Thousands of runners pounded the streets of London last Sunday in the 34th London Marathon.


Race organisers hailed its success, with more than £600million having been raised for charity since the event started in 1981. This year’s Marathon main charity was the Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust which raised many thousands of pounds, which is sure to benefit the lives of many in the UK who are waiting for a bone marrow donor match.


More than 36,000 runners battled through the 26.2 mile gruelling course after training throughout the harsh winter months. The eldest runner was an 89 year old man, and the youngest just 18. However, age became irrelevant as all the runners were on a level playing field, running their own race.


The fantastic weather brought spectators out in their thousands to cheer on the runners, which this year included Olympian Mo Farah, running his first marathon. Although the nation’s favourite athlete of the moment failed to win the race, he finished a respectable 8th place and after passing the finishing line declared, “I’m not going to finish it like this. I will be back.”


Celebrity runners included Blue Peter’s Helen Skelton and ex-footballer Michael Owen who ran the course in just over three and a half hours, telling reporters at the finishing line that it had been “both the best and worst thing I have ever done in my life.”


From today, keen runners can enter the ballot for a place in next year’s event, with Cancer Research UK set to be the main beneficiary.