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MASTERS ATHLETICS SUMMER 2013.

LONDON MARATHON
MASTERS APRIL 21st

WORDS: MARTIN DUFF of Hayley Haining top women finisher
ATHLETICS WEEKLY.
PICTURES: JEREMY HEMMING The first woman from the mass start was top W40
Hayley Haining who had the company of senior
With both Darran Bilton and Vicky Perry on six marathon debutant Emily Wicks until just after the
consecutive wins apiece coming into the half-distance. Half-way came up in 77:54 and she
2013 race it was, perhaps, unfortunate that then held on well with a 78:58 second half to clock
Bilton did not take part this year, thus leaving the way 2:36:52.
clear for Perry to take her seventh age group title in a
row. Phillipa Taylor W45 winner

The Altrincham runner duly did that but it was touch
and go throughout due to her perennially dodgy
Achilles tendons. However, not only did Perry
continue her remarkable record she also beat Sally
Musson’s British W55 age group record by 32
seconds.

It was, however, a sobering thought that Joan Benoit-
Samuelson, the 1984 Olympic champion ran 2:50:29
just six days earlier, in Boston.

Perry led her age group through 5km, in 20:36, but
then was overtaken by France’s Chantel Langlace
and was 23 seconds behind at 10km then, trailed by
89 seconds as she was through the half in 89:41.
Thereafter, Perry began to claw back the deficit
before gathering herself for a good finish.
It was only in the last 2km that the win was assured
and her 3:03:45 was 21 seconds clear. However,
Perry was unaware of the close battle that she was
having with Langlace and was more concerned with
her target time of 3:04 and a new age group best. “I
thought: ‘if I don’t get the record now I am not going
to do it again,” said the 55-year-old.
“It was hard all the way around and the Achilles are
not what they were. I’ve also got bad blisters from
half-way but you have just got to run and, with two
miles to go, I thought I’d just have to focus. From
half-way through I felt horrible but then, coming down
the finish, I knew I had to get under 3:04, so I now
feel immensely pleased,” added Perry.”

Dave Henderson W45 favourite Phillipa Taylor was given 2:50:39 more
than five minutes clear of Susan McDonald.

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