Former English cross country champion Dave Clarke will head the Hercules Wimbledon challenge in the Virgin London marathon on Sunday.

Schoolteacher Clarke, now 52, won the Stockholm marathon in 1989 in two hours, 13 minutes, 34 seconds and won the English senior men's cross country title in 1982, 1987 and 1988.

He finished fifth in the Berlin half-marathon in 1992 in 1:02:11 and resumed marathon running after a 12-year break in 2008 completing the London course with his wife, Francesca, in 3:14:55. He again ran with his wife last year, clocking 3:30:08.

However, Francesca will not be keeping him company on Sunday and he will be aiming for a somewhat more competitive time inside three hours.

Also running on Sunday will be Mike Halman, Hercules Wimbledon's top marathon runner last year, with 2:33:57 in the London.

Halman will be running in support of the Trinity Hospice, Clapham Common, where he works as a gardener.

Matt Sharp, 31, who will be making his marathon debut on Sunday, will also be hoping to clock inside three hours.

Adam Vandenberg is also making his marathon debut as he competes in his longest race since running in the Reading half-marathon last year in 1:19:34.

Over-60 veteran Dennis Williams, who has completed all but one of the 29 London races, will be competing in the 30th edition of the race along with over-40 veteran Peter Lee, who returns to the London race where he made his debut in 2008 after completing the Berlin marathon in 2:49:49 last year.

Debbie Noel, Annmarie Seymour and Claire Morgan are contesting the women's race.

Many of Hercules Wimbledon's youngsters will be in action for various boroughs in the Virgin London mini-marathon over the final three miles of the main course from Old Billingsgate to The Mall.

They will be led by London senior boys cross country champion Liam White, who finished seventh in last year's 15 to 17s race, Joe Toomey (19th) and Ed Saywell (42nd) last year. Geordie Logan is also running.

Hercules Wimbledon president David Littlewood, MBE, will again be refereeing the men's race.

Littlewood, who is secretary of the English Schools Athletics Association, was due to fly out to Slovakia this week to lead the national squad competing in the schools international cross country championship.

However, although the team left on Monday for a marathon coach journey to the event, because of the ban on flights from the UK, Littlewood decided to stay in London as he realised he would be unable to get back in time to fulfil his role at the marathon.

Hercules Wimbledon's James Garnier was also affected by the flight ban.

He was due to compete in the Kinnaird Trophy meeting at Kingsmeadow Stadium on Saturday but was trapped in Portugal where he had been training with other members of the Oxford University team.

Hercules Wimbledon's Dwayne Dowding showed good form when he finished runner-up in the 200m at the Brian Clay International meeting in Azusa, California, in 21.88, just slower than his personal best for the distance.

Fellow sprinter Richard Agyapong showed even better form in with two lifetime bests competing in the Kinnaird Trophy meeting at Kingsmeadow.

He clocked 11.21 and 22.48 competing in the 100m and 200m races. Teenager Geordie Logan was just outside his best time in finishing runner-up in the 2000m steeplechase in 6:45.9 with team-mate Rory McMahon winning the B event. McMahon was also third in the 1500m.

Hercules Wimbledon's Alex Bruce-Littlewood had a useful outing with second place in the 800m in 1:56.35 and second in the 3000m in 8:50.95.

Teenager Ed Saywell was fourth in the 800m in a personal best of 2:05.60 while Mike Halman, warming up for this weekend's London marathon, was fourth in the 3000m in 9:28.65. Jimmy Seruchera gained two second places in the Sward Trophy high jumping 1.70m and triple jumping 12.36m.

Hercules Wimbledon's Southern Women's League team open their programme tomorrow (Saturday) with a match at Perivale.