Former Richmond resident Mara Yamauchi led the British women runners home in the Flora London marathon from Blackheath to The Mall on Sunday.

Yamauchi, 33, who now lives with her husband in Japan, last year became Britain's second-fastest female marat-hon runner behind world record-holder Paula Radcliffe when clocking 2:25.13.

She had a difficult race on Sunday, spending longer than ever before on her own.

Yamauchi ran steadily to go through the halfway point in eighth place in 1:11:44.

She got past Ethiopia's Berhane Adere and Australia's former World cross country champion Benita Johnson in the final 15km to repeat her sixth place of 2006 in a slightly slower time 2:25:41.

She said: "I was pleased to come sixth again because it was a really good field - better than last year.

"I was less pleased to run the whole thing on my own - but I suppose it was good for my discipline.

"The heat didn't bother me at all, which is a good sign for running the worlds in Osaka. The temperature there will be 35C and the humidity 90 to 100 per cent, even though the race starts at 7am.

"I really wanted to do a 2:23 and I don't know why I couldn't run quicker.

"I went through halfway at about the right speed and in my training I have been trying to prepare to run well in the second half.

"I felt quite good in the last 10km but somehow I couldn't run faster.

"I will have to go away and think how to run a faster marathon. It will probably involve getting my 10k and half marathon times down."

Hampton Wick-based Johnson, 27, was disappointed, having stated her ambition to win the race beforehand.

She possibly paid the penalty for going off with the leaders, dropping off the pace just before halfway to finish seventh (2:29:47).

Tilly Heaton, who was 34th in 2:54:57 led Belgrave to the bronze team medals in the England championships.

Hercules Wimbledon's Zoe Pike was 53rd (2:59:47).

Emma Bradley, of Wimbledon Windmilers, took more than four minutes off her previous best in finishing 67th in the women's race (3:01:25).

Ranelagh Harriers veteran Marie Synnott-Wells was 110th ( 3:08:25).