The London Marathon was run for the first time on this day back in 1981.
On its 39th anniversary, the PA news agency picks out some of the best images from the history of the famous race.
Competitors running along Pall Mall in the first London Marathon in 1981 (PA)
Mexico’s Dionicio Ceron (left) and Britain’s Liz McColgan hold their trophies after winning the 1996 elite men’s and women’s races (Sean Dempsey/PA)
Wheelchair marathon competitors start their 26-mile journey in 1998 (Fiona Hanson/PA)
2002 Women’s elite race winner Paula Radcliffe greets charity runner Lloyd Scott, who ‘ran’ the race wearing an antique diving suit in the slowest ever London Marathon time of five days, eight hours, 29 minutes and 46 seconds. Lloyd was raising money in aid of Cancer & Leukaemia in Childhood (Michael Stephens/PA)
A group of funrunners cross Tower Bridge during the 2008 London Marathon (John Stillwell/PA)
Great Britain’s Olympic 5,000 and 10,000 metre champion Mo Farah (left) in the 2013 London Marathon (Anthony Devlin/PA)
Wales rugby star Shane Williams completed the 2016 race (Jonathan Brady/PA)
Runners make their way over Tower Bridge during a baking hot race in 2018 (Steven Paston/PA)
