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Demo 'will not divert marathon' Runners ready for London Marathon
(about 6 hours later)
Mayor of London Boris Johnson insists the marathon will go ahead as normal later, despite an ongoing protest by Sri Lankan Tamils outside Parliament. Thousands of runners - including celebrities and those in fancy dress - are preparing for the start of this year's London Marathon.
Mr Johnson denied reports that the route was to be diverted away from Parliament Square to Admiralty Arch. About 35,000 runners are expected to take part in the race, which starts in Greenwich Park at 0900BST.
Celebrity runners this year include former Page 3 model Katie Price.
London Mayor Boris Johnson insisted the marathon route will not change, despite an ongoing protest by Sri Lankan Tamils outside Parliament.
I don't think you can ever be prepared for the marathon Katie Price Live London Marathon map
Other runners taking part include celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, who is running in his tenth marathon, as well as Major Phil Packer, a paraplegic who was crippled in a rocket attack in the Iraqi city of Basra last year.
Price, who is running for children's charity Vision, said: "I don't think you can ever be prepared for the marathon. It's not a normal distance to run."
Her husband Peter Andre, running for the NSPCC, said: "We've done the training. Physically we may be up for it but I think psychologically is where we struggle."
Maj Packer hopes to complete the event in 13 days and is aiming to raise £1m for the charity Help The Heroes.
He will run the race on crutches and is aiming to complete two miles a day.
British runner Paul Radcliffe will not take part because of a broken toe, leaving reigning champion Irina Mikitenko of Germany as favourite. Challengers to the women's title include China's Zhou Chunxiu, world champion Catherine Ndereba of Kenya and Ethiopia's Gete Wami.
Kenyan runner Sammy Wanjiru is expected to win the men's title after defending champion and fellow Kenyan Martin Lel had to withdraw on Saturday after suffering a hip injury.
The route will not change despite the protest, Mayor Johnson said
Earlier, Mr Johnson had denied reports that the route was to be diverted away from Parliament Square to Admiralty Arch.
"I want to reassure everybody the route will be the same length as normal," he told LBC radio. "We will not be cutting [it]... it will be the same route.""I want to reassure everybody the route will be the same length as normal," he told LBC radio. "We will not be cutting [it]... it will be the same route."
The Tamil protest has been taking place since the beginning of April.The Tamil protest has been taking place since the beginning of April.
The protesters want the UK government to help bring an end to the conflict between Sri Lankan government forces and the rebel Tamil Tigers group in the north of the country.
Police said there had been no intelligence suggesting disruption was likely, but it was normal for plans to be made for alternative routes.
Last year, a gas leak forced organisers to change the route of the race only 20 to 25 minutes before it started.
Fun runners
Two of the UK's biggest stars from the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing will start the runners on their way.
Olympic track cycling champion Sir Chris Hoy will be at the "blue start" in Greenwich while Paralympic swimming champion Ellie Simmonds will start the Mini London Marathon alongside the UK's number one distance runner Mo Farah.
Former glamour model Katie Price, her husband Peter Andre and celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay will join thousands of fun runners, charity fundraisers and elite athletes on the 26.2-mile (42.2km) course.
Some 35,000 people are set to take part.
The occasion is crucially important for charities and organisers say it is the largest single fundraising event in the world.The occasion is crucially important for charities and organisers say it is the largest single fundraising event in the world.
The race begins at 0900BST with the elite women, followed by the wheelchair athletes at 0920. The elite men begin 25 minutes later with everybody else.
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