If the restrictions on air travel are not lifted soon the Virgin London Marathon on Sunday (April 25th 2010) could be missing most of the expected elite athletes from Europe, Africa and the USA.

The new sponsor Virgin must think the sky is falling down since the eruption of the Iclandic Eyjafjallajökull volcano sent a cloud of ash across the UK bringing air traffic to a standstill.

You can impress your Icelandic friends with the correct pronunciation.

There is a possibility that restrictions may be lifted later on Wednesday, with British Airways aiming to fly out of London airports from 1900 BST. There are alternatives by rail and sea however these will not suit everyone.

We will keep you posted on developments but some domestic athletes are already getting excited about the opportunity for and unexpected top placing.

Travel is bad enough at the best of times with the marathon on but there are guides available to help you make your way around London and catch the best views if you are spectating.