The public ballot entry system for the 2018 Virgin Money London Marathon is open to all applicants from today and closes at 17.00 on Friday 5 May.

The ballot will again be open for five days to give everyone who would like to enter the event a fair chance to do so.

UK applications for the 2017 event reached a record 253,930 and high demand is again anticipated for the 2018 race, which will take place on Sunday 22 April 2018.

All those who enter for 2018 will find out whether or not they have been successful in early October.

2017 was another record year for the Virgin Money London Marathon. More than 39,400 runners completed the 26.2-mile course, making the 37th edition of the race the biggest in its history. Mary Keitany (Kenya) set a new women-only world record, 24 year old Daniel Wanjiru (Kenya) held off Kenenisa Bekele (Ethiopia) to win the men’s race, David Weir (Great Britain) took a record seventh title in the men’s wheelchair race and Manuela Schär (Switzerland) set a course record to win the women’s wheelchair race.

For more information on the ballot, please visit www.virginmoneylondonmarathon.com

Pictures: London Marathon