Buxton runners work up a sweat at London Marathon

Twenty seven runners will have Sunday 22nd April 2018 etched in their minds for a long time - 12 of them for the searing heat of the London Marathon and 15 more for the 2,000 feet they scaled to complete the gruelling 9.6-mile Kinder Downfall fell race.

From a field of 264 runners, Alasdair Campbell claimed a double triumph with an outright race win in one hour, 11 minutes and 23 seconds and, alongside team-mates Jason Burgess (1.13.35) and Jason Brunnock (1.14.33), brought home the men’s team prize to boot at the Kinder Downfall fell race.

Jo Bednall, Tania Wilson and Samantha Willis represented the ladies, with finishing times of 1.41.01, 1.44.10 and 1.50.22 respectively.

With dire warnings of the day being the hottest in the history of the London Marathon, runners took on board the sensible advice of being well hydrated, taking it steady and forgetting personal best times.

And wise advice too, it turned out.

Despite the conditions, Andy Lidstone finished the race in a fantastic three hours, 24 minutes and 57 seconds, while Amy Clark came home exceptionally well in 3.30.17.

Also under the elusive four-hour mark were Emma Wentworth in 3.47.40, Jon Sewell in 3.52.07, Alan Talbot in 3.52.51 and Paul Wardman in 3.56.58.

A lot of credit must go to everyone who took part in the event in what was a good day out for Buxton.

“In the face of adversity, everyone came home weary but rightly proud of surviving against the odds. They make ‘em hard in Buxton,” roared a proud Buxton Athletics Club spokesperson.