London Marathon 2016
In less than a month thousands will flock to the capital for one of the biggest events in the sporting calendar. The London Marathon attracts a huge number of runners every year to raise money for charity, many taking to the streets in fancy dress, hoping to stand out from the crowds as a giant penguin, a slow-moving snail or a London bus.
It is hard to imagine this iconic London event all started in the pub back in 1978. Co-founders of the marathon, John Disley and Chris Brasher, were discussing the New York City Marathon with friends and were inspired by how much it differed from UK Marathons; with its world famous sights, cheering spectators and the camaraderie of the other runners. They set about arranging a similar event for London and soon had a course designed that used the Thames as a backdrop, passing by the City’s most famous sights including Cutty Sark, Tower Bridge, Embankment, Big Ben and Buckingham Palace.
The first race was held on 29th March 1981, where more than 20,000 people applied to run and 7,747 were accepted. It was such a success that the 1982 race received over 90,000 applications from participants across the globe. Since the London Marathon started, a total of 964,333 people have completed the race, helping hundreds of charities every year.
On April 24th the 2016 Virgin Money London Marathon will take over the capital once again, with this year’s official charity being the NSPCC. If you are taking part this year, be sure to get a good night’s sleep so you can give it your all on race day. Whether you are running, walking or cheering from the sidelines, stay at The Rembrandt for a relaxing night in one of our 194 comfortable bedrooms. You can also enjoy a range of meals, drinks and snacks throughout the day in 1606 Lounge Bar. To make a booking or find out more call us on 020 3740 8699 or email us at [email protected].
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