• More than 800 volunteers will be on duty to ensure all those taking part have a safe and enjoyable time

• Thirty-one runners will celebrate their birthday on the day of the marathon

• The oldest runner taking part in the first Plusnet Yorkshire Marathon is 77 years, four months and 20 days, while the youngest is 18 years, one month, and two days

• There will be three miles of barrier and 2,000m of banners out on the course

• There will be 57,900 bottles of water on the course

• It is reckoned a ten-stone woman running ten-minute miles will burn some 2,777 calories during a marathon

• Runners are coming from as far away as the US, Germany, Australia, Bahamas, Canada, France, Ireland, New Zealand and Switzerland

• Elite runner John Mutai, from Kenya, has a personal best of two hours 11 minutes

• There are nine entertainment spots along the route