A large contingent of Hercules Wimbledon runners were in action in Sunday's London marathon.

The best club performance of the day came from Zoe Pike who smashed the Hercules Wimbledon veteran women's club record in finishing eighth veteran overall in two hours 59 minutes 47 seconds, just breaking the three hour barrier and eclipsing the previous club best of 3:04:06 set by Mel Jones in the London race back in 1994.

First of the Hercules Wimbledon runners was Arnaud Claverie who finished 117th in the senior race and had the satisfaction of slicing just one second off his previous best time set in the London race last year.

While Richard Xerri, who started strongly and was running well up to the half-way point, was hampered by muscle problems towards the end of the race and fell dramatically back to finish 251st in 2:46:11. In the circumstances he said he was happy to finish.

Steve Sinnott was 647th in 2:57:10, a time which puts him third on the club's all-time veterans over 45 list.

Teenager Alex Skelton, at 18 one of the youngest runners taking part, who was running in aid of the Royal Marsden Hospital, following the death of his father from cancer, finished 7,967th in 4:01:47, just failing to break the four hour record while Alastair Brown was 12469th in 4:28:15.

Over 60 veteran Dennis Williams, who has missed only one London race since the event was launched in 1981, was determined to run this year despite having his preparations hit by injury.

He managed to complete the course reaching the finish in 5:24:22, well down on his best time of 2:39:34 set in 1987.

Annmarie Seymour put herself 10th on the Hercules Wimbledon women's all-time list in finishing 1752nd in the women's race in 4:05:01 with clubmate Lindsay Ferguson not far behind in 1861st position in 4:07:17 for 12th on the all time list.

Best of the Hercules Wimbledon contingent in the mini-marathon over the final 2.65 miles of the course from Southwark Brigde was Alex Bruce-Littlewood who was fourth in the senior boys race in 13:20 running for Bromley, Deyan Knespl was 51st in the same race for Merton in 14:53.

Despite competing in a schools athletics match the previous day, Joe Toomey led the Merton team home in the intermediate boys race in 14:54 with Liam White first for Wandsworth finishing 10th in 15:02 with another Hercules Wimbledon runner, Geordie Logan, 11th in 15:05. Dean Belhaj, running for Wandsworth, was 24th in the junior boys race in 16:40.

Best of the Hercules Wimbledon girls in the mini-marathon was Rosemary Fernando who was 15th in the senior girls race in 16:49 with twin sister Jennifer Fernando 21st 18 seconds later.

Michaela Knespl, also running for Merton, was 36th in the intermediate girls race in 17:53 with Amelia Richards, better known as a track and field performer, who was called into the Wandsworth team at the last minute, 53rd in 18:18.

Hercules Wimbledon runners were top veterans in three categories in the Bushy Park five kilometres time trial at Hampton Court on Saturday. Dan Bodin was first over 40 veteran in 17:47, Steve Badgery top over 55 in 18:55 and Pete Giles top over 60 in 19:10.

Meanwhile, Maurice Sharp was first over 50 finisher in the Wimbledon Common five kilometres time trial in 20:17 with Dennis Williams warming up for his London marathon appearance the following day clocking 22:56., This weekend, Hercules Wimbledon compete in their opening Southern Women's League match at Sutton Arena on Saturday.