Fast conditions for the elite fields, though Ingrid Kristiansen battled dehydration and a stomach upset over the closing 7km
1985 Ballot results
The datasheet
TCS London Marathon 1985 ballot: 5th edition, 15,873 finishers
Ingrid Kristiansen ran 2:21:06 at the 1985 Mars London Marathon to break the women's marathon world record, taking 1 minute 37 seconds off Joan Benoit's mark, while Steve Jones won the men's race in 2:08:16.
Edition
5th edition
Applications not published by race organiser
Field size
15,873
Total finishers
Race day
Apr 21
1985
Good-for-age
M2:52 W3:38
Open category (18–34)
Race day weather
What runners faced on the course
Context
What made 1985 notable
The fifth Mars London Marathon, run on Sunday 21 April 1985, is remembered for Ingrid Kristiansen's women's world record. The Norwegian ran 2:21:06, slicing 1 minute 37 seconds off Joan Benoit's 2:22:43 from Boston in 1983, even after dehydration and a stomach upset cost her around a minute over the final 7km. Sarah Rowell followed in 2:28:06 and Sally Ann Hales in 2:28:38. Britain's Steve Jones took the men's title in 2:08:16, holding off Charlie Spedding and Allister Hutton despite stopping for the toilet mid-race. Around 83,000 people applied, 22,274 were accepted, 17,500 started and 15,873 finished. Chris Hallam and Kay McShane set wheelchair course records.
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 1985 ballot
When was the 1985 London Marathon held?
Sunday 21 April 1985. It was the fifth running and was held under title sponsor Mars.
Who won the 1985 London Marathon?
Norway's Ingrid Kristiansen won the women's race in 2:21:06, a world record. Britain's Steve Jones won the men's race in 2:08:16, ahead of Charlie Spedding.
What was the world record set at the 1985 London Marathon?
Ingrid Kristiansen ran 2:21:06 to break the women's marathon world record, taking 1 minute 37 seconds off Joan Benoit's 2:22:43 set in Boston in 1983.
How many runners finished the 1985 London Marathon?
15,873 finished. Around 83,000 people applied, 22,274 were accepted and 17,500 started the race.
Free alerts · TCS London Marathon
Want the next TCS London Marathon ballot window?
Set alert