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Dust off your running shoes or your fancy dress as the TCS London Marathon returns to the capital for 2022

The annual London Marathon returns to the capital in two weeks, bringing elite athletes to London alongside those in fancy dress to raise money for various charities.

Having moved to Autumn from its regular April date due to previous COVID-19 restrictions, the 2022 London Marathon will see the return of 2021 winners, Kenyan Joyciline Jepkosgei in the women’s race and Ethiopian Sisay Lemma in the men’s race.

Mo Farrah, who placed third in 2018 and was the pacesetter in the 2020 London Marathon, has been confirmed to compete, and 10k world record holder, Ethiopia’s Yalemzerf Yehualaw, will make her London Marathon debut.

2022’s event also has a new sponsor, Tata Consultancy Services, making the marathon’s official title the 2022 TCS London Marathon.

Over a million people have finished the London Marathon since its inception 31 years ago, and have raised over £1 billion for charitable causes across the United Kingdom.

The London Marathon is an annual event including a race open to the public, professional races for long distance runners, elite level wheelchair races and a three-mile mini marathon for under-17 athletes.

The largely flat course is set around the River Thames, starting in Blackheath and finishing at The Mall.

It is the third largest running event in the United Kingdom, behind the Great North Run and the Great Manchester Run, but holds the distinction of being the largest marathon event in the country.

The London Marathon also has significant roots in charitable causes, raising over £1 billion since its inception and holds the record for the highest amount collected for a single-day fundraising event, with £66.4 million raised in the 2019 race.

The first London Marathon took place on March 29 1981, with around 20,000 entering the ballot and 6,747 starting the race.

Out of that large number of participants, 6255 managed to cross the finish line that year.

The first men’s race was won by both Dick Beardsley of the United States and Inge Simonsen of Norway, both of whom held hands while crossing the finish line with a time of 2:11:48.

The winner of the first women’s race was Britain’s Joyce Smith, who completed the marathon in 2:29:57.

The first wheelchair marathon race was held in 1983 and the event was credited with reducing the stigma surrounding disabled athletes.

The TCS London Marathon 2022 will take place on Sunday, October 2, with start waves taking place from 08:50 (elite wheelchair men’s and women’s races), 09:00 (elite women’s race) and 09:40 (elite men’s race and mass start.)