Marathon weekend: Thousands take to London and Manchester
The London and Manchester marathons both take place this weekend with more than 90,000 people running the gruelling 26.2 mile courses through the UK's capital and northern metropolis. Both events are expected to bring in huge crowds of supporters, with friends and family lining the routes. So do you know anyone taking part in either event? If so, let us know in the comments section below and perhaps send us your messages of support - we may even read some on the Newsround bulletin. As well as the main event, the London Marathon weekend will feature the mini marathon. Read on to find out more.
What is the London Marathon all about?
The London Marathon, which has been taking place for the last 45 years, leads runners through some of England's capital's most iconic landmarks. The course begins at Greenwich Park and ends on The Mall, where runners will cross the finishing line after passing Buckingham Palace.The mostly flat route takes in Tower Bridge, Canary Wharf and Big Ben.There are a number of races all going on at the same time, including the elite men's, women's and wheelchair races, plus the mass event where members of the public hope to collectively raise millions of pounds for various charities.
Amongst those running for charities, there will also be people hoping to break various world records, including: Fastest marathon in a firefighter's uniform and breathing apparatusFastest marathon dressed in a tentFastest marathon on crutchesIn this year's elite races, there is a whopping £98,000 bonus available to those who manage to break world records.
Pre-race wees will help make bread.... Ewww!
This year, urine - or wee - from thousands of female participants is set to be captured before the race and turned into fertiliser for wheat crops.An estimated 1,000 litres of wee will be collected from special women's urinals placed at the start of the race. Kate Chapman, head of sustainability at London Marathon Events said, "We are delighted that the urine from the urinals can be used for something so positive rather than going to waste."
What is the Mini Marathon?
On Saturday, school-age children from across the UK will head to central London to take part in the Mini Marathon. The don't have to run the full 26.2 miles - instead they will run or walk one mile (1.6km) for children in reception up to year seven, or 2.6 km (1.6 miles) for those between year four and year 12. They will get the chance to run up The Mall and cross the same iconic finish line as the adults' elite and mass event. Pupils who can't make it to the capital can also take part virtually from their own school. The young people who join in will be following in the speedy footsteps of 2024 Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson, who competed in the Mini Marathon when she was a junior athlete.
What do we know about the Manchester Marathon?
The Manchester Marathon course leads runners through the south of the city and past Man United's Old Trafford football ground. The 2025 edition of the race has a new finish line outside the grand Manchester University building. Much like London, there will be elite races for men, women and wheelchair users. These races also double up as the 2025 England Athletics English Championships so there is prize money on offer for the top finishers. The weather is likely to play a key part in many participant's days - it is forecast to be a warm day so organisers have arranged extra water stations for runners to access.
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