On 29 March 1981, just over 7,000 runners set off on the 26.2-mile route from Greenwich Park to Constitution Hill in the first London Marathon. Inge Simonsen, a 27-year-old Norwegian, officially won the race in 2 hours 11 minutes 48 seconds, the fastest time recorded in Britain for 11 years, watched by an estimated 100,000 people.
Bob Wiseman, a 78-year-old part-time storeman from Greenwich, finished last in just over six hours. 'At least they told me that there were still some people behind me. But I think they were just being kind,' he said. 'I had hoped to do it within five hours. Next time I shall be better geared up. I’ve never run more than seven miles before.'
The event was inspired by Chris Brasher, the 1956 Olympic steeplechase gold medalist, who modelled it on the New York Marathon. 'For one day the human race can be one joyous human family, working together, laughing together, achieving the impossible,' he said. The race began with a restrained British atmosphere, but as the first-time marathon runners appeared, the crowd's cheers grew, creating what Brasher called the 'New York effect'.
Joyce Smith won the women's prize, improving her own British and Commonwealth record by 31 seconds. The race featured a mix of elite athletes and amateur runners, with many achieving personal triumphs over doubt and fear.
