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London Marathon
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London Marathon; Brigid Kosgei
The miles-long history of the marathon
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London Marathon; Brigid Kosgei
London Marathon; Brigid Kosgei Brigid Kosgei of Kenya celebrating after winning the elite women's division of the London Marathon, 2019.

London Marathon

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Adam Augustyn
Adam Augustyn was a senior editor at Encyclopædia Britannica.
Adam Augustyn
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Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
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London Marathon, annual 26.2-mile (42.2-km) footrace through the streets of London that takes place in April. The event was first held in 1981 and is one of the world’s six major marathons, along with the Berlin, Boston, Chicago, New York City, and Tokyo races. In 2026 Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe made history when he finished the London Marathon in 1:59:30, becoming the first runner to complete a competitive marathon in under 2 hours. The course of...

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