London Marathon - Organisation

Organisation

The race is currently organised by former 10,000 m world record holder David Bedford as Race Director and Nick Bitel as Chief Executive. Bedford and Bitel have overseen a period of great change for the race, including amendments to the course in 2005 which saw the famous cobbled section by the Tower of London replaced with a flat stretch along the Highway.

Dr Dan Tunstall-Pedoe, was the medical director of the London Marathon for 25 years between the first one in 1981 until 2005. In 2003, Dr Tunstall-Pedoe was shadowed by Professor Sanjay Sharma from St George's University of London who took over the role in its entirety in 2006. Medical cover is provided by 150 highly experienced doctors in internal medicine, intensive care, sports medicine, orthopaedics and anaesthetics. The doctors are assisted by more than 1,500 volunteers of St. John Ambulance, who organise over 50 first aid posts along the route, and three field hospitals at the finish. St John Ambulance also provide a large number of Healthcare Professionals for the event, including a vast number of Nurses and Paramedics. They also provide a large number of Ambulances and Ambulance Crews for use at the event and also across London to support the NHS Ambulance Service.

The BBC covers the event, devoting rolling coverage for most of the morning. The theme music associated with this coverage, and with the event itself, is called Main Titles to The Trap, composed by Ron Goodwin for the film The Trap.

There are three separate groups of starters: Elite Women, Wheelchair (Men and Women), and Elite Men followed by Mass Race.