The London Marathon’s 'mystique' is behind this year’s exceptionally strong elite field, organiser Hugh Brasher has told GB News.
But he has warned competitors to keep one major consideration in mind for the 26.2-mile challenge.
Proceedings get underway at 08.50am on Sunday morning with the elite wheelchair race, while the mass event kicks off in multiple waves from 09.35am to 11.30am.
Brasher told the People’s Channel that runners in the mass event could be subject to testing temperatures, especially if they set off in the latter waves.
Hugh Brasher has told runners to take precautions
GB NEWS / PA
“We have some amazing elite competition, some amazing celebrities and all the human interest stories”, he said.
“The one thing is, it’s going to be a hot day. We’re telling people maybe to slow down a bit. That’s one of the important messages.”
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Alex Yee will make his highly anticipated marathon debut
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GB News’s Paul Coyte joked he may not be urging Kenyan two-time Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge to heed that advice given his previous exploits over the marathon distance.
“I’m not sure about Eliud Kipchoge and Jacob Kiplimo, who just broke the world record in the half marathon, he ran an unbelievable 56 minutes and 42 seconds in Barcelona back in February.
“He smashed the world record. There’s some amazing racing. We have all the Olympic champions from Paris 2024.
“It’s going to be an absolutely amazing day where London shows itself to the world as such an amazing city.”
Hugh Brasher spoke on GB News
GB NEWS
Brasher then lifted the lid on what goes into London Marathon preparations, telling Paul that he is already “cooking up a plan” for the 2028 edition.
A star-studded elite field will take to the streets of the capital with eyes on the men's course record of two hour one minute and 25 seconds, set by Kenya’s Kelvin Kiptum in 2023.
The women's record was set last year by Peres Jepchrir of Kenya, who clocked a blistering two hours 16 minutes and 16 seconds.
Among the elite runners is marathon debutant Alex Yee, two-time Team GB Olympic gold medallist.
Yee made his name in triathlon and became a household name after his heroics at the Paris Olympics last year where he overtook New Zealand's Hayden Wilde to secure gold in a dramatic finish.
He faces stiff competition to be the top British finisher, with Team GB marathoners Mahamed Mahamed and Philip Sesemann aiming to improve on their personal bests.
Jack Rowe makes his marathon debut following back-to-back victories at the London Big Half, where he impressed over the shorter distance.
On the women’s side, Eilish McColgan will make her marathon debut after an injury in 2023 scuppered her participation in the London event.
McColgan, who was Commonwealth champion at 10,000m in 2022, is hoping to beat her mum’s time of two hours 26 minutes and 52 seconds.
Liz McColgan won the race in 1996, a feat Eilish is not expected to emulate given this year’s stacked field.
Charlotte Purdue, Rose Harvey and Phily Bowden will be among the Britons joining her.
Record eight-time winner David Weir returns for his 26th consecutive appearance in the men’s wheelchair race.
