LONDON MARATHON: Good run from Lunn who felt like running royalty, sleepless night couldn’t stop Gicuchi, Heron swoops to beat personal best by five minutes, 77 year-old and 11 year-old locals also in action

Josh Lunn felt like royalty in the closing stages of Sunday’s London Marathon (October 3), and he lapped up the applause as he ran past Buckingham Palace and along The Mall.
Josh Lunn (right) on his way to 14th place in the London Marathon.Josh Lunn (right) on his way to 14th place in the London Marathon.
Josh Lunn (right) on his way to 14th place in the London Marathon.

It was a job well done for Lunn, as he crossed the finish line in a time of 2:18.06 to take 14th place in the big race.

The former Kings School pupil may now represent Cardiff AC, but he retains close links with the Peterborough running scene and is also a member of Helpston Harriers.

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A good race tactician, the 29 year-old deliberately hung off the back of the second group of British runners early on. As the race developed and the groups split up he found himself passing many of the other elite runners to finish as eighth Brit.

Martin Gichuhi (blue shirt) didn't let a noisy hotel spoil his London Marathon run.Martin Gichuhi (blue shirt) didn't let a noisy hotel spoil his London Marathon run.
Martin Gichuhi (blue shirt) didn't let a noisy hotel spoil his London Marathon run.

The only regret for Lunn was finishing seven seconds outside his marathon personal best (PB), which he set at last year’s Elite London Marathon, a race which comprised multiple laps of St James’s Park.

“The group I was in early on were looking to go through halfway in 67:15, which was probably a bit fast for me,” Lunn said. “I yo-yoed with them a bit at first, but then settled into my own pace. It did make the second half somewhat hard though!

“The group seemed to break up from 20 miles which meant I was able to pass a lot of them even whilst I was slowing. I knew with one km to go I would be close to my PB, but my legs were really tired. Obviously it’s disappointing to miss a PB, but I’m really pleased to finish 14th in London.

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“The crowd was great. It’s hard to spot everyone, but the amount of shout outs were so helpful.”

Ben Heron (checked shirt) beat his marathon personal best by over five minutes in his first London Marathon.Ben Heron (checked shirt) beat his marathon personal best by over five minutes in his first London Marathon.
Ben Heron (checked shirt) beat his marathon personal best by over five minutes in his first London Marathon.

Peterborough & Nene Valley AC’s Ben Heron was running his second Marathon, and his first London. Things could not have gone a lot better for the 35 year-old who took five minutes off his previous marathon time when finishing 56th in 2:28.27.

Heron went through halfway in 1:12.32 and continued to churn out regular 5:30 mile pace before fading slightly in the last four miles

Martin Gichuhi found himself booked into what seemed to be one of London’s noisiest hotels, and as Saturday night progressed it became apparent he wasn’t going to get much, if any, sleep.

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The Bushfield Jogger took matters into his own hands leaving the bedlam behind and booking into another hotel in the middle of the night. It did not have too much of an adverse effect and he crossed the finish line in 313th position with a time of 2:38.33 which was just 16 seconds off his PB.

Terry Fone, the 77 year-old Eye Community Runner, has already qualified for next year's London Marathon, after a fine run in the 2021 race. Photo: Tim Chapman,Terry Fone, the 77 year-old Eye Community Runner, has already qualified for next year's London Marathon, after a fine run in the 2021 race. Photo: Tim Chapman,
Terry Fone, the 77 year-old Eye Community Runner, has already qualified for next year's London Marathon, after a fine run in the 2021 race. Photo: Tim Chapman,

Mark Pereira also of Bushfield Joggers clocked 3:23.08.

Mark Popple crossed the line in 3:02.44, while his Peterborough & Nene Valley AC team-mate Maddy Long clocked 3:35.20. James Sadlier was close behind with 3:36.14

Jeff Lucas of Werrington Joggers just missed out on his sixth sub three hour marathon finishing in 3:00.30.

Eye Community Runner Terry Fone doesn’t allow trivial details such as his age of 77 to get in the way of his passion for running and he qualified automatically for next year’s race, under the ‘good for his age’ rule, by running 4:51.52.

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Raffaele Mazzarella was the quickest Eye runner in 3:31.37. Karl Balderson was close behind in 3:33.28.

Yaxley’s Rosslyn Loutit clocked 3:38.37, while clubmate Sue Harlow completed the course in 3:50.45.

Louie Hemmings (11) of Peterborough and Nene Valley AC finished 42nd under 13 boy in the mini marathon. The race, which Hemmings completed in a time of 9:25, was run over a 2.6km course ending at the main finish on The Mall.

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