Raymond Tonui and William Chebon will both chase the £200 bonus on offer for a sub-62 minute performance in tomorrow's Great Eastern Run.

Peterborough has never witnessed a half-marathon inside 63 minutes, let alone 62, but the Kenyan pair are determined to make the pace fast from the start in a bid to ensure the bonus is won.

Tonui is no stranger to the course, having crossed the line together with his uncle John Mutai – the former Great North Run winner – 12 months ago.

Download PDF a map of the route for the Great Eastern Run 2008 (1.1MB file).

Great Eastern Run 2008: road closures around Peterborough.
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That was Tonui's debut at the distance and his time of 63.48 remains his personal best, but he believes he can go much faster tomorrow.

He said: "I am looking forward to coming back and running a personal best in Peterborough.

"I enjoyed last year's race and it was great to be a joint winner with my uncle. I've been training well and I will be giving it my all to try and run a fast time.

"It would have been nice if John was here with me again as he really helped me round last year, but I have more experience of the distance now so it is not a problem."

Tomorrow's winner will receive £750, with the bonus – which has been put up by Dick, Ros and Lisa Hughes (the family who used to run Running Imp) – pushing that up to £950 if 62 minutes is broken.

Chebon certainly knows what it is like to run such a fast time as he has a best of 60.53 (set in Italy two years ago) and the pair will be joined by fellow Kenyan Ezekeil Cherop, winner of this year's Robin Hood Half-marathon in Nottingham.

Cherop ran 65.28 that day but believes he is in shape to run two minutes quicker on the flatter city course tomorrow.

The fastest half-marathon ever seen in Peterborough is the 63.07 run by Kenya's Julius Kibet to win the 2003 AMP International Half-marathon.

That race was organised by Ian Ladbrooke, who is the manager for the African contingent competing tomorrow.

Ladbrooke insists his athletes will attack the sub-62 minute target and he could well see a Kenyan double with Joyce Kandia bidding to add to her victories in the Swansea 10k and Loch Ness 10k.

She feels she is in 72-minute shape which is faster than the 74.32 that Bedford's Jo Wilkinson ran to win last year's race. Wilkinson will bid to defend her title tomorrow.

Fastest half-marathons ever in Peterborough:

• Men


• 63.07 Julius KibetKenya2003


• 63.30 Steve BraceBridgend1995


• 63.48 Raymond TonuiKenya2007


• 63.48 John MutauiKenya2007


• 63.49 Giovanni RizzoNene Valley1992


• Women


• 70.36 Jane OmoroKenya2003


• 72.31 Yelena BurykinaRussia2003


• 72.38 Natalie HarveyAustralia2003


• 72.58 Cathy MutwaKenya2006


• 73.19 Mary PtikanyKenya2002