A BRAMPTON man has finished in the top 40 of the London marathon for the second successive year. Pete Galpin, who runs for the Huntingdon-based BRJ Club, was the 21st Briton to finish Sunday s race, in a time of two hours, 28 minutes and 38 seconds — 23 m

A BRAMPTON man has finished in the top 40 of the London marathon for the second successive year.

Pete Galpin, who runs for the Huntingdon-based BRJ Club, was the 21st Briton to finish Sunday's race, in a time of two hours, 28 minutes and 38 seconds - 23 minutes behind Kenyan winner Martin Lel.

The time was enough to see Galpin finish the race in 40th position overall and as the seventh finisher in his age category.

"I am pleased with my run," said Galpin, 36. "I came 37th last year but I felt that I ran better this time around because I really suffered with dehydration last year.

"I wanted to go under two hours, 30 minutes and I managed that. It was great to see so many BRJ supporters on the way round and although I slowed up towards the end I thought my pacing was OK."

Galpin added that he intends to concentrate his training efforts on the ironman triathlon later this year - after getting married in the summer.

Also looking to compete in the ironman event will be Hunts AC runner Ian Marshall, who completed the marathon in three hours, 13 minutes, 30 seconds on Sunday.

Marshall, from Wyton, said he was disappointed not to have broken the three-hour barrier after struggling to set the correct pace.

Galpin apart, the day's most impressive performance came from the St Neots-based Riverside Runners, for whom Phil Redden was first across the line in a time of two hours, 47 minutes and 45 seconds - becoming the third male over the age of 55 to complete the course.

Sixteen BRJ runners took part in the marathon, with Tony Hucklesby, Steve Wood, Nigel Maggs, Steve Dockerill, Keith Douglas, Andy Matson, Gillian Peck, Lucy Moore, Sam Brown and Nykki Webber all setting personal best times.

Peck broke her personal best time by nearly four minutes when she finished in a time of three hours, 40 minutes and 50 seconds.

Top performer for Hunts AC was Shane Hunt, who recorded a personal best time of just 25 seconds above the three-hour mark for the course.

Michelle Prior was the first across the line for the Ramsey Road Runners, in a time of three hours, 39 minutes and eight seconds.