London Marathon vs North Korea marathon: Two VERY different experiences

While 36,000 runners pounded the streets of London yesterday a very different race was being held half way across the world.

The secretive state of North Korea opened the Mangyongdae Prize International Marathon to foreign competitors for the first time in its history this year.

The streets of North Korea's capital Pyongyang were filled with competitors and spectators for the event yesterday - just like London - but in reality the two 26-mile events couldn't be more different.

[Kim Jong-Un 're-elected' as North Korean leader]

The familiar sight of wacky costumes, high-vis running gear and cheering supporters aving flags that are such a fixture of the London Marathon were nowhere to be seen in North Korea - American and Japanese flags were even banned for the event.

Here's a rundown of how the two events compare: