Light drizzle, cool and damp but near perfect for running
1981 Ballot results
The datasheet
TCS London Marathon 1981 ballot: 1st edition, 6,255 finishers
The inaugural London Marathon ended in a dead heat as Dick Beardsley and Inge Simonsen crossed the line holding hands in 2:11:48.
Edition
1st edition
Applications not published by race organiser
Field size
6,255
Total finishers
Race day
Mar 29
1981
Good-for-age
M2:52 W3:38
Open category (18–34)
Race day weather
What runners faced on the course
Context
What made 1981 notable
The first London Marathon, run on Sunday 29 March 1981, was the brainchild of Olympians Chris Brasher and John Disley, inspired by the New York City Marathon. It ended with one of the sport's most enduring images. American Dick Beardsley and Norway's Inge Simonsen, having run the closing miles together, chose not to sprint and crossed the line hand in hand in a dead heat of 2:11:48. Joyce Smith of Great Britain won the women's race in 2:29:57, a British record and the first time a British woman had broken 2:30, taking 138th place overall. Gillette backed the event, which started at Blackheath and finished on Constitution Hill. 6,255 runners finished in light drizzle.
Year over year
Applications over time
Applications · 2011 → 2026
164K170K167K170K173K247K254K386K414K578K840K1.13M
'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'24'25'26
Qualifying
Good-for-age standards
View full age-group standards
| Age group | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 18-34 | 2:52:00 | 3:38:00 |
| 35-39 | 2:52:00 | 3:38:00 |
| 40-44 | 2:57:00 | 3:43:00 |
| 45-49 | 3:02:00 | 3:46:00 |
| 50-54 | 3:07:00 | 3:53:00 |
| 55-59 | 3:12:00 | 3:58:00 |
| 60-64 | 3:34:00 | 4:23:00 |
| 65-69 | 3:52:00 | 4:53:00 |
| 70-74 | 4:52:00 | 5:53:00 |
| 75-79 | 5:07:00 | 6:13:00 |
| 80-84 | 5:27:00 | 6:38:00 |
| 85-89 | 6:10:00 | 7:10:00 |
| 90+ | 7:20:00 | 7:45:00 |
FAQ
Questions about the 1981 ballot
Who won the first London Marathon in 1981?
The men's race ended in a dead heat: American Dick Beardsley and Norway's Inge Simonsen crossed the line holding hands in 2:11:48. Joyce Smith of Great Britain won the women's race in 2:29:57.
When was the first London Marathon held?
Sunday 29 March 1981, the inaugural running, founded by Chris Brasher and John Disley and sponsored by Gillette.
Why did the first London Marathon end in a dead heat?
Beardsley and Simonsen ran the closing miles together and decided not to sprint for the win, crossing the line hand in hand in 2:11:48.
How many people finished the first London Marathon?
6,255 runners finished. London did not publish an exact application total that year, so a ballot acceptance rate cannot be calculated.
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