Editor’s note: Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8, 2022, at the age of 96 New Years Resolutions. Twin Cities Race Director Defends Canceling.
On April 22, one day after her 92nd birthday, Her Majesty the Queen was the official starter of the London Marathon.
Wearing a bright pink outfit, Queen Elizabeth II stepped onto a special podium on the empty grounds of Windsor Castle. After “God Save the Queen,” the British national anthem she pushed the start button at 10 a.m., sending 40,000 runners on their way through the city.
The Queen’s involvement had historical significance as well: It came 110 years after the 1908 Olympic Marathon was started at the same location by then Princess Mary, the Queen’s grandmother. The 1908 race was the first to be contested over 26.2 miles, which became the marathon distance.
Other members of the royal family have connections to the London Marathon. Princess Beatrice, the Queen’s granddaughter, finished the 2010 race as part of a human caterpillar, 34 people tethered by bungee cords. They ran the race in 5:13.
Prince William and his wife, Kate, were the official starters in 2017 and volunteered at a absorb stop. They also made appearances with runners training for the London Marathon.
Races & Places Boston Marathon, Running Health - Injuries Eliud Kipchoge, Mo Farah, and Kenenisa Bekele on the men’s side, and Mary Keitany and Tirunesh Dibaba on the women’s side.
Kipchoge of Kenya was the men’s winner in 2:04:17 and Vivian Cheruiyot of Kenya won the women’s race in 2:18:31, both by sizable margins.
The Queen ruled for 70 years, longer than any other monarch in British history.
Sarah Lorge Butler is a writer and editor living in Eugene, Oregon, and her stories about the sport, its trends, and fascinating individuals have appeared in Runner’s World Give A Gift, Run Your Butt Off! and Walk Your Butt Off!
