Photo – Helen Gaunt who set a TAC marathon record
Helen Gaunt, from Tonbridge Athletic Club, had the performance of her life in Sunday’s London Marathon to not only set a club record of 2.39.10, but also be the first women home in the over 40 age-category. Gaunt was 4th female overall from the mass start and took more than ten minutes from her previous best, set eight years ago, before she joined Tonbridge AC.
Gaunt went through the half marathon stage in 77.58, just twelve seconds outside her fastest for that distance, set at Paddock Wood, back in March. Despite suffering with cramp over the last four miles, particularly in the calves, she maintained a pace close to six minutes per mile all the way to the finish. Her time took more than thirteen minutes from the previous record, set by Verity Hopkins, at Brighton last year.
Neil McClements was the first male home in the London Marathon from Tonbridge AC, as he also recorded a personal best of 2.28.37. His previous fastest was 2.33.45 when he won the Brighton Marathon last year, on a course that was subsequently found to be 568 metres too long.
Amongst the other Tonbridge AC performances Jay Smith ran 2.44.43, Julian Rendall 2.47.01, Jacek Traczynski 3.08.09, James Winnifrith 3.12.32, Adam Tibbals 3.12.54, Tony Fullbrook 3.36.40 and Nicola Summerfield 3.54.07.
Also on Sunday, Imogen Amos improved her personal best at the Cardiff Half Marathon to 77.40, which too five seconds from the mark that she set a month ago. Amos finished 11th in the women’s race.
On Saturday, the London Mini Marathons took place, where runners were selected to race for the South-East teams in the British Road Championships. Charlie Warren was 13th in the under 13 race and Oliver Head 39th in the under 15 boys’ event.
