The London Marathon will take place for the 42nd time this Sunday with elite athletes, club runners, and even those in fancy dress keen to test themselves in the ultimate distance running challenge.
More than 40,000 runners are expected to take to the streets of England's capital city on Sunday, with many more testing themselves elsewhere having taken the virtual option. For so many, the goal over 26.2 miles will be simply to finish and justify months - or years - of dedication.
But for others, it will be all about the time. Some will be targeting personal bests or be hell bent on beating a certain marker, and select club runners will also be targeting a win in one of the lesser talked about categories.
Who were the quickest non-elite runners in 2021?
The 2021 general men's winner was Kenny Wilson, of the Moray Road Runners in Scotland. His time of two hours, 18 minutes and 42 seconds (2:18:42) was also enough for 20th place overall, beating some elite runners.
So to be in with a chance of winning the men's general race, you need to be hitting the halfway mark just after Tower Bridge at approximately one hour 9 minutes. In the women's general section, American Shalane Flanagan won in two hours, 35 minutes, and 4 seconds (2:35:04).
In comparison, the London Marathon record in the men's section belongs to the iconic Eluid Kipchoge, who clocked 2:02:37 in 2019. British hero Paula Radcliffe set the best ever women's mark in 2003, finishing in 2:15:25.
What time should you be aiming for?
Finishing with a time of between two and three hours in 2021 would have put you in the top 2,011 of male competitors and the top 101 of women finishers. Participants of course, are advised to allow a little extra time in the second half of the marathon - runners who make it round in under three hours are usually at the halfway mark in under 1:30:00.
If you made it to the end by four hours last year, you were in the top 9,485 men's placings, and the best 3,193 women. Men who finished in less than four hours were usually at halfway by 1:55:00, and women by 1:56:00.
The slowest ever London Marathon time meanwhile, is held by firefighter Lloyd Scott. He ran the 2002 London Marathon in a 130 lbs antique deep-sea diving suit, and duly finished in five days, eight hours, 29 minutes and 46 seconds.
