London Marathon 2009
The London Marathon has been held each year in London since 1981, usually in April and this year on Sunday 26th April. The race is currently sponsored by Flora, and known as the Flora London Marathon.
In addition to being a truly world class sporting event it is one of the World Marathon Majors, a two-year series of elite marathon racing that also includes the Boston, Chicago, New York and Berlin marathons. The London Marathon is also a large, celebratory sporting festival, and like the Great North Run, most definitely a Great British Event.
A notable feature of the London Marathon is the huge amounts of money that are raised for charity by the runners. According to the race organisers, it is now the largest annual fund raising event in the world and to date the total amount raised for charity by the runners is an amazing £315 million. In 2009 the official charity of the London Marathon is The Children’s Trust, Tadworth.
The London Marathon was founded by Chris Brasher and John Disley, which was inspired by the New York Marathon after Brasher ran and completed it in 1979.
