Thousands take part in London Marathon 2015

As if running a marathon was not stressful enough, this man had a very special question he wanted to ask to a particular spectator.

The pro-athletes were out in force today with their eyes firmly set on setting a World Record.

Other runners however had a slightly different idea of how to make it into the history books.

Swarms of people in fancy dress were taking on the challenge with everyone from Sonic the Hedgehog to leprechauns getting involved.

Here are just some of the records set today:

• Dressed as Spiderman, Paul Martelletti earned the crown for the fastest marathon dressed as a superhero, completing the race in 2:30:12, and also securing the title of fastest ever Guinness World Record achieved at the event
• The fastest marathon in a nurse's uniform was run in 2:46:48 by Neil Casey
• The fastest marathon dressed as a lifeguard was 2:55:54 and was achieved by Terry Midgley
• Lee Ryan achieved the fastest marathon carrying a 20lb pack, clocking up a time of 2:56:39
• Mystical creatures also crossed the finish line, with Adam Jones achieving the world record for the fastest marathon dressed as a leprechaun, completing it in a time of 2:59:30
• The fastest marathon dressed as a boxer was run in 3:08:00 and was achieved by Joe Elliott
• Subhashis Basu earned the record for fastest marathon run in a cricket uniform, clocking a time of 3:20:46
• Neil Light earned his record by crossing the line in 3:09:28 to become the fastest runner dressed as a video game character - Sonic the Hedgehog

The London Marathon's celebrity contingent was strong this time around - most of them looking considerably better before they set out...

From wacky costumes to knackered runners struggling over the finish line, the London Marathon has it all. Here's a collection of some of the best moments of the day - so far.

Marathon world record-holder Paula Radcliffe ran her last ever race today, finishing in an impressive 2:36:55.

She might have won the London Marathon three times in the past - once in a blistering 2:15:25 - but this time she was just happy to finish, to huge cheers from watching crowds.

"I didn't care about the time all the way round and I just wanted to thank as many people as possible," Radcliffe told the BBC.

"I went off way too fast and then it got more and more emotional. It was just amazing the whole way round."

She said the "magic of the London Marathon" helped her finish.

• Read: More than 38,000 take part in record London Marathon

If the sight of thousands of people gasping fro breath as they try to stagger over the finish line has not put you off, registration for next year's race is almost open.

Applications for the London Marathon public ballot open on Monday May 4 and close on Friday 8 May at 5pm.

If you are interested, then you just have to visit the London Marathon website when the application window opens.

After a hard-fought race, Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge won the 2015 men's London Marathon in a time of 2:04:42. He pipped his countryman Wilson Kipsang into second with a time of 2:04:47 - the fastest second place in London's history.

In third place was another Kenyan, Dennis Kimetto, with 2:05:50.

Victoria Beckham has said how proud she is of her son Romeo who completed the London Mini-Marathon today.

Romeo, 12, was raising money for UNAIDS, the joint United Nations programme on Aids, and David Beckham's Unicef 7 fund.

He completed the three mile course course in 18 minutes and 54 seconds.

Ethiopian Tigist Tufa has romped home to victory in the London Marathon with a time of 2:22:21, ahead of Kenyan Mary Keitany in 2:23:40.

Sonia Samuels was the first Brit to finish.