MORE than 30 local runners headed to the capital to test themselves in the London Marathon, with some raising thousands of pounds for charity and others smashing their personal bests.

Forest of Dean AC had 16 runners in action among the 40,000-strong field, with John Russell and Lee Kibble both going under the three-hour mark.

John set a new club over-45 record of two hours 50 minutes 59 seconds to finish 101st in his class over the 26.2-mile course, while senior runner Lee finished in 2.58.24 just three weeks after completing the Manchester Marathon.

Former Monmouth Comprehensive pupil Stephen Lloyd from Ellwood ran a swift 3.03.53 in aid of Muscular Dystrophy and raised a bumper £4,595 with friends Dominic Tunstill and Miles Holway, finishing 23 seconds ahead of FoDAC’s Corey Sherwin who greeted the finish with a huge smile.

Newent RC’s John Featherstone crossed the line in the Mall in 3.08.24 to just head fellow over-50 runner Rob Beves – the first of five Chepstow Harriers to finish – by 23 secs.

FoDAC’s Dan Sandford came home in 3.15.52, with over-60s Harrier David Clegg impressing in 3.17.21, the former’s clubmate Greg Nash crossing in 3.19.13 and Caldicot RC’s Richard Lund in 3.23.37.

Tony Rex from Monmouth ran 3.31.26 to raise more than £2,300 for Monmouth Aid, a local charity which is fundraising for three classroom blocks at a school in Mozambique.

Fastest Wyedean woman just 20 seconds behind was FoDAC’s Cherry Fowler, who placed 64th in her over-50s age group, closely pursued by Spirit of Monmouth’s Emma King (3.33.21), who took 20 minutes off her PB, and Newent Runners’ Ruth Hayden-Cox (3.35.11).

Another three FoDAC runners ducked under the four-hour mark – Catherine Roberts in 3.44.32, Rachel Nash in 3.45.10 and Kate Burke in 3.57.46, with clubmate Melinda Ruck going so close in 4.00.37.

Other FoDAC finishers were Steven Richards (3.35.22), Matthew Squire (4.02.36), Donna Albon (4.14.52), Martin Adams (4.29.01), Phillip James (4.37.41) and Tegan McKernon (4.49.04).

Others to complete the marathon challenge were Caldicot RC’s Lauryn Bentham (4.07.21) and Alex Llewellyn (4.27.37), and Chepstow Harriers’ Andrew Oliver (3.56.27), Wendy Sharpe-Nash (4.32.59) and Shari Finch (5.09.42),

Spirit of Monmouth’s over-55 entrant Martin Blakebrough, CEO of children’s charity Kaleidoscope, smashed his PB with 3.39.16 and raised more than £700 for Parkinsons UK, as over-65 clubmate Madeleine Newcomb came home in 4.40.31.