SUNDAY saw over 53,000 runners complete the London Marathon, the largest number since its inception in 1981.

Included in the masses were three members of Fit2Run. All three were tackling the event for the second time and with the added incentive of raising money for charities close to their hearts.

First home was Vanessa Zalman, crossing the finish line in time of 5:02:00 followed by Tracey Anders in 6:03:54. Tracey and Vanessa, asthma sufferers themselves, have raised over £2400 on behalf of Asthma and Lung UK. Meanwhile, Janette Wilton was running for Leonard Cheshire, a charity that supports people with disabilities to live independently. She successfully completed the course in 6:46:10 and is thrilled to have raised well over £1000.  

The huge field runners made for a congested course in places and the additional numbers caused challenges for spectators keen to spot loved ones completing the event and stress on the London transport infrastructure which ground to a halt at times! Despite this the support was as fabulous as ever with music, encouragement and enthusiasm all the way round from spectators.  

The competitors were exposed to the unseasonably bitter northerly wind causing some of the London streets to feel like a wind tunnel but it did keep everyone cool, and the record-breaking times achieved by the elite runners illustrated what excellent running conditions this provided. The London Marathon is an event that needs to be experienced first-hand and the organisers are aiming for an even bigger and better event in 2025.