2020 London Marathon Live Stream: How to watch for free from anywhere and anywhere
get set for a 40th London Marathon like no other! The race that should have taken place on April 26 finally gets run just under six months later, and in a very different form due to the impact of coronavirus. But crucially, this pandemic has not managed to stop the marathon in its tracks completely!
Thanks to the perseverance and imagination of race organisers and runners everywhere, there will, thankfully, be elite races and there will, thankfully, be mass races. So let's start with the former. Just over 19 laps of a enclosed looped course around St James's Park, starting on Horse Guards Road and ending as usual on the Mall. Unfortunately for those that usually flock to the capital to watch on, that's a big no no this year, what with social distancing and all that. In fact, the action will be completely boarded up by screens to ensure no one creeps in or out. So it's best to keep track of things here.
One of Britain's most prestigious sporting events is finally scheduled to take place this weekend, with elite long-distance runners from around the world converging on the capital - read on to get a live stream of the London Marathon 2020 and watch the delayed race online . No matter where in the world you are.
Shunted from its annual April slot on the calendar, the rejigged 2020 edition of the Marathon will only feature elite runners who have prepared for the event within a bio secure bubble in an 'athletes only' hotel outside of London.
The route will also be significantly different, and will be confined to a revised 19.6 lap closed-loop circuit around St James's Park in London rather than the familiar trip around the capital's tourist hot spots.
The women's race starts at 7:15. It's all pretty murky down in St James's Park currently....
It originally should have been Seb Coe pressing the big red button to get the elite races underway. But he is unable to attend, meaning Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson takes the honours.
The eleven-time Paralympic champion is no stranger to the race having triumphed in the wheelchair race six times. I'm sure she'll done a fine job in the rain.
And it's straight into a corner on this flat looped race. The pace makers immediately getting to work.
Steph Twell and Lily Partridge are among the Brits enjoying being able to run again today. Twell has already dipped inside the Olympic qualifying standard of 2:29:30 during the required window but Partridge needs to do so. Today would be a good start - although this weather may hinder things.
Speaking before the race: "I need to focus on qualifying, whether that be from a top-10 finish or getting inside the 2:29:30. My run in 2018 got me both of those so a repeat would be great."
Partner Ben Connor makes his debut in the men's race, more on him later.
The leading pack is now three: Brigid Kosgei, Ruth Chepngetich and Valary Jemeli, a group that includes the world record holder, world champion and an equally experienced champion in Jemeli, who set a new course record at last year's Frankfurt Marathon.
A long way to go, but the leaders are bringing the pace down to within range of a women's only marathon record. That would be some feat considering the conditions today and race set up
Sunday's event will mark the first race of the year for many of the runners, with much of the focus with the men's race. Alas, the hoped for historic match-up between 2019 Berlin Marathon winner Kenenisa Bekele and world record-holder Eliud Kipchoge will no longer happen after the former withdrew with a calf injury. But conditions in London currently look good for a fast, potentially record-breaking race, with four-time Olympic champion Sir Mo Farah set to act as pacemaker.
The women’s field meanwhile is led by Brigid Kosge who is being tipped to beat her own world record. The Kenyan set to be challenged by four other runners who have all previously registered sub 2:20 times in the marathon. And in the wheelchair races, both Daniel Romanchuk and Manuela Schär are both set to defend their titles.
The Telegraph's athletics correspondent Ben Bloom is among the lucky few allowed into the race bubble today to report on matters. While he's obviously delighted to be reporting on live athletics action once again (it's been few and far between this year for him) the cold weather and rain is not to his liking. At least his social distancing tracker is working though...
As the lead athletes (Kosgei and Chepngetich) approach the hour mark, we have our first lapping of athletes, which was always going to happen with this course set up. British Olympian Alyson Dixon steps diligently out of the way to let the Kenyans pass.
For the first time, Kosgei looks like it might be a bit of an effort as world champion Chepngetich pushes slightly ahead. But the world record holder moves back in touch onto her shoulder. Little bit of tactics?
8:19AM
Here's the Queen...
In cardboard version, of course. Not even the Queen of England is above the rules to spectate on this socially distanced running bubble.
I mentioned earlier about Britain's Steph Twell appearing to struggle a bit. It's bad news now as she stops on the side of the road, and it looks like a leg injury.
Natasha Cockram is leading the British challenge so far.
Kosgei and Chepngetich pass under the finish line once again, six laps to go. The pace had dropped off though. Could it be the conditions? A lack of tune-up preparation? At this rate, the women's only record is out of reach on predicted finish time, with the two coming through 30km in 1hrs38mins18secs. That's about 45 secs too slow.
But with these Kenyans, you never know.
American Sara Hall is having a fantastic race here. She's up into fifth place, the highest non-African runner. She was fifth in the Berlin Marathon last year, in a personal best time of 2:22:16 - sixth on the US all time list. She is on track to beat that today, with a predicted finish time of 2hrs 21min s21secs.
Big move from the leaders, or should I say Kosgei. The defending champion has changed up a gear and pulled away from Chepngetich, opening up a gap in a blink of an eye.
