The London Marathon is an annual marathon held in London, United Kingdom. It is one of the six World Marathon Majors and is the most popular marathon in the world, with over 40,000 participants each year. The marathon was first held in 1981 and has been held every year since then, except for 2003 when it was canceled due to the SARS outbreak.
The London Marathon is a major fundraising event for charities, with over 1 billion having been raised since the event began. The marathon is also a major tourist attraction, with over 750,000 spectators lining the course each year. Applying for the London Marathon is a competitive process, with only a limited number of places available each year.