The hard winter of training paid off for many of the Grantham athletes who took part in last Sunday’s London Marathon.
Paul Rushworth, pictured centre in his green vest, is proudly displaying his “red on yellow” race number which identifies him as running with the fast competitors. He has qualified to wear it again next year by completing the course in a personal best of 3hr 2min 49sec.
Front left is Andrew Pask who also set a PB of 3:32:37 and front right is Lucy Roberts who, regardless of an unfavourable starting position, completed her first ever marathon in 4:16:36.
In the back row, from left is Sophie Stanley who, despite badly blistered feet, knocked over 28 minutes off her previous best time to finish in 4:01:25; Abi Schofield, in her first marathon, was just behind her in 4:03:07; Catherine Payne moved further up the UK rankings with another personal best of 3:21:14; and Keith Measures ran in his 14th London Marathon and his first as a Super Vet, but picked up a hip injury midway and limped home in 5:09:34.
Not pictured are the injured duo of Robert McArdle and Tony Madge who recorded 3:37:15 and 4:20:47 respectively.
l A duo from Ropsley Road Runners also battled the hot conditions in London.
Tony Johnson completed the 26.2 miles in 3:13:56 and Martin Neal in 3:41:08.