There was some classy running by the Cornwall Athletic Club runners in the London Marathon last Sunday, with most of the fourteen club athletes setting personal best times.

Jon Keast continued his fine form with a big personal best of 2 hours 39 minutes and 40 seconds, finishing 178th place out of the 35,000 odd runners and improving on his 2007 time by over five minutes.  This time probably earned Jon the distinction of the top Cornish finisher in the 2008 London Marathon.  A fine effort but he missed out on six minute miling by two minutes, so we expect better next year Jon!

The club’s two ex-footballers, Shuan Tozer and Steve Wherry were very close together up to halfway, before Shaun pulled away to clock a superb 2 hours 48 minutes 22 seconds which placed him 415th overall, improving by over four minutes, compared to his 2007 London time.  Steve Wherry hung on well to dip under three hours with 2 hours59 minutes 53 seconds, which at least made that painful second half worthwhile!  Dave Angilley plotted a steadier course and almost caught Steve at the end, clocking 3 hours 0 minutes 44 seconds, another runner to achieve a new best time.

Donna Hillman, starting on the Elite Ladies start, running over three minutes quicker than last year, clocking an outstanding 3 hours 3 minutes 1 second and dipping under seven minute miling for the first time.  With Donna a fine 72nd out of the Elite women, Suzy Bosustow had a great first marathon from the mass start, finishing 61st female from that start in 3 hours 12 minutes 35 seconds, giving her a championship entry for next year and a personal best by an incredible twenty three minutes compared to her time in 2007.  Well done Suzy.
 
Dave Southby was only five seconds slower than Suzy and 2084th overall, despite not setting a pb for a change – sorry, Dave, you shouldn’t have improved so rapidly!  Adrian Mutsaers confirmed his improvement this year and set a personal best of 3 hours 26 seconds 39 minutes, less than a minute behind Sarah Keast, who had a superb run after a troubled build up to this race, clocking 3 hours 27 minutes 18 seconds.

Sarah, cruising the streets of London
Photo courtesy of the Woolwich Photographic Society

Danny Marsh ran a very even paced race to finish in 3 hours 40 minutes 28 seconds, with Viv Bray, who accompanied him until 30km, having to slow badly after that to finish in 3 hours 51 minutes 7 seconds,  possibly due to calf trouble which had hit earlier in the week.

Local rugby referee Andy Reynolds was next in, with a solid 4 hours 17 minutes16 seconds, despite missing some training and then came our ‘hedgehogs’, Sam Alexander and Nikki Coleman, (so named because they like running up the Portreath to Devoran tramway but turn off at Scorrier as they don’t want to cross the road there!!).  They ran together all the way, at ease because the roads were closed and came home in 4 hours 33 minutes 43 seconds.  This was Nikki’s debut at the distance but Sam  improved on last year’s London result by an almost unbelieveable twenty nine minutes.

Brilliant results all round.  Now for a sensible and gentle recovery period, before it’s back to training, setting your race targets and working towards further improvements.