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Lead Stories: Saturday, September 6, 2008

London Marathon Signs with Virgin Group

Posted May 16th, 2008 at 9:30 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Margarine and skimmed milk are out and airplanes and financial services are in, at least at the London Marathon.

Beginning in 2010 Virgin Group, the diversified conglomerate founded by Sir Richard Branson, will be the title sponsor of the London Marathon, led by their Virgin Money financial services division.

“I’m delighted that Virgin will be sponsoring the London Marathon,” Branson said through a media release. It’s an epic and inspirational event and raises a fantastic amount of money for great causes. It’s the single biggest fundraising day on the planet and we want to make it even bigger, our aim is to help runners smash the £1/4 billion in five years.”
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London Marathon to Announce New Title Sponsor

Posted May 12th, 2008 at 2:24 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results

Beginning in the spring of 2010, it won’t be called the “Flora London Marathon” any longer. But what will be the new name?

Journalists have been asked to assemble at the Tower Hotel on St. Katharine Way in London on Friday, May 16, to find out which company will be the London Marathon’s new title sponsor.

Race Results Weekly (RRW) spoke on background to a high-ranking London Marathon official on the day of the Boston Marathon who said that the London event had been pitched by five well-heeled sponsors all vying for the privilege of bankrolling the world’s top spring marathon.

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London Marathon Champions Return for BUPA London 10,000

Posted May 7th, 2008 at 10:28 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Britain’s two leading organizers of road races have joined forces to launch a new event slated for Monday, May 26. Dubbed the BUPA London 10,000, the event will be jointly produced by the Flora London Marathon and Nova International and will feature Martin Lel (Pictured) and Irina Mikitenko, the 2008 Flora London Marathon champions.

“We are delighted to have such strong elite fields for the first ever BUPA London 10,000,” said David Bedford, race director of the Flora London Marathon. “To have our current Flora London Marathon champions on the start line is a great boost for us in our first year.”
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Lel Takes London Record in History-Making Race

Posted April 14th, 2008 at 10:20 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Like a bull at a rodeo, the men’s field at the 28th Flora London Marathon bolted out of the gate with reckless abandon. The athletes who were strong enough to hang on were rewarded with personal and national records, while others were thrown to the street, their hopes of victory incinerated by the fast pace.

But when the dust had settled at the grand finish line on The Mall, race director David Bedford’s bold experiment in aggressive pacemaking yielded –by several measures– the fastest men’s marathon of all-time, with three men cracking 2:06:00, and six men breaking 2:07:00, for the first time ever in a single race. Those times came after a breathtaking 62:12 first half which left some of the world’s best marathoners well off the pace.

“It was crazy,” said last year’s runner-up, Abderrahim Goumri, of the 14:21 (downhill) first 5-K.

But the fast pace, coupled with a cold and drenching rain which fell from the 18th through the 23rd miles, did little to knock defending champion Martin Lel (Pictured above) off of his game.
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Ryan Hall returns to Flora London Marathon Sunday

Posted April 11th, 2008 at 9:00 AM by Jeanie Rebb

Section: News & Results, Marathons

As the Flora London Marathon marks the opening race of the 2008 World Marathon Majors on Sunday, fans of rising U.S. marathon star Ryan Hall (Big Bear Lake, Calif.) will be watching with great anticipation as he attempts to become only the third American to win the race after Dick Beardsley and Khalid Khannouchi.

At 25, Hall has built a wealth of marathon knowledge in his only two runs at the distance. His debut at the Flora London Marathon in 2007 saw him running with the leaders in the late stages of the race, eventually finishing seventh in an American debut record of 2:08:24. In November, Hall would go on to dominate the U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon in New York. Running an Olympic Trials record of 2:09:02 over a challenging course in Central Park, Hall cruised to the win by more than two minutes, the largest winning margin since the beginning of the Olympic Trials Marathon.
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TFS Podcast 133: Pre-London Marathon Teleconference with Ryan Hall & David Bedford

Posted April 10th, 2008 at 6:35 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Special Features, Interviews, Podcasts

Episode 133 of The Final Sprint Podcast features a teleconference interview with Ryan Hall and David Bedford prior to the 2008 Flora London Marathon.

The teleconference was hosted by the London Marathon and was promoted by USA Track and Field (USATF) & the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).

In the teleconference Hall and Bedford, the London race director, respond to questions from the international running media and from a select panel that included Race Result Weekly’s David Monti onsite in London.

TO DOWNLOAD: Right click here and select “Save As”

Host: London Marathon | Guest: Ryan Hall
Producers: Greg Cherniet, Adam Jacobs
Music: Ryan Ahlwardt & Darnell Perkins
File size: 21.8 MB | Length: 00:31:50

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Injury Sidelines Radcliffe From London Marathon

Posted March 6th, 2008 at 11:01 AM by Bob Ramsak

Section: News & Results, Marathons

A toe tendon injury has forced Briton Paula Radcliffe to pull out of next month’s Flora London Marathon, organizers announced today.

The world record holder in the marathon, who was aiming to win her fourth London title on April 13, sustained the injury to her right toe while training at her base in Albuquerque, N.M.

“I am desperately disappointed that I have to pull out of this year’s race,” said Radcliffe, who was Flora London Marathon champion in 2002, 2003 and 2005, in a press release. “I love running in London and this race would have been the perfect test for me before the Olympic Games.”
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It’s Official: Paula Radcliffe to Return to London Marathon

Posted January 15th, 2008 at 11:04 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Any doubts that Paula Radcliffe might skip the spring marathon season were laid to rest today when Flora London Marathon race director, Dave Bedford, announced that the world record holder would try for her third London title on Sunday, April 13.

“We are delighted to have Paula back in London and pleased that she has decided to race here again against such a strong field,” Bedford said through a media release.

Radcliffe, who turned 34 last month, previously won London in 2002, 2003 and 2005. Should she prevail again this year she would tie Norway’s Ingrid Kristiansen with four titles, the most by any man or woman at London. Radcliffe set the absolute world record in a mixed-gender race in 2003 when she ran a jaw-dropping 2:15:25 with the aid of male pacers. She also set the world record for an all-women’s race in London in 2002 in her marathon debut, clocking a solo 2:18:56. Radcliffe is coming off of a thrilling victory at the ING New York City Marathon last November where she won a pitched battle with Ethiopia’s Gete Wami.
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Hall and Wanjiru Added to London Marathon Field

Posted January 7th, 2008 at 12:30 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Race director David Bedford has beefed up his already robust field for the 2008 Flora London Marathon by adding two of the sport’s most promising marathon stars: Ryan Hall (Pictured) of Big Bear Lake, Calif., and Samuel Wanjiru of Kenya. The 28th edition of the race is scheduled for Sunday, April 13.

Hall, 25, is coming off of a dramatic victory at the USA Olympic Team Trials - Men’s Marathon held in New York City last November. The former Stanford University star ran a brilliant race, saving his strength during the first half of the hilly, five-loop course in Central Park before unleashing a seemingly effortless 62:45 for the second half. His finish time of 2:09:02 was a Trials record, despite the fact that he lost at least half a minute in the final miles celebrating his victory. Hall also ran 2:08:24 at London in his debut last April, a USA debut record.
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Lel Leads Stacked Elite Field for 2008 London Marathon

Posted December 12th, 2007 at 10:15 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Martin Lel, the only man to ever win the Flora London and ING New York City Marathons in the same year, headlines London’s field for next April, race director Dave Bedford announced today.

The 29 year-old Lel, who won both the London and New York races in sprint finishes over Moroccan Abderrahim Goumri, also won London in 2005. He has a personal best time of 2:06:41.

“I am very pleased to be able to defend my title.,” Lel commented through a media release. “I am training hard to make sure I am in top shape for my bid to win a third time. I know it will be tough, but I love running in London and am confident I can win again.”
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