the side of the course because

:47:24. > :47:27.that is really unfortunate and spoiled a great race for Mary

:47:28. > :47:31.Keitany and may have spoiled the Olympic Games for Mary Keitany. The

:47:32. > :47:39.lights haven't gone out, I promise you. There we can see the chasers,

:47:40. > :47:43.if you like a further back down the women's field, and looking good at

:47:44. > :47:46.the moment in terms of Rio selection for Aly Dixon and Sonia Samuels.

:47:47. > :47:48.There will be a personal grudge match between these two, they've

:47:49. > :47:52.There will be a personal grudge great races together, in Berlin Aly

:47:53. > :47:56.Dixon was ahead of Sonia for quite a long part of the race and in the

:47:57. > :48:02.latter stages Sonia came through and both of them got the qualifying

:48:03. > :48:05.time, as we said, and personal best as well. Today it's not about the

:48:06. > :48:09.times, it's about Olympic selection but now it starts to become about

:48:10. > :48:12.who becomes top Brit on the day, they will not do anything silly for

:48:13. > :48:15.the time being but at this stage of the race they will start to feel

:48:16. > :48:26.confident. There is a two or three-metre gap for Aly Dixon. His

:48:27. > :48:33.-- her dad ran a good marathon in his time, David Dixon. Scott Overall

:48:34. > :48:39.seems to be moving pretty well, checking his progress, Callum

:48:40. > :48:40.Hawkins we also saw running well, with his sights on Tewelde ahead of

:48:41. > :48:46.him. If you have just joined us, Scott Overall and Callum Hawkins

:48:47. > :48:50.have the qualification time but they need to finish in the top two

:48:51. > :48:55.British athletes to guarantee their selection. Scott seems to be moving

:48:56. > :48:58.through nicely now. Lots of action in the men's qualification and

:48:59. > :49:03.women's qualification or the British athletes for Rio, and similarly for

:49:04. > :49:06.the Kenyans, Ethiopians and Eritreans in the men's and women's

:49:07. > :49:10.events. It is interesting to see Scott Overall and it would be great

:49:11. > :49:14.for him to be selected for the Olympic Games again. It is a hard

:49:15. > :49:18.road for these athletes, marathon running standards have moved so much

:49:19. > :49:20.further forward and people like Scott Overall applying themselves,

:49:21. > :49:25.and running good times but not quite good enough to be international

:49:26. > :49:31.terms. The Olympic games would give Scott Overall great boost at this

:49:32. > :49:36.stage of his career. Interesting happenings at the front of the men's

:49:37. > :49:40.and women's race. The front of the mens rea is first, Kipchoge, be what

:49:41. > :49:46.and Kenenisa Bekele at all of the talk was about Kenenisa Bekele not

:49:47. > :49:53.being in great shape coming here -- the men's race. That was the talk so

:49:54. > :49:58.far he's proving everybody wrong. -- Biwott. I was chatting to somebody

:49:59. > :50:01.going out for a casual run and he said he saw Kenenisa Bekele running

:50:02. > :50:03.on the embankment a couple of days ago and he said he looked terrible.

:50:04. > :50:07.A couple of days before, I said, ago and he said he looked terrible.

:50:08. > :50:11.are just out for a relaxed run and not doing any training. He's doing

:50:12. > :50:17.well at the moment, Kenenisa Bekele following Kipchoge. Biwott won the

:50:18. > :50:19.New York marathon last year, and has run well in London before, what has

:50:20. > :50:31.not always run it well looked like he was running well,

:50:32. > :50:34.three or four miles, and Quebecer went on to win.

:50:35. > :50:41.three or four miles, and Quebecer bothered about the pace. He hasn't

:50:42. > :50:45.even decided to lose the hat yet, he's keeping it on to make sure he

:50:46. > :50:51.stays warm and I'm not sure he has made any huge move in the race yet.

:50:52. > :50:57.He has plans ahead and I think Biwott is definitely shadowing him.

:50:58. > :50:58.He looks up to Eliud Kipchoge as the top marathon runner in Kenya right

:50:59. > :51:02.now, and he's quite happy to top marathon runner in Kenya right

:51:03. > :51:07.his shoulder and cover his moves and stay with him as long as he can. You

:51:08. > :51:10.would have difficulty not looking at Kipchoge as the best marathon runner

:51:11. > :51:14.in the world, the look behind in third place, I'm staggered and

:51:15. > :51:19.delighted to see the great Kenenisa Bekele, lots of trouble with

:51:20. > :51:23.injuries over the last couple of years, not really been in a position

:51:24. > :51:27.to get fit, cannot running spikes in training these days because of the

:51:28. > :51:33.calf muscle injuries he has had. His manager, who has been his coach for

:51:34. > :51:37.many years as well, telling me that if he gets to the finish line and he

:51:38. > :51:43.is able to run on he could have another three or four years in his

:51:44. > :51:48.career. As to this position here, if Kenenisa can hang on, we may see the

:51:49. > :51:52.appearance of the great Kenenisa Bekele at the Olympic Games in Rio

:51:53. > :51:55.and that would be wonderful to see. Not sure if he will run on the track

:51:56. > :52:00.at 10,000 metres anymore, even though he would love to he's not

:52:01. > :52:05.sure. He's coming back from injury and from time out of the sport. He's

:52:06. > :52:09.closing the gap a little bit, but a couple of times in his career, as

:52:10. > :52:14.Eliud Kipchoge throws his cap to the side and says the race starts now,

:52:15. > :52:17.Kenenisa Bekele in third place has priced us in the half marathon

:52:18. > :52:20.winning the Great North Run against the odds, and similarly he came back

:52:21. > :52:28.on the track against the odds and ran the fastest 10,000 metres in the

:52:29. > :52:32.world he's had injuries but he's a great athlete. We need to update you

:52:33. > :52:36.on the British story because they are all so spread out. We have been

:52:37. > :52:39.following Tewelde's progress, we have seen Scott Overall and Callum

:52:40. > :52:43.mix as well. Chris Thompson, we mix as well. Chris Thompson, we

:52:44. > :52:49.think, is ahead of Scott Overall in the chase with Callum Hawkins to

:52:50. > :52:53.catch up to Tewelde. Don't forget, just two spots can be guaranteed

:52:54. > :52:56.today but they could take three, particularly if they all keep going

:52:57. > :53:01.at this sort of pace. It is great to see three or four British men going

:53:02. > :53:05.well today will stop Tewelde, the former Eritreans, now eligible to

:53:06. > :53:08.run for Great Britain, based in Scotland, wearing the blue and

:53:09. > :53:11.yellow of Shettleston Harriers Scotland, wearing the blue and

:53:12. > :53:16.leading the British charge at the moment, being chased down by another

:53:17. > :53:22.Scot, Callum Hawkins not far behind, Chris Thompson and Scott Overall.

:53:23. > :53:28.Flea well, it really is turning out to be a great day at the London

:53:29. > :53:35.Marathon. All sorts happening in all sections of the races. In the

:53:36. > :53:40.women's race, Sumgong, despite falling and banging her head quite

:53:41. > :53:43.heavily on the road, she has got up and got back on the road and is

:53:44. > :53:47.forcing the pace on the environment, last year's winner Tigist Tufa, who

:53:48. > :53:53.waited until the latter stages to come and win, and talking about

:53:54. > :53:56.leaving it late in the World Championship, Dibaba on the inside

:53:57. > :54:02.won the World Championships on the track in Beijing in the last 300-400

:54:03. > :54:02.metres, down to three women, one Kenyan

:54:03. > :54:09.metres, down to three women, one Brendan says when comes down to a

:54:10. > :54:15.sprint between the Ethiopians and Kenyans, who normally wins? Normally

:54:16. > :54:18.the Ethiopians. She looked over her shoulder and said oh my goodness,

:54:19. > :54:24.that's the world champion, she didn't say "Oh my goodness" but she

:54:25. > :54:28.thought oh my goodness. And there is last year's winner. She has to keep

:54:29. > :54:30.driving. 2.6 miles to the finish, one tenth of the race remaining and

:54:31. > :54:36.we have it down to one tenth of the race remaining and

:54:37. > :54:39.because some of the athletes who would have been in this group had

:54:40. > :54:43.the accident at the water station. Now it is down to three, one Kenyan

:54:44. > :54:47.and two Ethiopians and you would think the Ethiopians would think if

:54:48. > :54:52.I finish in the first three that is me going to Rio. Sumgong, if the

:54:53. > :54:55.Kenyans ever announced selection policy, might be joining them. In

:54:56. > :54:59.the press conference none of the Kenyan athletes had any idea what

:55:00. > :55:03.they might need to do to get selection, so they were all just

:55:04. > :55:08.concentrating on running as well as they can hear. I think right now for

:55:09. > :55:11.Sumgong she is concentrating on winning the race and she knows with

:55:12. > :55:16.the athletes behind her, to further and Dibaba, the way they have won

:55:17. > :55:20.races in the past, she will be leading the whole way along the

:55:21. > :55:24.embankment -- Tufa. She must do as much damage as she can before they

:55:25. > :55:32.turn at Big Ben to make their way up the last 1200 metres. For Sumgong it

:55:33. > :55:35.has to be like Paula Radcliffe because she didn't do it on the

:55:36. > :55:39.embankment in her glory days at the London Marathon, she tried to do it

:55:40. > :55:43.at this point. Sumgong in the orange vest, the Kenyan athlete, with the

:55:44. > :55:47.two outstanding Ethiopians for company, the press truck ahead,

:55:48. > :55:52.people on serving, they will be fascinated by the content of this

:55:53. > :55:55.race, the race for Britain's places for Rio goes on too. That is

:55:56. > :56:00.changing in the men's race, getting exciting, in the women's race with

:56:01. > :56:04.Sonia Samuels, and Aly Dixon, running together, and here are the

:56:05. > :56:09.three leaders, one, two, three, it looks as though they will be the

:56:10. > :56:14.three winners as they head onto the embankment. There is a reasonable

:56:15. > :56:18.gap between them at the next women. Two miles left to go, not too far

:56:19. > :56:22.behind them the British women in their own personal battle, locked

:56:23. > :56:27.together again around the tower, Sonia Samuels and Aly Dixon, Aly

:56:28. > :56:31.Dixon has tried to move away from Sonia Samuels a couple of times but

:56:32. > :56:35.she's having nothing of it, this is a personal battle. They both know

:56:36. > :56:39.they are heading towards Rio and guaranteeing their selection. Wallah

:56:40. > :56:44.flying time in the bag last year, top two British athletes here in

:56:45. > :56:48.London, so far so good for them, they look strong and confident and

:56:49. > :56:53.moving well. It's just a question of who comes out on top today. Dixon

:56:54. > :56:57.and Samuels looking good in the women's race, but what about in the

:56:58. > :57:03.British men's race was Mac it has been all change over the last few

:57:04. > :57:08.miles -- British men's race? These two are at the front, Kipchoge and

:57:09. > :57:12.Biwott, but I can tell you that Chris Thompson and Scott Overall are

:57:13. > :57:20.trying to do their best to chase down Callum Hawkins, who went off

:57:21. > :57:24.trying to chase down Tewelde, and Tewelde who is still leading the

:57:25. > :57:26.British athletes. Here is Chris, great to see him back, he's had all

:57:27. > :57:30.sorts of injuries this year again great to see him back, he's had all

:57:31. > :57:36.his preparation, plagued by injury through his career and he said he's

:57:37. > :57:40.never been happier in the last few weeks throughout his career, able to

:57:41. > :57:42.get out and run. He's a great talent, he's run

:57:43. > :57:45.get out and run. He's a great his first was tough in the latter

:57:46. > :57:50.stages, his first London. It has taken him a while to get back here,

:57:51. > :57:55.but can Chris Thompson summon up some of that great ability he has

:57:56. > :57:59.and keep it going? He's got to hope that, yes, he says he hasn't done

:58:00. > :58:03.all the training he would like, but he has some talent in the bag to

:58:04. > :58:09.draw on. Great to see Chris doing so well. Chris Thompson has a lot of

:58:10. > :58:12.talent to draw on and lots of grit and determination and he's made

:58:13. > :58:16.tough decisions this year, deciding not to prepare at altitude with

:58:17. > :58:21.Scott Overall, instead he wanted to stay close to the physios and serves

:58:22. > :58:25.he needed to keep his body in order, he had a serious Achilles operation

:58:26. > :58:29.and it's been a long road back for him. He was losing a lot of

:58:30. > :58:34.efficiency and responsiveness in his foot in races and he needed to stay

:58:35. > :58:37.on top of that. Now he has said he is here today, he is happy to be

:58:38. > :58:40.here and appreciates being here and he's going out to have fun.

:58:41. > :58:44.here and appreciates being here and track of what is going on there.

:58:45. > :58:47.These two locked together, Kipchoge and Biwott, the winner of the New

:58:48. > :58:51.York Marathon in November, the winner of London last year, Kipchoge

:58:52. > :58:55.has only ever been beaten in a marathon once, that was in Berlin

:58:56. > :59:00.where Kipsang broke the world record which was subsequently broken. Those

:59:01. > :59:06.two nowhere to be seen today. Kipsang dropped off a few miles

:59:07. > :59:10.back, Bekele is suffering behind these two. The pace has dropped but

:59:11. > :59:18.it is still pretty quick, 4.44 through the 19th mile. They are not

:59:19. > :59:22.too far away, they are still on world-record pace, that will bet

:59:23. > :59:27.inside of it. They are heading for something historic, if not

:59:28. > :59:35.world-record a course record. Kipchoge missed it last year by a

:59:36. > :59:38.few seconds in winning. These two running brilliantly at this point

:59:39. > :59:44.and locked together. They are in a race, they are racing each other,

:59:45. > :59:48.there is a clear competition between these two athletes. Fast time on the

:59:49. > :59:50.cards, is it world-record pace? Will it be a world record time?

:59:51. > :59:57.cards, is it world-record pace? Will soon find out, as we look overhead,

:59:58. > :00:02.Sumgong of Kenya, Tufa last year's champion from Ethiopia, the two of

:00:03. > :00:05.them getting brilliant support on the embankment on this wonderful

:00:06. > :00:10.occasion of the London Marathon, the 36th running of the London Marathon.

:00:11. > :00:17.The world champion Dibaba from Ethiopia has just dropped off the

:00:18. > :00:19.back. You can see her. There is a motorbike between these two and the

:00:20. > :00:28.third athlete but this is Obviously we will follow these

:00:29. > :00:33.to the finish but so much is going on. We want to try to follow the

:00:34. > :00:37.British race as well. Callum Hawkins has moved into the top British bot

:00:38. > :00:47.ahead of ten well day. We said he started quickly. -- Tewelde. The

:00:48. > :00:53.breeze is picking up all the time. Callum Hawkins not only leading the

:00:54. > :00:57.British battle but also the Scottish battle. The 23-year-old looking

:00:58. > :01:04.strong, looking good. His brother Derek is further back in the race.

:01:05. > :01:07.It was always Callum who looked in the best spot for guaranteeing a

:01:08. > :01:15.place in Rio and it's going well, keep going like that. There is more

:01:16. > :01:20.to come there. Chris Thompson and Overall behind. We will keep an eye

:01:21. > :01:22.on that. In the meantime we are getting towards the end of two great

:01:23. > :01:26.races at the front, in the getting towards the end of two great

:01:27. > :01:30.women's races. It is down to getting towards the end of two great

:01:31. > :01:38.the man and two in the women and they will be able to see Big Ben as

:01:39. > :01:44.they come along the embankment. Tufa was able last year to move ahead of

:01:45. > :01:46.the group she was in. Keitany has disappeared in the four with

:01:47. > :01:52.Sumgong. How impressive has disappeared in the four with

:01:53. > :01:55.been? Getting up after the fall and forcing the pace. Really impressed

:01:56. > :01:59.with how she responded and recovered, didn't panic. The head is

:02:00. > :02:05.really hurting because she was holding it for a bit, but she worked

:02:06. > :02:09.her way back up, not sprinting back into contention but got straight to

:02:10. > :02:14.the front and kept the pace moving. The damage is now starting to show.

:02:15. > :02:18.Tufa with daylight opening up and she is responding to close the gap.

:02:19. > :02:22.She knows that if she allows Sumgong to get a big enough gap into the

:02:23. > :02:28.last 1200 metres, she won't be able to close it. This is her effort to

:02:29. > :02:35.win the event, Sumgong. Fourth in the World Championships last year.

:02:36. > :02:37.In the marathon. For Kenya. She now looks as though she will run into

:02:38. > :02:42.selection for tenure for the Olympics. She will be an athlete to

:02:43. > :02:50.watch carefully at the Olympics. The yards and inches... The inches are

:02:51. > :02:55.now growing into yards. She herself said last year she did not expect to

:02:56. > :03:00.win, Tufa. She is confident of winning this year and now the crowds

:03:01. > :03:03.are roaring them on along the embankment, and they are getting is

:03:04. > :03:05.a port they deserve and need and suddenly they will

:03:06. > :03:11.a port they deserve and need and embankment and past Big Ben, a good

:03:12. > :03:16.time by any standard but not a record time in the women's race. Too

:03:17. > :03:19.many good athletes settling down and running together as they switch over

:03:20. > :03:24.to the right-hand side of the road, and in the shadow of Big Ben there

:03:25. > :03:31.comes Sumgong from Kenya, last year's champion. The clock is

:03:32. > :03:35.ticking. 25 minutes to 12. Last year's champion seemed to be giving

:03:36. > :03:40.up but I don't think she is, there may still be an exciting finish.

:03:41. > :03:43.It's a good point, Sumgong has not always finished well, she has good

:03:44. > :03:49.positions, that in terms of winning races she has been found wanting on

:03:50. > :03:52.stages, she doesn't have the pace stages, she doesn't have the pace

:03:53. > :03:57.and that's why she is doing this, that's why she is forcing it, she

:03:58. > :04:01.knows that Tufa won last year. She is aware that Tufa will be strong in

:04:02. > :04:07.the last half mile. Approaching bird cage walk. Sumgong is trying her

:04:08. > :04:15.best to get rear of her Ethiopian opponent. Picking up a sprint

:04:16. > :04:18.finish, you are always racing the clock in the marathon. This is so

:04:19. > :04:25.hard at this stage. I had two in New York, and it is different over the

:04:26. > :04:30.last 400 metres because it is steeply uphill, so to be able to do

:04:31. > :04:34.that I was able to test my strength rather than speed because I did not

:04:35. > :04:39.have the fastest sprint finish, but it's a different type of sprint at

:04:40. > :04:42.the of a marathon, raising the pace and learning as much as you can

:04:43. > :04:49.about your opponent, and she won't have been able, Sumgong, to see over

:04:50. > :04:52.the shoulder, and had she seen that it would have given her confidence

:04:53. > :04:57.that she is starting to crack and make the gap grow and grow. She

:04:58. > :05:01.won't be able to hear much because she is now entering the last part of

:05:02. > :05:05.the course with thick crowds, they are so allowed that it's really hard

:05:06. > :05:08.to draw on any sounds that you can hear to

:05:09. > :05:12.to draw on any sounds that you can information. They were really noisy

:05:13. > :05:21.when it was you coming over here, Paula. Equally noisy this time, last

:05:22. > :05:25.year's champion Tigist Tufa was not running in a straight line, but now

:05:26. > :05:29.she has Sumgong in her sights and she is now making the effort,

:05:30. > :05:34.Sumgong, fourth in the World Championships last year, never won a

:05:35. > :05:39.big race. Tufa won last year. Not much between them but it is the

:05:40. > :05:43.Kenyan Sumgong, can she keep blasting at this pace? Stretching it

:05:44. > :05:49.out. It's getting too much for comfort. -- lasting this pace. The

:05:50. > :05:55.crowd are recognising this. The appearance in the sun on the Mall

:05:56. > :06:00.will happen in a few minutes, the orange vest of Sumgong. She will see

:06:01. > :06:06.the sign, 600 metres to go, she knows what she has to do. Equally

:06:07. > :06:11.Tufa knows what she's got to do. Is there a sprint finish left in Tufa?

:06:12. > :06:15.Is Sumgong strong enough today? After that fall which must have done

:06:16. > :06:19.some damage, looks like a reasonable gap but now she has dropped by

:06:20. > :06:24.herself as she does in training, stick to it, run hard, work hard,

:06:25. > :06:28.victory in London and a selection for Rio will be hers. She has

:06:29. > :06:32.finally realised she has to drift over to the right-hand side of the

:06:33. > :06:36.course, she was trying to follow the bike and hadn't realised it was

:06:37. > :06:41.going to be a series of right-hand bends into the finish so now she has

:06:42. > :06:48.got herself back onto the broken blue line, running the shorter line.

:06:49. > :06:52.She will turn the first corner here, as Paula says, going under the

:06:53. > :06:55.footbridge, Buckingham Palace on the left-hand side, for Jemima Sumgong,

:06:56. > :07:00.this will undoubtedly be the greatest victory of her career. She

:07:01. > :07:03.has got another 50 metres and then we will make the turn into the

:07:04. > :07:13.finishing straight, into the Mall, the most famous finishes. The sun is

:07:14. > :07:17.shining now. On Jemima Sumgong. She hasn't won a marathon since 2013

:07:18. > :07:20.when she won in Rotterdam. All due respect to that race, it is nothing

:07:21. > :07:28.compared to winning the London Marathon. So much was at stake

:07:29. > :07:32.today. Selection to run for her country in Rio. But perhaps the

:07:33. > :07:38.pride of beating so many of her more famous compatriots, not Mary

:07:39. > :07:46.Keitany, she fell with Sumgong. No Florence Kiplagat. It was all left

:07:47. > :07:50.to Sumgong from Kenya, she worked so hard, tripped up, banged her head

:07:51. > :07:54.really heavily on the ground but got up and caught the leaders and went

:07:55. > :08:00.to the front, forged her way on, went into the lead, and now running

:08:01. > :08:03.for victory. Big crowds in the home straight, cheering Jemima Sumgong

:08:04. > :08:11.from Kenya who wins the 2016 London Marathon. Just inside 2.20 three.

:08:12. > :08:16.Last year's winner comes across the line in second, a great defence for

:08:17. > :08:20.her. It looks as though Florence Kiplagat is in third just entering

:08:21. > :08:26.the Mall now. A decent performance from her. Then they will all start

:08:27. > :08:30.to come in. A surprise winner. There were not rumours but lots of talk

:08:31. > :08:37.about Sumgong coming into this in good shape. So many big names have

:08:38. > :08:42.been left trailing behind her great run today. Goodness me she will have

:08:43. > :08:47.a story to tell. I'm not sure how big the bump on her head will be,

:08:48. > :08:51.they might not be able to fit the crown on her head when she finishes!

:08:52. > :08:55.What a great story for Jemima Sumgong. Kiplagat in third. They

:08:56. > :09:05.will then continue to cross the line. Mergia. There she is, just

:09:06. > :09:14.coming through. That will be in fifth place. Mazuronak, she had a

:09:15. > :09:19.great race, coming through from a long way back to finish in fourth.

:09:20. > :09:28.Sixth, Dibaba, the world champion crosses the line looking very tired.

:09:29. > :09:39.What a story. You can probably just see the graze on her head. Jemima

:09:40. > :09:43.Sumgong is this year's winner. We have seen it happen before that this

:09:44. > :09:47.was one of the heaviest falls we have seen. Let's remind you what

:09:48. > :09:51.happened. Heading towards the water station, people looking at their

:09:52. > :09:57.watches and she was tripped behind by Mergia. She caught her legs.

:09:58. > :10:03.Keitany goes down, the prerace favourite. Sumgong holding her head,

:10:04. > :10:07.you can see how much pain she felt but she responded, just got up and

:10:08. > :10:15.got on with it, grabbed her drink and caught up with the leaders. And

:10:16. > :10:17.then went on to take a memorable victory, a really brave one. So many

:10:18. > :10:25.people take a fall like that in victory, a really brave one. So many

:10:26. > :10:29.really negative way but like Keitany they do not contest from that point

:10:30. > :10:34.on. When you are tripped from behind you can't do anything about it, she

:10:35. > :10:37.wasn't doing anything wrong, Mergia moved across and clipped heels.

:10:38. > :10:40.wasn't doing anything wrong, Mergia was really the problem from there

:10:41. > :10:45.but it was a fantastic performance by Sumgong. A fantastic recovery.

:10:46. > :10:50.They will now be conversation about what happened at the feeding

:10:51. > :10:53.station. It was so unfortunate. You have to be so careful, there needs

:10:54. > :10:59.to be a bit of discipline. This will be beamed around to over 100

:11:00. > :11:02.countries around the world including the training camps in Kenya where

:11:03. > :11:07.they will celebrate, we will see more of this athlete later this year

:11:08. > :11:11.and in Rio, and she will be an athlete to contend with, she will be

:11:12. > :11:17.going into Rio as one of the favourites now. Great victory in the

:11:18. > :11:25.women's race. What about the mens rea is? Well, it's been a dramatic

:11:26. > :11:30.day already -- mens rea is. We have already seen a world best of 30 K,

:11:31. > :11:37.it will have to be ratified. It was a little further back, just outside

:11:38. > :11:41.1.30. The timekeepers were there. At the 30 K, we think that

:11:42. > :11:48.1.30. The timekeepers were there. At has been broken, 1.27.13. Seven

:11:49. > :11:52.seconds inside the old world record. I think they have slowed a little

:11:53. > :11:57.bit. It is still a really quick race. They were on a world record

:11:58. > :12:00.pace for the full marathon distance for so long but they have slowed a

:12:01. > :12:04.bit because it's now about winning the race. We will see what happens

:12:05. > :12:09.as we come through the water station. Back in the men's, the

:12:10. > :12:13.British man, that is Callum Hawkins in the distance, he now has around

:12:14. > :12:21.50 metres, maybe a little bit less. Around 50 or 60 metres, on a tiring

:12:22. > :12:25.Tewelde. He will hold on to a charge coming from behind by Chris Thompson

:12:26. > :12:31.and Scott Overall behind him. At the front this young man, the

:12:32. > :12:35.23-year-old Callum Hawkins, heading towards being the first British man

:12:36. > :12:40.home but also a personal best, he is running quick to guarantee his spot

:12:41. > :12:44.in the Rio team. Like you said earlier, he is the fourth fastest

:12:45. > :12:48.Scottish marathon runner ever after Allister Hutton who won the race,

:12:49. > :12:51.Fraser Klein, and the great Jim Alder, a great friend of yours. From

:12:52. > :12:58.Fraser Klein, and the great Jim your neck of the woods. Jim will be

:12:59. > :12:58.watching this and cheering on Callum Hawkins,

:12:59. > :13:01.watching this and cheering on Callum with aggression in the marathon.

:13:02. > :13:05.That is what I'm happy to with aggression in the marathon.

:13:06. > :13:15.Callum Hawkins is running this race to get a good time, not interested

:13:16. > :13:18.finishing as high up as he can in this race. Well, he has a few

:13:19. > :13:24.finishing as high up as he can in to go, but less than a mile to go

:13:25. > :13:25.for the two British women, and these two like Callum Hawkins

:13:26. > :13:31.for the two British women, and these morning knowing that all they had to

:13:32. > :13:35.do was finish in the top two British bots to guarantee their selection

:13:36. > :13:43.for Rio. For Aly Dixon, nearest the camera, the Sunderland Stroller, and

:13:44. > :13:48.Sonia Samuels, from sale Harriers, they have run together for much of

:13:49. > :13:51.the way. Charlotte Purdue, the debutant stayed with them for a

:13:52. > :13:57.while. Partridge and others were hoping to beat them and run inside

:13:58. > :14:01.the 2.31 qualifying time but not able to do so, the experience told

:14:02. > :14:07.and they ran well in Berlin last year. Sonia came out on top on that

:14:08. > :14:12.occasion and Ali has done her utmost to get ahead of Sonia. Sonia has

:14:13. > :14:14.done well, closing the gap twice, and a big rivalry here.

:14:15. > :14:16.done well, closing the gap twice, what, they know they are going to

:14:17. > :14:22.Rio, what, they know they are going to

:14:23. > :14:26.on top today and they will make sure it's a race to the finish. They are

:14:27. > :14:26.now both running themselves into a position

:14:27. > :14:37.now both running themselves into a Britain for Rio. Alyson Dixon from

:14:38. > :14:40.Sunderland and Sonia Samuels originally from Wallsend. The

:14:41. > :14:45.rivalry between them is there to be seen. There certainly is a rivalry

:14:46. > :14:49.but it's a pleasant rivalry here in that they will both gain selection.

:14:50. > :14:53.They will both be on the plane for Rio. They are both celebrating, and

:14:54. > :14:58.they are both good inspirations for other distance runners, they have

:14:59. > :15:02.both taken a long time to get to this level, and to represent Great

:15:03. > :15:05.Britain at the Olympics is fantastic, and Sonia Samuels is

:15:06. > :15:09.putting herself in a position to attack in the last few yards.

:15:10. > :15:13.Neither of them would claim to have the best sprint finish but we will

:15:14. > :15:17.see one here from one of the others. A quick word on the tactics of those

:15:18. > :15:21.two. It was fairly quick and on the pace to run under 2.30,

:15:22. > :15:25.two. It was fairly quick and on the bothered, letting others take it on

:15:26. > :15:28.They have, they have run a say in our part of the world.

:15:29. > :15:33.They have, they have run a controlled race. Wants they had

:15:34. > :15:36.worked together they established worked together they established

:15:37. > :15:40.themselves as the leading two and then it descended into a race. They

:15:41. > :15:44.have trained hard and got into good shape, I've seen the training Aly

:15:45. > :15:48.Dixon has done in preparation for this and she is in better shape than

:15:49. > :15:51.she was when she ran a personal best in Burlington and she wants to be

:15:52. > :15:56.the first British finisher and you can see that in the way she wants to

:15:57. > :15:59.eat out a gap from Sonia Samuels because she knows Sonia can close

:16:00. > :16:03.quick on her. There will not be a huge amount in it, it will be a

:16:04. > :16:08.gritty raced down the final straight. Here they come around the

:16:09. > :16:11.last corner, Aly Dixon from Sunderland, the Sunderland Strollers

:16:12. > :16:17.will be cheering this one, Sonia Samuels has put up a great battle,

:16:18. > :16:21.Aly tried three or four times to get away from Sonia but has not been

:16:22. > :16:26.able to do so. Sonia has prepared well for this, the two of them have

:16:27. > :16:31.run very well today. Look at this now, the first two British athletes

:16:32. > :16:35.who will cross the line will guarantee their selection for Rio,

:16:36. > :16:40.what a dream come true that will be for Aly Dixon. 37 years of age, her

:16:41. > :16:44.last chance perhaps to go to an Olympic Games. She's cemented that

:16:45. > :16:49.decision here with her performance. It's been hard, it's been tough, I

:16:50. > :16:54.think there is a smile there, yes, well done, Aly. Great performance

:16:55. > :17:01.from her from Sonia behind her as and the two of them are cheered home

:17:02. > :17:07.I this big crowd. You are off to Rio, Aly and you are off to Rio,

:17:08. > :17:12.Sonia, congratulations. A hard day and the longest trial anyone has to

:17:13. > :17:15.run but they've done it. 2.32 and tonight will be the formality of

:17:16. > :17:21.Alyson Dixon from Sunderland Strollers. I love how often you

:17:22. > :17:25.mentioned Sunderland in that particular finish. Anyway, well

:17:26. > :17:33.done, Alyson Dixon from the Newcastle side of the river, Sonia

:17:34. > :17:37.Samuels. And the debutant, Charlotte Purdue, has just passed as, the

:17:38. > :17:42.third British athlete, coming up to the finish line. Charlotte Purdue

:17:43. > :17:54.came here with high hopes to make the team -- passed as. She's just

:17:55. > :17:58.come towards the finish line. She's wearing a British Best. That's

:17:59. > :18:02.interesting because obviously as a debutante that is a pretty good

:18:03. > :18:05.first race over the marathon distance for Charlotte Purdue and

:18:06. > :18:10.that will be interesting for the selectors, a young talent and

:18:11. > :18:12.perhaps a future in the event, will take her. Hit is the chief selector

:18:13. > :18:16.number one on the microphone. take her. Hit is the chief selector

:18:17. > :18:22.unofficial capacity, we have picked the Olympic team before in the

:18:23. > :18:29.London Marathon, but it should be Aly Dixon, Charlotte Purdue and

:18:30. > :18:32.Sonia Samuels. Put it in the brochure. We will hopefully see

:18:33. > :18:38.three British female athletes going to Rio for the Olympic Games in the

:18:39. > :18:45.marathon. Well done to Charlotte, on her debut, Alyson Dixon and Sonia.

:18:46. > :18:48.The first Briton to cross the line at the London Marathon, Alyson Dixon

:18:49. > :18:59.from the well-known Sunderland Strollers. Well done, Aly, well done

:19:00. > :19:03.indeed, and well done Sonia. And, indeed, well done Charlotte Purdue.

:19:04. > :19:08.I think I would concur with everything said. It is up to the

:19:09. > :19:11.selectors to light but that's a great first race for Charlotte

:19:12. > :19:16.Purdue over the marathon distance. Of course, the British men have yet

:19:17. > :19:21.to win their places, but also at the front of the race, Kipchoge and be

:19:22. > :19:27.what, they have slowed in terms of pace but they are

:19:28. > :19:29.what, they have slowed in terms of incredibly quick, it is a fast

:19:30. > :19:31.edition of the men's London Marathon.

:19:32. > :19:35.The course record which they just missed last year when Kipchoge had

:19:36. > :19:40.to hold off Kipsang, they missed it by just a few seconds but they are

:19:41. > :19:43.close this time, they've been on world-record pace, we think they

:19:44. > :19:47.have broken a world record but that will have to be ratified, for 30

:19:48. > :19:51.kilometres but this is now about winning. That is the difference

:19:52. > :19:54.here. If one of these guys was a pacemaker the world record could

:19:55. > :19:59.have been on today but as it is it has descended into a race and both

:20:00. > :20:03.want to win it and neither once to take it on. A couple of times

:20:04. > :20:11.Kipchoge tried to get Biwott to push on but he wasn't interested and

:20:12. > :20:16.tried to conserve energy to battle the to win the race. Kipchoge, his

:20:17. > :20:21.best time of two hours and four minutes, he is on schedule to beat

:20:22. > :20:27.two hours and four minutes, so he would be happy if he could do that,

:20:28. > :20:30.the fastest time in London, 2:04.29, Kipchoge one of the fastest ever as

:20:31. > :20:35.well, he could be the fastest today, but he will have a race. Last year's

:20:36. > :20:40.Great North Run, what was outsprinted by one second by Mo

:20:41. > :20:45.Farah on the last 200 metres or so. Here we have two class athletes,

:20:46. > :20:49.hopefully we will be seeing these athletes in a few months' time in

:20:50. > :20:53.Rio. Eliud Kipchoge, at this point in time you would have to say he's

:20:54. > :20:56.the number one marathon runner in the world. He threw off his hat

:20:57. > :21:00.earlier to get down to some racing and he has thrown off his armbands

:21:01. > :21:03.to get down to some racing and they are competing and racing with one

:21:04. > :21:07.another, running faster on the streets of London in

:21:08. > :21:10.another, running faster on the running of the London Marathon, on a

:21:11. > :21:12.day when we expect the millionth finisher later today to come across

:21:13. > :21:17.the finish, and what a performance, finisher later today to come across

:21:18. > :21:22.a great athlete. Remember 2003, 13 years ago, when he became the

:21:23. > :21:29.youngest ever world champion when he won the 5000 metres in the World

:21:30. > :21:33.Championships in Paris, beating Kenenisa Bekele, who he has run

:21:34. > :21:39.against today, and here we are 13 years later, when he wasn't selected

:21:40. > :21:42.for 2012 for Kenya for 5000 and 10,000 metres, he thought he would

:21:43. > :21:45.have a career on the roads and his career on the roads has been

:21:46. > :21:49.immense. He's only been beaten once at the marathon by Eliud Kipchoge,

:21:50. > :21:53.and that was to a world record in the marathon. Here we are just

:21:54. > :21:58.enjoying his performance as he heads along the embankment. You have to

:21:59. > :22:01.remember that when he ran the 2.04 flat in Berlin he ran the second

:22:02. > :22:06.half of the race with the insoles of his shoes flapping out of the back

:22:07. > :22:09.of his shoes, I don't know if he had slipped an extra pair in, or if they

:22:10. > :22:12.were not stuck down properly but that must have impacted on him and

:22:13. > :22:16.he must have finished the race with terrible blisters and must know that

:22:17. > :22:20.he can go quicker. Interesting point about the running shoes from Paula,

:22:21. > :22:24.but today they seem to be OK, and he's handling it well and he's

:22:25. > :22:28.running well. He's starting to think about victory. While they are

:22:29. > :22:32.thinking about victory, for the British athletes they are thinking

:22:33. > :22:36.about Rio. Callum Hawkins is heading towards Rio, the 23-year-old

:22:37. > :22:38.about Rio. Callum Hawkins is heading the prerace favourite from the

:22:39. > :22:43.British perspective, he had to work hard to get ahead of Tewelde, who is

:22:44. > :22:47.still in the second place. The Eritreans who can run for Great

:22:48. > :22:50.Britain now. The news is that the older brother of Callum Hawkins,

:22:51. > :22:56.Derek Hawkins, there he is, is heading for a personal best, on 2.12

:22:57. > :23:00.pace, and if Derek could do that and catch Tewelde, well they can make

:23:01. > :23:03.the team, Derek Hawkins could make the team, Callum Hawkins is

:23:04. > :23:08.definitely going to make the team. Look at his last

:23:09. > :23:10.definitely going to make the team. that's in the lead race, but Derek

:23:11. > :23:14.Hawkins is heading for well inside the qualifying time of 2.14. This

:23:15. > :23:25.young man is heading for around 2.10, 2.10 point 20, that would be a

:23:26. > :23:33.great race -- 2:10.20. Tewelde, who went off so hard, can he hang onto

:23:34. > :23:35.second? The three Scots athletes representing Scotland today, the

:23:36. > :23:42.Eritreans who lives in Glasgow now, as well as the two Hawkins Brothers

:23:43. > :23:48.and the father who coaches them, what a fantastic job he has done so

:23:49. > :23:51.far. The flashing sign shows the athletes coming along the

:23:52. > :23:55.embankment, the coming faster this point than anyone has ever run in

:23:56. > :23:59.London before. The crowd supporting them, they will be enjoying this

:24:00. > :24:04.point, Eliud Kipchoge wanting to win this one, wanting to run a personal

:24:05. > :24:10.best, both things available to him, and we've seen him win from distance

:24:11. > :24:13.in races, with seen him win in short sprints, with Saint Biwott involved

:24:14. > :24:19.in place finishes, outsprinted by Mo Farah last year. -- we've seen

:24:20. > :24:22.Biwott. We're down to two Kenyans who we think will be in Rio

:24:23. > :24:26.Biwott. We're down to two Kenyans at what has happened today. We are

:24:27. > :24:31.seeing a fantastic race behind them for British selection for the

:24:32. > :24:34.Olympic Games, the elite athletes are doing their thing in the London

:24:35. > :24:39.Marathon before the masses do their thing, probably at the halfway point

:24:40. > :24:41.now. Lots of them. But here we are looking at two fine Kenyan athletes

:24:42. > :24:45.who have graced looking at two fine Kenyan athletes

:24:46. > :24:50.years. The winners of this event in the last 12 runnings have been ten

:24:51. > :25:00.Kenyan athletes winning this one including last year's champion Eliud

:25:01. > :25:04.Kipchoge. The big names came today, two of them are at the front but one

:25:05. > :25:09.or two will be passed by Callum Hawkins as he continues to progress.

:25:10. > :25:15.This is the world-record holder. I think that is Kimetto he is going to

:25:16. > :25:21.pass. Callum Hawkins doesn't even give him a glance as he goes past

:25:22. > :25:23.the fastest marathon runner in the world, who just picks up a little

:25:24. > :25:28.the fastest marathon runner in the bit to try and stay with him. Callum

:25:29. > :25:31.Hawkins is having a great race, what a performance so far, heading

:25:32. > :25:37.towards Rio, heading towards a personal best and getting a big

:25:38. > :25:41.scalp to boot. As he went past the world-record holder he relaxed, what

:25:42. > :25:44.a boost it was full Callum Hawkins, the Scotsman, the proud hopefully

:25:45. > :25:48.cheering him on and recognising that his 12th place in Frankfurt gave him

:25:49. > :25:51.the qualifying time and he only has to beat one of the first two Britons

:25:52. > :25:54.the qualifying time and he only has today and he's on the plane to Rio

:25:55. > :25:58.and it's brilliant to see the resurgence in Scottish marathon

:25:59. > :26:00.running, if nothing else, and that is a brilliant run from Callum

:26:01. > :26:02.Hawkins today. While we were watching the happening, and he

:26:03. > :26:07.Hawkins today. While we were be passing one or two others,

:26:08. > :26:12.Kipchoge has kicked away from Biwott, he's kicked on despite the

:26:13. > :26:17.fast-paced, despite the record in sight, he, of course, is using his

:26:18. > :26:22.very good marathon tactical brain to think, I'm not leaving this, Biwott

:26:23. > :26:28.is a good athlete but he's spent, Biwott has nothing left now. Jodie

:26:29. > :26:32.surely heading towards at the very least a personal best here. A course

:26:33. > :26:37.record, I'm pretty sure, is within his sites. Every chance of running

:26:38. > :26:41.one of the quickest marathons of all-time. They were on world-record

:26:42. > :26:46.pace and it's always difficult to tell in the last couple of miles,

:26:47. > :26:52.they are so close. Through 24 miles Paula pointed out to me, one minute

:26:53. > :26:59.and 20 seconds quicker than the record set by Kipsang in 2014, and

:27:00. > :27:05.that brings you very close to 2.03. The world record is just under that.

:27:06. > :27:11.What do you reckon, guys? Paula? He's got to make up another ten or

:27:12. > :27:14.15 seconds over the last mile, two miles, it's definitely possible. He

:27:15. > :27:20.needs to drink that drink fast and really start moving quickly now. But

:27:21. > :27:26.he wants to run fast times. Now he realises he can win this race. He's

:27:27. > :27:29.run the race every step of the way as the favourite, he has run next to

:27:30. > :27:33.the pacemakers, never moved away from the lead position, when he

:27:34. > :27:39.threw his hat off at the halfway point, that was saying let's start

:27:40. > :27:43.now, he's just thrown his arm covers off, and let's start raising. He

:27:44. > :27:47.looks good in the last mile, strong. Eliud Kipchoge is a student of the

:27:48. > :27:52.sport and knows all about best times and fast times and knows all about

:27:53. > :27:55.pace and winning things. The 18-year-old that arrived in Paris to

:27:56. > :28:00.become the world champion at 5000 metres is on his way to his second

:28:01. > :28:04.London Marathon victory, and a man we will talk about in length at Rio,

:28:05. > :28:09.I'm pretty sure, the course record in his site, is on personal best in

:28:10. > :28:13.his site, and one of the fastest marathons ever, as we see the London

:28:14. > :28:19.eye, cruising along the embankment with the wonderful support. The fine

:28:20. > :28:21.young man has come through the traditional route to distance

:28:22. > :28:26.running which is the route he has followed. On the track, on the 5000

:28:27. > :28:34.metres, the second-fastest 1500 metre runner in his year when he was

:28:35. > :28:37.doing that. But here he is now. He's done every distance on the track,

:28:38. > :28:44.and now on the roads he looks brilliant and he's enjoying the

:28:45. > :28:47.crowd support. They started at ten o'clock with a countdown from Tim

:28:48. > :28:53.Peake in outer space, looking down, running his own marathon, and is he

:28:54. > :28:58.watching, like the rest of us, a piece of history? Big Ben it's ready

:28:59. > :29:04.to Chine 12 o'clock. That would be two hours, of course, the

:29:05. > :29:08.world-record he is chasing now is 2:02.57. He is running at a pace

:29:09. > :29:10.that would undoubtedly bring the course record, unless something

:29:11. > :29:19.befalls him in the last mile. Eliud Kipchoge, the man who said just this

:29:20. > :29:25.week the marathon is all about heart and mind. Yes, you've got tired

:29:26. > :29:29.legs, but this man, who can cope with all of that in terms of his

:29:30. > :29:34.mental strength, is the one who comes out on top. His farming

:29:35. > :29:38.background has given him as Brendan said, a row perspective on his

:29:39. > :29:41.running career. He trains twice a day, six o'clock in the morning and

:29:42. > :29:46.four o'clock in the afternoon, his favourite sessions are 13 by three

:29:47. > :29:50.minutes with a one-minute interval. Good luck, Meite! That's why he's

:29:51. > :29:58.running so fast here today and why he's running so well. Paula, we are

:29:59. > :30:03.seeing one of the best marathon performances. There is lots of talk

:30:04. > :30:07.about record courses, Berlin is where they go to run records, we

:30:08. > :30:11.have had world records here, yours truly included, this is a great

:30:12. > :30:15.performance. I've always said London can be a fast course and London is

:30:16. > :30:19.showing today it can be a fast course. What I want to see from

:30:20. > :30:22.Eliud Kipchoge, on the other side of the road, follow the blue line, and

:30:23. > :30:27.when it really matters and you are racing against the clock as he is

:30:28. > :30:30.now, to get onto the Boulevard and run the shortest line over the last

:30:31. > :30:36.1000 metres is really important. Hopefully he's aware of that, Elliot

:30:37. > :30:42.Lee JB is a smart run and he will be aware of how fast he is running and

:30:43. > :30:46.how close he is to its -- Eliud he must concentrate on getting the

:30:47. > :30:49.most out of himself he can and the crowds will encourage him down the

:30:50. > :30:52.last few bends and into the finishing straight. He was listening

:30:53. > :30:57.to you following the blue line now. He's on the inside, he's taken the

:30:58. > :30:59.shortest route, but he's taken the shortest route, but he's taken the

:31:00. > :31:04.performance. Looking at this race today, and every step of the way you

:31:05. > :31:08.would have to pick this man out as a favourite, he ran like a favourite

:31:09. > :31:10.and dictated conditions. Never going to put they, the most efficient way

:31:11. > :31:13.to run a facet time isn't the wake to put they, the most efficient way

:31:14. > :31:18.they have done it today, they could have gone slow in the first part but

:31:19. > :31:22.he was up to every task, responsive to every move, almost telling people

:31:23. > :31:27.where to run and what to do. He took Biwott under his wing and said,

:31:28. > :31:33.let's run together. Iran Kenenisa Bekele into the ground. -- they ran.

:31:34. > :31:37.He's a fine young man, a real student of the sport and former

:31:38. > :31:41.world champion at the age of 18. A man who has decided that after 2012

:31:42. > :31:46.when he wasn't picked for Kenya for the limbic games in 2012, he said,

:31:47. > :31:51.right, I'm going for the roads. Look at his technique, Steve. Efficient

:31:52. > :31:54.technique, beautiful movement, running well, and he's running

:31:55. > :31:55.faster than we've ever seen before, almost as fast as anyone has ever

:31:56. > :32:05.run before. With 600 to go he had to run four

:32:06. > :32:09.minute mile pace to get the world record, and I don't think even he

:32:10. > :32:13.can do this. He is heading for one of the fastest times ever in the

:32:14. > :32:19.marathon. It will undoubtedly be a new course record. It will be his

:32:20. > :32:28.greatest race. Not only in terms of the victory but also in terms of

:32:29. > :32:33.time, he has never broken 2.0 four. He has to concentrate over the last

:32:34. > :32:37.200 metres. The crowd are cheering him on and he will have one more

:32:38. > :32:43.turn. He will see the finish line. He knows that this is perhaps his

:32:44. > :32:48.greatest victory, certainly his greatest ever marathon performance.

:32:49. > :32:55.He has time. Look how good he looks, locale Serena he is an strong, and

:32:56. > :32:59.quick. Eliud Kipchoge, the winner in London last year, a world champion

:33:00. > :33:03.on the track when he was 18 years of age, and here in 2016 he is

:33:04. > :33:09.on the track when he was 18 years of for one of the fastest marathons of

:33:10. > :33:14.all time, he has just missed the world record but for Eliud Kipchoge,

:33:15. > :33:18.just outside two hours and three minutes, one of the greatest races

:33:19. > :33:23.in history, Eliud Kipchoge wins the London Marathon. He can't believe

:33:24. > :33:27.it. He is just less than ten seconds off the world record. I'm not sure

:33:28. > :33:34.he realised. Look at the look on his face, he is shaking his head. He is

:33:35. > :33:38.thinking, yes, I've won, I have got a personal best and the course

:33:39. > :33:44.record but my goodness that was a chance. He wanted to win and he was

:33:45. > :33:45.concentrating on winning. Eliud Kipchoge has just become the second

:33:46. > :33:51.fastest of all time, Kipchoge has just become the second

:33:52. > :33:55.course. A couple of people run faster in Boston but that is

:33:56. > :34:01.downhill. Look at Biwott, still coming in tired, but look at the

:34:02. > :34:05.time. Biwott runs a personal best in second place, under two hours four

:34:06. > :34:12.minutes. Joining that elite club. What a race. The London Marathon has

:34:13. > :34:17.done it again. Eliud Kipchoge has done it again. He is saying to

:34:18. > :34:21.Stanley Biwott, I could have done it. I have taken it back now because

:34:22. > :34:28.he did not know. Would you be waving and pointing? When your hand is at

:34:29. > :34:32.your forehead like that you realise you have missed the world record by

:34:33. > :34:38.seven seconds. Finishing with the technique of a sprinter, crossing

:34:39. > :34:42.the line after 26 miles and 385 yards and then saying, if I'd only

:34:43. > :34:48.known I would have run faster, but it doesn't matter because you have

:34:49. > :34:52.won again. Six victories in seven marathons by Eliud Kipchoge. He now

:34:53. > :34:55.goes to Rio to try to win at the Olympic Games and he has all of the

:34:56. > :35:01.hearts of distance runners around the world behind him. He has done

:35:02. > :35:06.brilliantly today. And a great performance by Biwott. One of the

:35:07. > :35:10.fastest marathons ever by Biwott. Eliud Kipchoge, the 18-year-old

:35:11. > :35:14.world champion on the track and now one of the finest marathon

:35:15. > :35:20.performances we have ever seen. Dave Bedford congratulating both of them

:35:21. > :35:24.and they take it in great spirit. Well, I've never seen a man so happy

:35:25. > :35:32.to be disappointed! To have not broken the world record. What a run

:35:33. > :35:36.from Eliud Kipchoge and Biwott, the two of them after that really,

:35:37. > :35:41.really tough beginning, the really fast-paced through 10k in 28.5

:35:42. > :35:47.minutes and then maintaining that through halfway, fast. Look at this,

:35:48. > :35:51.what a return to form for Kenenisa Bekele. Many thought he would have a

:35:52. > :35:54.difficult day today and yes, the last few

:35:55. > :35:59.difficult day today and yes, the Kenenisa Bekele had a great marathon

:36:00. > :36:03.debut a couple of years ago, so many injury problems. Struggling to get

:36:04. > :36:08.the training in that he wanted, but this is a welcome sight, not only

:36:09. > :36:11.for him and Ethiopian running but for world running, because he is one

:36:12. > :36:16.of the greatest all-time athletes and has come back today and has

:36:17. > :36:19.performed brilliantly in London. One of the greatest distance runners of

:36:20. > :36:22.all time, no other athlete in history could run a marathon like

:36:23. > :36:29.this with as little preparation as Kenenisa has had. The crowd are

:36:30. > :36:31.being informed that this is one of the great ones, the three-time

:36:32. > :36:37.Olympic champion, now can he get the great ones, the three-time

:36:38. > :36:39.comes across his face, it was too quick in the early stages,

:36:40. > :36:43.especially on the way back from quick in the early stages,

:36:44. > :36:47.lot of injury, but Kenenisa Bekele crosses the line. A very respectable

:36:48. > :36:52.time for the marathon. But to do crosses the line. A very respectable

:36:53. > :36:56.off as little training as he has done shows you how great he is, he

:36:57. > :37:02.is one of the greats. And a sportsman in every sense. The one,

:37:03. > :37:05.two, three, the London Marathon, three great athletes among them.

:37:06. > :37:10.two, three, the London Marathon, Kipchoge and Bekele has shared the

:37:11. > :37:12.podium in events for the past 13 years all around the world

:37:13. > :37:13.podium in events for the past 13 around the circuit, every

:37:14. > :37:20.championships we have ever been around the circuit, every

:37:21. > :37:26.Eliud Kipchoge is the winner, Biwott in second and the great Kenenisa

:37:27. > :37:31.Bekele in third. The manager of Kipchoge and Bekele will be happy

:37:32. > :37:34.today, smiling at the cameras. Kenenisa Bekele in one piece, great

:37:35. > :37:39.news for the world of distance running. Well done to those three,

:37:40. > :37:43.brilliant performance from all of brilliant performance from all of

:37:44. > :37:47.them in different ways, and here is another young talent, Ghebreslassie

:37:48. > :37:53.from Eritrea, not the Ethiopian one. The 19-year-old won the World

:37:54. > :37:58.Championship. He is now 20. Another good performance and not far away

:37:59. > :38:02.from his personal best. He is ahead of Wilson Kipsang. A difficult day

:38:03. > :38:07.for Kipsang today. He loves to run in London but not one of his best

:38:08. > :38:12.performances. Ghebreslassie I'm sure we will see him in the Olympic

:38:13. > :38:16.Games, will we see Kipsang? The Kenyans with the exception of

:38:17. > :38:21.Kipchoge and Biwott, the rest of them have not run well to be honest.

:38:22. > :38:26.Now let's turn our attention to the race for Rio, literally, Callum

:38:27. > :38:30.Hawkins looks as though he's heading not only for a trip to the Olympic

:38:31. > :38:36.Hawkins looks as though he's heading Games, but he is running a personal

:38:37. > :38:41.best here. Strong, clever race. Did not get carried away early on.

:38:42. > :38:46.Others have dropped away, Scott Overall and Chris Thompson is still

:38:47. > :38:51.going. It may well be the battle for second will go right to the line but

:38:52. > :38:57.Tewelde still ahead of Calum's older brother Derek Hawkins. Palin is well

:38:58. > :39:02.clear and the other two are contesting for the second guaranteed

:39:03. > :39:08.spot, all three will run inside the qualifying time of 2.14. Tewelde has

:39:09. > :39:12.done really well to hang on after the fast 10k. It's a tough way to

:39:13. > :39:17.run but he is doing well, Derek Hawkins is chasing but I'm not sure

:39:18. > :39:20.there's enough time. He is 15 seconds behind. Tewelde is now

:39:21. > :39:24.struggling after running a fine race. This young man. Watching the

:39:25. > :39:31.clock and seeing where he is, race. This young man. Watching the

:39:32. > :39:36.Hawkins, the leading Briton, doing well, the young man at the age of 23

:39:37. > :39:40.running a fantastic time in great circumstances. Let's face it, this

:39:41. > :39:44.man has got years ahead of him in distance running, he was a promising

:39:45. > :39:50.youngster, good in the cross-country, running one of the

:39:51. > :39:53.fastest half marathons ever. If we can find Callum Hawkins, there he

:39:54. > :39:59.is, looks over his shoulder but there's nothing to worry about, just

:40:00. > :40:00.relax and keep going, just under 2.10 of running behind him.

:40:01. > :40:04.relax and keep going, just under run a really fast time and a

:40:05. > :40:09.personal best today. More importantly for him at the age of

:40:10. > :40:11.23, gaining selection for the Olympic Games, Callum Hawkins is the

:40:12. > :40:17.first written Olympic Games, Callum Hawkins is the

:40:18. > :40:21.Scotsman, in the first three athletes will be those eligible to

:40:22. > :40:23.run for Scotland, there has been a resurgence in distance running in

:40:24. > :40:27.Scotland and it's wonderful that they do such a good job in

:40:28. > :40:34.encouraging young athletes, Scottish athletics. He is a product of that

:40:35. > :40:38.system. Well done, Callum. Here he comes and it is being announced to

:40:39. > :40:42.the crowd who are cheering here as he goes down the home straight. What

:40:43. > :40:46.a brilliant performance. His parents came down earlier in the week and I

:40:47. > :40:49.know his mum was very nervous and his dad is always a lot calmer. I

:40:50. > :40:54.remember watching him in cross-country races when he was a

:40:55. > :41:00.youngster, up in Scotland, and he has now come to such prominence, he

:41:01. > :41:05.is going to Rio and the Olympics, a big personal best, the best British

:41:06. > :41:11.athlete in 2016 in the London Marathon, congratulations to Callum

:41:12. > :41:15.Hawkins. He has been hurting, he has been sought, but he kept it going

:41:16. > :41:20.and judged it perfectly. Now the smiles. Here he comes and he will

:41:21. > :41:24.have half a thought for his brother, he won't have known how that race is

:41:25. > :41:31.going, but apart from anything else he has beaten the world

:41:32. > :41:35.record-holder, Kimetto is trailing behind him. Well done, Callum

:41:36. > :41:41.Hawkins, eighth Place, top ten finish. No wonder he is smiling.

:41:42. > :41:46.There is Kimetto, the world record-holder. He was nearly the

:41:47. > :41:55.previous world record holder today. He will be crossing the line and

:41:56. > :41:59.say, he did what?! Talking to Callum Hawkins he will say, guess who was

:42:00. > :42:07.one place behind me? The world record-holder Kimetto. Tewelde in

:42:08. > :42:11.the blue of his cloak. You can see him in the distance, has he

:42:12. > :42:17.guaranteed himself a spot? He will only have to finish in the top two.

:42:18. > :42:23.He is tired, he went out hard and has hung on, the man who came to

:42:24. > :42:28.this country for Eritrea stayed, and has now become eligible for the

:42:29. > :42:33.British team. He has been coached and trained up in Scotland, and

:42:34. > :42:41.Tewelde will now be heading to Rio. He has finished just ahead of Callum

:42:42. > :42:48.Hawkins... Derek Hawkins, now 100m from the finish. Derek has ran a

:42:49. > :42:52.brilliant race and has not timed it quite right but he will be inside

:42:53. > :42:57.the qualifying mark so will British selectors look upon this performance

:42:58. > :43:00.from the older Hawkins brother and say it was good enough? It's not a

:43:01. > :43:06.guaranteed spot but he will cross his fingers and hope, he finished so

:43:07. > :43:11.strongly. Well done to him, one minute inside the qualifying mark,

:43:12. > :43:14.and that may well be good enough for the British selectors to look

:43:15. > :43:23.favourably on him and we could have two brothers going to the Olympic

:43:24. > :43:31.Games in the marathon. Callum Hawkins of the Harriers, Tewelde the

:43:32. > :43:36.Harriers. Three Scotsmen in the team, that will be the selection for

:43:37. > :43:48.the committee this evening. I hope they are listening. That will be an

:43:49. > :43:55.anxious wait for them, a weight Sang the nine time cross-country

:43:56. > :43:58.champion. Looking very tired. Lots of athletes for different countries

:43:59. > :44:08.are running for Olympic selection. The actual time from the IAAF is

:44:09. > :44:15.2.19. Greg Lobban came here to try to get a spot in the Australian

:44:16. > :44:19.team. The British athletes have performed so well, not only in terms

:44:20. > :44:23.of times, not only in terms of what was at stake but Callum Hawkins

:44:24. > :44:31.inside the top ten, beating many big names who just got it wrong today.

:44:32. > :44:35.They went too hard too fast. Still going well. For a while it looked as

:44:36. > :44:40.though he could get in the mix. In a small way this is a victory for him,

:44:41. > :44:45.he will be hurting, but we all know he has had so many problems. In

:44:46. > :44:52.preparing for this. He said he may well dip at the 10,000 today, I'm

:44:53. > :44:58.not sure he has time, but well done Chris. Yes, well done, he said

:44:59. > :45:01.whatever happened he would not finish the race disappointed, it was

:45:02. > :45:05.a victory to get here and he fought really hard to put himself in

:45:06. > :45:07.contention, laid it on the line, and he can be proud of the road he

:45:08. > :45:11.travelled to get here. he can be proud of the road he

:45:12. > :45:15.continue. I think we will see him on the start line for the 10,000 metres

:45:16. > :45:20.because he won't give up yet but then he will move onto trying to run

:45:21. > :45:23.a fast marathon in the autumn. With the amount of training that Chris

:45:24. > :45:28.has done, it hasn't been enough, he knew that it wasn't, and no athlete

:45:29. > :45:32.usually in totally ready but Chris genuinely has missed an awful lot

:45:33. > :45:35.usually in totally ready but Chris training. In the last few weeks it

:45:36. > :45:40.has gone well but he ran out of time literally in terms of training. 2.15

:45:41. > :45:43.or thereabouts, that was a strong performance. He gave it a go and

:45:44. > :45:48.Chris always does that but others performed well on the day.

:45:49. > :45:55.It was a high-risk strategy from Tewelde, to go out that hard and

:45:56. > :45:58.hang on, that was tough. Others gambled that he and others might

:45:59. > :46:03.come back to them and Callum judged it perfectly well. Brendan, I've

:46:04. > :46:06.watched not as many as you have, but this has been one of the most

:46:07. > :46:10.exciting London marathons in terms of elite races I have seen,

:46:11. > :46:13.certainly that I've commented on, we've had fast finishes and great

:46:14. > :46:17.races but today it had drama everywhere. We had drama

:46:18. > :46:20.races but today it had drama in the marathon today, two Kenyan

:46:21. > :46:22.winners, Eliud Kipchoge with the second fastest marathon in history.

:46:23. > :46:28.This second fastest marathon in history.

:46:29. > :46:32.probably the favourite for the Olympic Games. 2003, world champion

:46:33. > :46:37.on the track. 2016, one of the favourites on the roads for the

:46:38. > :46:38.marathon. We have had three British qualifiers, Callum Hawkins, Tewelde

:46:39. > :46:41.and Derek qualifiers, Callum Hawkins, Tewelde

:46:42. > :46:45.people looking for selection qualifiers, Callum Hawkins, Tewelde

:46:46. > :46:49.Olympic Games. Sonia Samuels, Alyson Dixon and Charlotte Purdue put

:46:50. > :46:52.themselves up for selection too. On a glorious day when the million

:46:53. > :46:57.finisher will eventually finished this marathon, we were promised snow

:46:58. > :47:02.and got action instead, we got sunshine and action instead of the

:47:03. > :47:05.promised snow. There is Lee Merrien crossing the line. We've had a

:47:06. > :47:08.wonderful day as part of the marathon. Now the mass marathon

:47:09. > :47:10.takes over. Paula, some marathon. Now the mass marathon

:47:11. > :47:14.performances. That was, marathon. Now the mass marathon

:47:15. > :47:16.exciting racing, we just about had everything, we had fall as

:47:17. > :47:22.exciting racing, we just about had races, we had records, race outs for

:47:23. > :47:26.Olympic teams, and aside from the snow we pretty much had everything.

:47:27. > :47:30.The big standout for me has to be Kipchoge getting that to a world

:47:31. > :47:33.record in a race, yes, he went out fast but it wasn't set up ideally

:47:34. > :47:36.for a fast but it wasn't set up ideally

:47:37. > :47:41.that. Great race in the women's race.

:47:42. > :47:45.Well done to all of them. They have given us so much to talk and think

:47:46. > :47:52.about, but the race is just getting going for everybody else. So many

:47:53. > :47:56.people, of course, will be chasing their own records out there. For

:47:57. > :48:00.some just getting to the finish line every year is the challenge they

:48:01. > :48:03.need to overcome. This is Tower Bridge not quite at the halfway

:48:04. > :48:05.point, trying to tell the stories over the next couple of hours we

:48:06. > :48:17.will follow the children in need, and Julian out there with Chris and

:48:18. > :48:19.Natasha Evans vassals Alexander, Graham, UN and

:48:20. > :48:26.Natasha Evans vassals Alexander, radio to team. Every year when we

:48:27. > :48:30.think we can't beat this year and can't come back and tell more

:48:31. > :48:31.inspiring stories but there is lots to come so make sure you stay with

:48:32. > :48:38.us. The elite to come so make sure you stay with

:48:39. > :48:42.something to think about. Eliud Kipchoge just missing that world

:48:43. > :48:48.record. The British athletes cementing their place in Rio. They

:48:49. > :48:53.have all trained hard for it. Maybe not all of them, most of them have

:48:54. > :48:59.trained hard for this. Anderson smiles, and at this point they have

:49:00. > :49:03.still got a long way to go, but one or two pained expressions as well.

:49:04. > :49:16.You've just got to knuckle down and enjoy the crowds.

:49:17. > :49:26.Fancy dress, all of the charities, and the new fads, not that new, but

:49:27. > :49:34.knowing to wear their name in large letters writ large across their

:49:35. > :49:39.chest so they get a cheer from those standing here at the bridge and

:49:40. > :49:46.standing on the pavements, overhead, finding all sorts of vantage points.

:49:47. > :49:50.If you hear music coming over the bridge and watch out on one corner

:49:51. > :49:55.you might see Kenyan corner, a bunch of guys cheering for Kenya. I hope

:49:56. > :50:13.you are having a great run. Tower Bridge, a very iconic

:50:14. > :50:16.viewpoint in terms of this race and London generally but also a

:50:17. > :50:21.favourite place to spectate and people find their place early on,

:50:22. > :50:27.look at all the charity flags, and again, a shout out to the bunch

:50:28. > :50:33.running for hospice UK, Daniel, Robbie, David, Phil, Chris, Andrew,

:50:34. > :50:43.Jonathan, Stuart, Paul. They are from Clydesdale, they've raised a

:50:44. > :50:47.lot of money for hospice UK. So much money. A world record year, we

:50:48. > :50:51.didn't quite get a world record in the men's elite race but it is a

:50:52. > :50:59.world record year in raising money for charity.

:51:00. > :51:05.It's all happening at the finish. Prince Harry behind me in

:51:06. > :51:10.conversation with Lord Sebastian Coe as they get ready for the

:51:11. > :51:13.presentations. Before we do that, let's remind you what happened on

:51:14. > :51:18.this sensational afternoon so far. David Weir came up short on his bid

:51:19. > :51:22.for a record seventh London Marathon win, Switzerland's Marcel Hug taking

:51:23. > :51:28.the victory, Australia's Kurt Fearnley was second with Weir third.

:51:29. > :51:33.America's Tatyana McFadden continued her recent dominance in the women's

:51:34. > :51:36.wheelchair event claiming her fourth consecutive London Marathon victory

:51:37. > :51:44.ahead of Switzerland's Manuela Schar. And despite a fall at the 22

:51:45. > :51:48.mile mark which ended the hopes of prerace favourite Mary Keitany

:51:49. > :51:50.Kenya's Jemima Sumgong picked herself up to claim a surprise

:51:51. > :51:56.victory and Ethiopia's 2015 herself up to claim a surprise

:51:57. > :52:01.Tigist Tufa. Bookies' favourite Eliud Kipchoge won the men's

:52:02. > :52:04.marathon title in style. The Kenyan claimed back-to-back victories in a

:52:05. > :52:12.course record time. Compatriot Stanley Biwott claimed second and

:52:13. > :52:15.Ethiopia's Kenenisa Bekele was third. Aly Dixon and Sonia Samuels

:52:16. > :52:19.rubber-stamped the Rio 2016 Olympics election by finishing the top two

:52:20. > :52:29.Brits home. Debutant Charlotte Purdue came in third Brit. The men's

:52:30. > :52:31.battle for a spot on the plane to Brazil was equally fascinating.

:52:32. > :52:42.Callum Hawkins eventually came out on top. The debutant Tewelde second

:52:43. > :52:45.to secure their spots. Confirmation of that, just two seconds separated

:52:46. > :52:50.the top three after the sprint finish in the men's rally on the

:52:51. > :52:59.Mall. In the men's wheelchair race the 2014 winner Marcel Hug took

:53:00. > :53:04.another title in 1:35.24. The winner was pushed all the way in the

:53:05. > :53:11.women's wheelchair race, won second clear of Manuela Schar. Sumgong

:53:12. > :53:17.defied her tumble to win in 2:22.5 eight, five seconds behind her the

:53:18. > :53:20.2015 when Tufa. Eliud Kipchoge, a class apart in the men's race

:53:21. > :53:27.defending his title. The Kenyan's winning time of 2:03.05 was a course

:53:28. > :53:32.record and less than ten seconds outside the world record. Stanley

:53:33. > :53:39.Biwott was 40 seconds adrift in second and the ceilidh in third.

:53:40. > :53:42.Dixon winning the domestic battle in 2:31.5 two, eight seconds clear of

:53:43. > :53:46.Samuels and a highly impressive marathon debut from Charlotte Purdue

:53:47. > :53:55.in third. And for the men, Callum Hawkins' time of 2:10.55 was well

:53:56. > :53:58.under the Rio qualifying mark of 2.14. Tewelde finished second and

:53:59. > :54:06.did enough to guarantee himself a qualifying spot and Callum's brother

:54:07. > :54:12.Derek ran inside the qualifying time but he must rely on the selectors'

:54:13. > :54:18.discretion. Eliud Kipchoge is alongside me with Steve Cram. There

:54:19. > :54:20.was a big high moment, Steve. Congratulations, incredible run. Did

:54:21. > :54:31.you realise how close you were to the world record? I realised I had

:54:32. > :54:35.run a good start. Were lost a few seconds between 30 and 40, does.

:54:36. > :54:41.Maybe another day, the victory was the important thing. My focus was on

:54:42. > :54:45.the winning and the time and then I started to push and at 40

:54:46. > :54:51.kilometres, I've got to leave it for the next time let's say. I'm happy

:54:52. > :54:55.I've run the course record. You are in incredible shape and look so

:54:56. > :55:01.strong and it looked so easy for you. Surely that world record is

:55:02. > :55:04.well within your grasp. Exactly. That's the plan? I'm really happy

:55:05. > :55:15.with the programme I've been undergoing. I'm happy I ran a course

:55:16. > :55:27.record. London, celebrating a million this year, and celebrating

:55:28. > :55:32.its birthday. Put that run into context, Steve. That is the best run

:55:33. > :55:38.ever, genuinely. Most people think the link is the quicker route. Not

:55:39. > :55:42.wanting to catch the eye of Dave Bedford over there, but yes, to run

:55:43. > :55:47.this time in London I think was the best ever. Because, London has the

:55:48. > :55:52.best fields. Sometimes in Berlin you can attack the time all but here you

:55:53. > :55:57.have such a stellar field to beat and when Stanley and Eliud were

:55:58. > :56:02.together, they started racing and you looked like a 5,000-metre runner

:56:03. > :56:08.at the end. I remember when Brendan said he was 18 winning the World

:56:09. > :56:12.Championships in Paris, out kicking the ceilidh, today he used his kick

:56:13. > :56:14.and I wished you would get the record but it was a brilliant

:56:15. > :56:20.performance. If you look at the graphic over their this is the top

:56:21. > :56:28.five times of all time -- out kicking the

:56:29. > :56:34.you are in very esteemed company. Is it difficult to get going in these

:56:35. > :56:36.conditions? For these guys it is almost perfect

:56:37. > :56:38.conditions? For these guys it is warm, not too cold, they know not to

:56:39. > :56:42.be too cold at the warm, not too cold, they know not to

:56:43. > :56:47.on the temperature picked up, probably cooler for the women when

:56:48. > :56:58.they started. Mind you, the pace early on was so hot, I'm

:56:59. > :57:01.they started. Mind you, the pace ten o'clock. Can you soak up the

:57:02. > :57:06.atmosphere and enjoy it while you are out there? Or are you just

:57:07. > :57:13.intent on hitting the marks on your pace? Let me say, the crowd is what

:57:14. > :57:18.pushed me. It is a wonderful crowd in London, magic. It is what pushes

:57:19. > :57:25.me. In fact, in every kilometre except in the tunnel where you

:57:26. > :57:30.cannot find any crowd. But the crowd cheers you and you keep on moving.

:57:31. > :57:34.Absolutely. We enjoyed it, didn't we, Steve? And we enjoyed watching

:57:35. > :57:37.you out there. I hope the Kenyan team will pick you for Rio, will you

:57:38. > :57:44.go to Rio? Have you done enough? I team will pick you for Rio, will you

:57:45. > :57:47.think I would pick me! I think you have a chance of being selected.

:57:48. > :57:51.think I would pick me! I think you would be happy if my name is

:57:52. > :57:56.announced in Kenya. You have put yourself in contention with that

:57:57. > :58:00.run. Congratulations, it was fantastic, thank you, Steve. I will

:58:01. > :58:04.let you get back to the commentary box. Out there on the streets of

:58:05. > :58:05.London, the thousands of box. Out there on the streets of

:58:06. > :58:08.still to come over the box. Out there on the streets of

:58:09. > :58:14.point it will be the millionth box. Out there on the streets of

:58:15. > :58:18.many stories out there we are going to learn and hear about that are so

:58:19. > :58:21.inspiring throughout the afternoon. We will meet up with some of those

:58:22. > :58:32.incredible people. We are going to meet members of Team

:58:33. > :58:40.ChildLine as they celebrate their 30th anniversary.

:58:41. > :58:48.Fancy running 401 marathons in 401 days? We will catch up with a man

:58:49. > :58:55.who is doing just that. The stars of the future take to the streets in

:58:56. > :59:01.the mini marathon. We will see some of these celebrities pushing their

:59:02. > :59:05.bodies to the absolute limit. And we are going to hear from some of the