How on earth can you follow on from Jasmin and Graham on the Carnethy News Page!
Well here goes…
The London Marathon was won by Eliud Kipchoge in a staggering time of 2:03:05 just 8 seconds outside the world record. [photos removed; copyright fee] See various news-feeds on him not wearing a watch and therefore NOT being aware of how close he was to the record. First Brit home was Callum Hawkins in 2:10:52 with his brother not far behind in 2:10:52 and **Robbie Simpson** 17th in 2:15:38. The women’s elite race was won by Jemima Sumgong in a time of 2:22:58 who won despite a fall earlier in the race. Alyson Dixon (2:31:52) was first UK runner in 13th place.
Can’t guarantee that I’ve located all Carnethy runners but Rosie Allister completed in 3:41:29; Graeme Dunbar in 3:04:49; Kate Fraser in 3:56:05 and Pam Whitlie in 3:58:26. Tim Darlow got a marathon PB in spite of a calf injury in 2:56:34 (Ed: these times will be entered into the club marathon records where appropriate). Hope that another London report will follow from these runners.
Well away from the sharp end, Bob Johnson (and a team sponsored by Johnson’s Coaches) took on the record for the “fastest marathon in a two-person costume” with their sort-of-replica-Indian-Canoe. Sadly the finish time acheived (5:24:40) at the end of the 26.2 mile course was (a) over then minimum requirement of 5hrs stipulated by GWR and (b) hammered by a team dressed as a horse and rider who completed the course in 4:21:21! The canoe was manned by Richard Johnson (27, nephew to Bob) at the front and Bob Johnson (57, suprisingly uncle to Richard) at the back. We were lucky enough to persuade Simon Smith to act as “traffic minder” as required by the Virgin Money London Marathon team.
Excellent fun and so grateful to Carnethy for the athletics club place and to all those super-generous people in the club who donated hard-earned-tax-paid-sweat-soaked-gut-bustin money to the fund for “The Children’s Trust” and the “Shakespeare Cancer Hospice”.
Bob Johnson