So much going on at this years London Marathon, we have two articles on it below!

The 2011 London Marathon was the most successful in the club’s marathon-running history. The club scooped three national-level placings and honours, the biggest haul ever in any event.

John Gilbert was 3rd in the UKA championship (and fourth Briton); David Child was 2nd V 50, and the team of John Gilbert, Jim Savage and David Child were 3rd in the UKA championship.

John Gilbert also set a new club record and his time of 2.19. 28 was the first time a Kent AC member has run under 2.20. It was also done with considerable panache: a restrained start (‘only’ 69.42 at half way) built to a thundering finish. At 24 miles he was powering past some very high calibre runners and was chasing down people right to the line. This was a massive pb, demolishing his 2.27 set in 2010. He was 21st overall.

Jim Savage ran a superb 2.25.51, like David he ran a negative split, and had the deep satisfaction of reeling people in over the second half. He was 39th.

David too ran a superbly-judged race to finish in 2.41.56. He ran an negative split of 56 seconds and was only 30 sec short of taking top honours. This too was a pb. He was 189th. Three days later he says he hasn’t stopped smiling.

Other finishers were Matt Llewellin (2.46); Stuart Beaney (2.47); Andy Moreton (3.01); Cath Stibbs, in an impressive 3.11 and, not far behind, Ali Farrell with 3.21.

This was a stupendous day for Kent AC and at long last puts our distance running achievements on a par with the on the track.

Len
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This year’s London Marathon produced a new Club Record plus our first ever set of marathon UKA Team medals and another rarity – a England Athletics Individual medal !

A fantastic run from John Gilbert produced the new Club Record of 2 hrs 19 min 28sec – a run with an even split that indicates that there is more to come. He was no less than 4th Briton home, smashing his PB by 8 mins and gaining the AAA Gold medal into the bargain.

Also demolishing his PB, this time by over 5 mins, was Jim Savage with a negative split indicating that also there is more to come which gave him a time to be proud of – 2 hrs 25 min 41 sec.

Not to be outdone the evergreen David Child was only 16 secs away from being First O50 home as he produced a lifetime PB of 2 hrs 41 min 56 sec – a great run as he has had to overcome some career threatening injuries in recent years.

For their combined efforts their cumulative time produced the first set of AAA Bronze medals the club has ever earned to go with several individual medals in recent years – the first set of many more in the next few years.

Behind them several guys were making their Marathon debuts and handled the distance well. Stuart Beaney ( 2* 47’ 04”), Matthew Llewellin (2* 45’ 20”) and our 800m specialist, Andy Moreton (3* 01’ 41”)

Ken