Record numbers run London Marathon including stars and people in costume

A record number of people ran in the London Marathon on Sunday, including politicians, actors in character and amateurs in costume.

More than 50,000 people ran the 26.2-mile course through the capital on what was a dry and bright day, which saw highs of 12C.

Runners of all ages completed the route for charity, with a number breaking records in costume.

Lee Baynton, 39, from Essex, clocked the fastest-ever marathon in an inflatable costume while raising money for a local hospice.

Warren Parish, 41, from Cannock, beat the Guinness World Record for the fastest marathon dressed as a cheerleader.

Actress Ruth Wilson ran for Alzheimer’s Research UK (John Walton/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - John Walton

Famous faces taking part included comedian and TV presenter Romesh Ranganathan, who ran for suicide prevention charity Campaign Against Living Miserably, and actress Ruth Wilson, who ran for Alzheimer’s Research UK.

Comedian Joel Dommett ran in the Piranha costume first worn by this year’s Masked Singer winner, McFly’s Danny Jones.

Jones’s bandmate Harry Judd also took part this year, running for the Children’s Trust.

Speaking to the BBC while running, Judd said: “The atmosphere is amazing.

“The crowds are out in their thousands, and loads of amazing runners have charities donned on their T-shirts.”

“Hardest Geezer” Russ Cook, who finished running the entire length of Africa on April 7, ran in support of the Running Charity.

Matt Hancock, who ran for the Assisted Learning Foundation, wrote on his Instagram that he was ‘absolutely thrilled’ to have finished the marathon in under four hours (John Walton/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - John Walton

EastEnders actors Jamie Borthwick and Emma Barton ran in character as part of a brain tumour storyline.

Last year the BBC One soap said goodbye to Lola Pearce-Brown, played by Danielle Harold, following her diagnosis with a glioblastoma multiforme.

Borthwick, 29, who plays Lola’s husband Jay Brown, and Barton, 46, who portrays Honey Mitchell, ran the marathon in honour of Lola.

Also among the runners were 20 MPs and peers, the most in the event’s history, including Chancellor Jeremy Hunt and former health secretary Matt Hancock.

Mr Hunt, who ran for Royal Surrey Hospital, said it is more painful to lower inflation than it is to lower his marathon time.

While Mr Hancock, who ran for the Assisted Learning Foundation, wrote on his Instagram that he was “absolutely thrilled” to have finished the marathon in under four hours.

‘Hardest Geezer’ Russ Cook, who finished running the entire length of Africa on April 7, ran in support of the Running Charity (John Walton/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - John Walton

In the elite races, Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir, from Kenya, beat the women’s-only world record to win in two hours, 16 minutes and 16 seconds.

The men’s race was won by fellow Kenyan Alexander Munyao in two hours and four minutes, ahead of 41-year-old track great Kenenisa Bekele.

Switzerland’s Marcel Hug won the men’s wheelchair race for the fourth year in a row, with a time of one hour, 28 minutes and 38 seconds, while Catherine Debrunner, also Swiss, won the women’s wheelchair race with a time of one hour, 38 minutes and 52 seconds.

This year’s race is the first time that wheelchair and non-disabled athletes have received the same prize money for a marathon.

All four winners of the elite races will receive £44,000, with the runner-up receiving £24,000 and third place £18,000.

Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir, from Kenya, crosses the finish line beating the women’s-only world record and winning the London Marathon in two hours, 16 minutes and 16 seconds (John Walton/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - John Walton

British Paralympian David Weir, who came in third place, previously said he had not expected the change to happen in his lifetime.

Event director Hugh Brasher said the event was “more inclusive than before”, with support for more than 200 disabled participants as well as a faith space and a quiet space for neurodivergent participants in the finish area.

There were female urinals, sanitary products available for anyone who needed them and a family support area, which included a private breastfeeding area.

There was a 30-second round of applause before the race in memory of last year’s elite men’s race winner Kelvin Kiptum, who died in a car accident in February at the age of 24.

He set a new London Marathon record of two hours, one minute and 25 seconds last year with his third win, and set a new world record of two hours and 35 seconds in Chicago in October.

The 2023 marathon, the world’s biggest annual one-day fundraising event, raised £63 million for thousands of charities.