ZOE Ball will fire the starting gun tomorrow morning during the biggest Brighton Marathon weekend ever.

A total of 200,000 people are expected to line the route of one of the country’s best-loved 26 mile races, which will include a fun Beach Village event with food, drink and entertainment stalls.

The marathon itself, which expects a record number of 13,000 runners, only forms part of the celebration of sport and fundraising, which also includes short kids’ and teens’ races today, a 10K run alongside the marathon on Sunday and a two day exhibition at the Brighton Centre.

Zoe Ball, Brighton resident and wife of DJ Norman Cook (Fatboy Slim) said: “I’m absolutely honoured and thrilled to start the Brighton Marathon this year on behalf of the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

“Running the marathon is such an achievement; I'm always in awe of everyone who does it and I think they're all heroes.”

The main race will start at 9.15am in Preston Park in Brighton on Sunday.

A spokesman for the Marathon said: “We’ve got more runners this year, we’ve actually had about 17,000 applications but we’re expecting a record 11,000 runners to start tomorrow.”

Spectators wishing to line the route and follow their friends can download the Brighton Marathon app for use on their smartphones, which will give a live GPS-tracked update on the positions of runners.

An online Event Programme also provides information on course crossing points and the best vantage points, including the grandstand seating by Madeira Drive where exhausted but no doubt satisfied racers will cross the finish line.

So-called “music cheer and entertainment” points around the course will include acts, bands and ‘charity cheer’ points to help keep runners (and spectators) motivated.

Significant road closures will affect traffic (see information box) but extra trains and a park and ride system will be laid on to facilitate transport in and out of the city.

The Cancer Research UK Kids and Teens Mini Mile races for younger age groups will take place along the marathon’s start line in Preston Park today (Saturday) between 11am and 4pm, alongside an events village and a 125m water flume.

And on Sunday at 8.30am, the hugely popular Brighton Marathon 10K race will run from Preston Park down to the Palace Pier and west to Hove Lawns before heading back to the main race’s finish point along Madeira Drive.

Mixed weather is forecast for the weekend but runners’ moods are expected to stay high whatever the conditions.

Keep checking www.theargus.co.uk through the course of Sunday to read updates from our live blog and see photos from throughout the day.