Archie Fox produced one of the runs of his life at the London Marathon yesterday.

The Severn Athletic Club runner clocked an excellent two hours, 42 minutes, 31 seconds, the first time he had competed in the iconic event.

It was also only the second time he had raced over 26.2 miles. The first time was at Stratford-upon-Avon last year when he finished in 2.44.18 and club colleague Steve Kenyon said of yesterday’s run: “He did well.”

Fox, a former St Peter’s School pupil who lives in Saintbridge, started running properly only five years ago. 

Kenyon completed yesterday’s race in 2.55.30 and he said: “I paced Alice Tredgett to a massive PB, she is over the moon, she did so well.”

Her previous best was 3.03.52 set in London two years ago and her aim this time was to run sub three hours, something she achieved by four-and-a-half minutes.

Cheltenham Harriers’ Harry Brierley ran his second successive sub three hours London Marathon but he admitted he was disappointed with his time of 2.58.02.

Last year he went round in 2.53.11 – his PB for the distance – and he said of yesterday’s run: “I wasn’t pleased. I rolled the dice and was on for a 2.47 at halfway but it fell apart at mile 18.

“I went into the race carrying a cold and so the heat really got to me.”

The 29-year-old, who joined Cheltenham Harriers in 2025, mainly focuses on ultra-marathons and last year’s London was his first crack at a marathon specifically.

Mountain ultra-running is his favourite, but he says he loves trying to PB across all distances.

And even though that didn’t happen yesterday, the London Marathon is still very special to him.

“There’s just no race like it, absolutely incredible,” he said.

Gloucester Athletic Club’s Chris Nield is also a big fan, all the more so after recording a PB yesterday.

The 51-year-old went round in 3.28.34, which was 81 seconds quicker than the PB he set in London three years ago.

Stroud Athletic Club’s Jody Hogg went round in 2.58.13 while CLC Striders’ Arnie Delstanche, running in an inflatable dinosaur costume, finished in 4.23.41.

Kenyon added it was an “amazing atmosphere" in London yesterday, a day that was all the more special because 31-year-old Kenyan race winner Sabastian Sawe became the first athlete to run a sub-two-hour marathon in a competitive race.