Marathon News - Cold, Wet London Marathon Today

Apr-23-2006

Cold, Wet London Marathon Today
by David Monti
(c) Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved

LONDON (23-Apr) -- Although race director Dave Bedford has surely looked
after every detail in preparing for today's Flora London Marathon, the one
thing out of his control seems to be working against him today: the weather.

At 8:00 a.m. here the temperature is a chilly 43°F (6°C) accompanied by a
light and steady rainfall, which has the roadway quite slick. The humidity
is high at 76%, and there is a moderate wind blowing against the runners
beginning in the fourth mile (6 km), persisting through the 12th mile (20
km), and returning again in the 20th mile (32 km) where it will be against
them all the way to the finish. The start and finish on this course are
approximately 7 miles (11 km) apart.

The organizers knew of no scratches this morning, so the full elite field is
expected to start. The elite women, accompanied by seven male pacemakers,
will start at Blackheath at 9:00, with the elite men and the recreational
runners following 45 minutes later. The lead pacers in the women's race
will be attempting to run 69:45 through the half-way, with several groups at
slower paces behind them. The men's lead group, led by Abiyote Guta (ETH),
Paul Kimugul (KEN) and Daniel Rono (KEN) plan to run 62:30.

The course records here are 2:05:38 set by American Khalid Khannouchi in
2002, the former world record, and 2:15:25 set in a mixed-gender race by
Briton Paula Radcliffe in 2003.