1981: Novices gather for first ever London Marathon
THE first London Marathon ever was run by 6,500 people in 1981, and most of them were novices.
Today more than 32,000 people take part each year making the race the biggest marathon in the world.
The concept of charity was always there from the beginning. Ordinary people would be sponsored to run by friends and family and the money raised would go to a personal choice of charity.
This motivation has inspired runners for a quarter century and looks like continuing for many more years.
This week we are jogging back in time, over the last decade and more, to see who has made the Vale proud, by taking part in this prestigious event.
1998 - At least 14 people from the area took part in the Marathon and raised money for a number of charities.
Vic Hinde, 53, landlord of The White Swan pub in Whitchurch entered for a fifth time and raised a massive 3,000 for Macmillan nurses.
Chris and Sue Fallon from Thame both worked in Askeys in Aylesbury and ran the marathon holding a large cardboard cut-out of an ice cream cone - it fell apart by the fourth mile, but nonetheless, they raised 1,000 for Rupert Runners, a charity supporting Muscular Dystrophy Research.
Indentical twins Alistair and Nick Benbow from Watermead claimed they broke the world record by being the first people to ever complete the marathon three-legged. The only record they broke was their own - they were 18 minutes faster from their previous marathon time (3 hours 58 mins and 16 secs) in 1995.
They raised 2,500 for Parkinson's Disease Society, being originally inspired by their father-in-law who suffered the disease.
1997 - Bucks Herald sports editor at the time, Nick Rennie, ran the 26.2 miles and made 800 for Free Trust Charity, while Bucks Herald van driver, Dave Cooper, raised over 600 for the British Heart Foundation.
Greg Dell, an athlete from Aylesbury came an impressive 218th in the race. The oldest British runner ever to participate in the Marathon at the time was 85-year-old retired vicar, Rev Maurice Clarke, from Ellesborough.
1996 - 66-year old Geoff Edwards from Aylesbury ran for the fifth time, and Stuart Lathwell from Walton Street, Aylesbury made his third appearance. First time runners were Jeff Scott of North Marston and Grahame Lester of Grendon Underwood.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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