TENS of thousands of runners are taking part in the London Marathon.

Fun runners, charity fundraisers and those in fancy dress have joined professional athletes in tackling the 26.2 mile course.

It started in Blackheath and Greenwich Park and ends in The Mall, central London.

Kenyan runner Sammy Wanjiru won the men's race with a course record time of 2 hours 5 minutes 10 seconds, while Britain's Mara Yamauchi was runner-up in the women's race, 61 seconds behind reigning champion Irina Mikitenko from Germany, who recorded a time of 2 hours 22 minutes and 11 seconds.

The elite women began at 9am and were followed by the elite men and the bulk of the 35,000-strong crowd at 9.45.

The runners left Greenwich Park on their way east past Woolwich Royal Artillery barracks before winding back to cross the river at Tower Bridge.

Former glamour model Katie Price, running for children's charity Vision, told the BBC she had already suffered a knee injury before the race.

"The physio saw it last night and they strapped it up at 5.45am so hopefully it will stay all right.

"But I'm still going to finish it, whether I'm limping. It's for charity and I want to get past the finish line."

Top chef Gordon Ramsay is competing in his 10th London marathon in a row.

He is aiming to finish in just over three-and-a-half hours as he runs for the Scottish Spina Bifida Association.

He said: "It's time for a celebration. We're fighting a global credit crunch, and in terms of coming out and having fun, it costs nothing to come and watch."

Gail Emms, who won a silver medal in the badminton mixed doubles at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, said: "I am so shaking, I can't believe it.

"I just have no idea what to expect. I'm completely out of my comfort zone."

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