More than 30 Ranelagh Harriers were amongst the 36,000 runners from all over the world who trod the streets of the capital on Sunday in the Flora London Marathon.

As usual, the Ranelagh contingent was a mixture of excited novices and experienced veterans. None were more experienced than Mike Peace and John Hanscomb, who were both running the London for the 27th time.

They are two of a very select group of just 24 runners who have completed every single London Marathon since its inception in 1981. This time, 57 year-old Mike was carrying a calf injury and had doubts whether it would hold out - but he decided to run very steadily and happily he made it to the finish just inside four hours.

John is now 71 years old and has vowed each year for the past three that this would be his last marathon...and yet when April comes round he's there on the starting line again. He finished in a very creditable 4 hours 36 minutes.

After the withdrawal through injury of Fari Shams, Ranelagh had only one runner in the elite women's race. This was Marie Synnott-Wells who ran a well-judged race to record a time just a little outside her best, 3.08, for 110th place.

From the mass start, first-timers Mandy Westlake and Liz Kipling ran excellent races to record 3.18 and 3.20 respectively. Ten more Ranelagh women made it to the finish, led by Rachel Fursman at 4.16 and Dawn Bates at 4.19.

The race to be the first Ranelagh male finisher was expected to be a fight between Steve Whitehead, Mick Lane and Nathan Mills. Whitehead led the way early on but had acquired a hip injury a week before the race and soon ran into trouble. He eventually decided to call it a day at 17 miles.

Mills was one of many to suffer in the warm conditions and it was the experienced police sargeant Mick Lane who was first across the line in 259th place in 2.46.

Martin Halvey was never far behind and finished in 2.50, followed by Trevor Maguire 3.03, Ken Fotherby 3.06 and Mills 3.13. Seven more Ranelagh runners beat four hours. Ian Grange recorded 4.05 just seven days after he had finished the Paris Marathon in 3.57!