The London Marathon

Since it was first run in 1981, the London Marathon has become part of the traditional British way of life. This year, on April 25th,the 30,000 runners pounding their way around the course will have to cope with partial cloud and expected temperatures of 22°; making this the second hottest London marathon on record.

With only two years to go before London hosts the Olympics, the organisers of the Virgin London Marathon hope that this year’s event will be more spectacular than ever, once again showing the world that London knows how to put on a mass sporting event. To help achieve this they have spent £150,000 of their reserve fund to ensure that top athletes from around the world can get to the event, despite the travel chaos caused by the Iceland volcano.

Competitors from previous marathons agree that the London marathon is a special event and that they are proud to have taken part. This applies equally to top athletes, wheel chair competitors and those slightly less athletic who every year are seen attempting the London marathon route wearing a variety of unusual costumes.

The London marathon is not just special for the athletes. For spectators it is a chance to take part in a glorious street party with live music, travelling entertainers, not to mention those athletes to cheer on. For Londoners who are lucky enough to live or work on the marathon route there is also a possibility that their home or office may appear on television. To help them make sure that their premises look their best here are a few quick tips.

Firstly, and most importantly, get those windows clean and gleaming. Not only will that make your premises look good, clean windows are great for taking quirky reflection shots which producers love.

Next, and mainly for businesses, clear those stacks of unwanted paper off the window sills. Whilst sills are very useful for stacking paper, from the outside it makes your office look untidy. Take the opportunity to clean down the sills whilst they are clear. If you have blinds then get them dusted down properly so that your business presents a clean and efficient image. For private houses, the odd dog, cat or cute child sitting inside a window will enhance the chances of being photographed.

Finally we wish all competitors, in both this marathon and other marathons and fun runs around the country this year the very best of fortunes. You raise enormous sums of money for charity and we applaud you all.