IT TURNED out to be a memorable Virgin Money London Marathon for Abingdon runner Paul Fernandez.

The veteran 40 athlete not only finished 60th – his highest finish – but was sixth in the age category as he recorded a personal best of 2hrs 30mins 26secs.

Fernandez was just over 15 minutes behind the club, charity and ballot winner Josh Griffifths, of Swansea.

His time was also only 25 minutes off Kenya’s Daniel Wanjiru, who won the elite men’s race.

Headington’s Christopher Dettmar, the second veteran 45 home, also finished inside the top 100, crossing the line in 2.32.30.

Fernandez was not alone as an Abingdon runner setting a new mark round the 26-mile course.

Sophie Tumelaire sent her marathon mark from three years ago tumbling by 26 minutes, Steve Holder beat his previous best by 16 minutes, while Becks Compton broke her time by two minutes.

Headington’s Edwina McDowall was the fifth female veteran 45 to cross the line, while Dan Peace, of White Horse Harriers, completed his ninth London Marathon in 3.11.04secs.

Abingdon’s Sarah Dudgeon and friend Victoria Carter achieved another Guinness world record.

Following their three-legged exploits from last year, the duo were joined by Dudgeon’s husband Max Livingstone-Learmonth.

The trio dressed as a monk, nun and bishop to gain a triple world record.

THIS year’s Mota-vation Series gets under way at Charlton-on-Otmoor tonight (7).

RESULTS

(senior men unless stated)

(senior men unless stated)

VIRGIN MONEY LONDON MARATHON

Abingdon: 60 P Fernandez (6th V40) 2.30.26pb, 1568 M Deering 2.57.58, 1802 T Coney (V40) 2.59.18, 3185 S Holder (V50) 3.11.11pb, 3457 J Moore (V50) 3.13.09, 3863 C MacLennan (V45) 3.15.25, 4348 M Lewy (V55) 3.18.34, 4781 M Livingstone-Learmonth 3.21.32, 4784 S Dudgeon (LV40) 3.21.33, 5028 N Hamilton (V55) 3.23.10, 8890 J Clayton 3.43.17, 13113 B Compton (LV40) 3.59.11pb, 14144 J Wiblin (LV45) 4.03.33, 15835 S Tumelaire (LV45) 4.11.10pb, 17090 S Coulson (V40) 4.16.17.

Didcot Runners: 3464 T Wise (LV40) 3.13.12, 5438 R Sharp (V50) 3.25.43, 7983 E Naughton 3.38.50, 18166 J Talbot (V49) 4.20.33. 19521 N Francis (V60) 4.35.53, 37815 C Davies (V45) 6.27.51.

Eynsham RR: 4359 A McEwan-James 3.18.40, 4615 R Hume (V40) 3.20.19 (debut), 16492 B Breaker 4.13.58, 29693 A Berrett (LV45) 5.09.23 (debut).

Headington RR: 93 C Dettmar (V45) 2.32.30, 524 S O’Neill 2.44.37, 2179 E Mcdowall (LV45) 3.02.34, 3203 A Darbyshire (V50) 3.11.17, 3678 R Shaw (LV40) 3.14.28, 4551 D Bremner 3.19.51, 4780 S Khan 3.21.32, 5903 J Arts (SL) 3.28.06, 6096 K Lowies (V50) 3.29.02, 7023 K Daniels (SL) 3.34.04, 8565 K Byrne (V60) 3.41.39, 8889 T Siefers (V50) 3.43.17, 10841 A Smith 3.51.38, 11179 S Robertson (SL) 3.52.51, 11534 T Dixon (V50) 3.54.13, 17017 A James (LV50) 4.15.59, 17113 C Hidalgo (SL) 4.16.22, 18145 C Bodsworth (SL) 4.20.28, 18397 R Mulvaney (SL) 4.21.29, 22967 G Harris (SL) 4.39.33, 26678 A Chappell (SL) 4.54.42, 27470 V Romanelli 4.58.07, 28754 T Osman (V45) 5.04.21, 33759 C Dean (LV40) 5.35.47, 34248 S Ledingham (LV55) 5.39.48, 37147 C Newell (LV40) 6.14.35, 38204 S Leach (LV50) 6.39.49.

Kidlington: 2823 S Ireland (V40) 3.08.26, 5953 I McLeod 3.28.21, 7377 K Webster (SL) 3.35.53, 9581 N Halford (LV50) 3.46.02, 10707 A Finnigan (LV40) 3.51.02.

White Horse Harriers: 3174 D Peace (V40) 3.11.04, 7773 R Burgess (LV50) 3.37.51, 7935 S Sheehy 3.38.37, 11030 L Fellingham (V65) 3.52.20, 14508 J McCabe (LV50) 4.05.15, 38161 V Stott (LV50) 6.38.35.

Witney: 2507 F Snare (SL) 3.05.41, 2743 G Ferris (V50) 3.07.50, 4265 P Ainslie (V55) 3.17.58, 4392 W Downey 3.18.54, 4578 A Leary 3.20.02, 5137 R Stanley-Evans (LV40) 3.23.51, 5465 M Butler (V45) 3.25.54, 5692 A Burkett (V50) 3.27.12, 5832 L Davies (LV35) 3.27.48, 6345 T Clarke (V45) 3.30.09, 6692 J Field (V45) 3.39.39pb, 10297 J Hewlett (SL) 3.49.16, 10329 A Church (V50) 3.49.23, 10683 L Harris (LV45) 3.50.55, 12100 H Smith (LV50) 3.56.07, 15963 J Wright (LV35) 4.11.39, 16095 J Jones (V40) 4.12.14, 16241 D Wymer 4.12.55, 2231 K White (V40) 4.36.57, 23064 N Moss (V45) 4.39.53, 23069 T Moss (LV45) 4.39.53, 30080 A Adams 5.11.37.

EDINBURGH 10 MILE

Witney RR: 175 B Moore (V50-54) 1.10.45.

PLYMOUTH HALF MARATHON

Witney RR: 95 S Charles-Jones 1.30.32pb.

SOUTHAMPTON MARATHON

Eynsham RR: 792 C Hancox (V50) 4.43.16.

MADRID MARATHON

Abingdon: 9183 C Hutchings (SL) 4.52.02.

Eynsham RR: 1496 R Gardner (V50) 3.30.25.

MADRID HALF-MARATHON

Abingdon: 11802 M Hamilton (LV45) 2.39.22.

MADRID 10K

Abingdon: 4472 J Styles (V50) 1.08.29.

BOSTON MARATHON

Witney RR: 1751 H Smith (LV45) 4.09.31.

OXFORD PARKRUN 5KM

Witney RR: 8 F Howard (1st V40-44) 18.52, 20 M Lock (1st S18-19) 19.57, 24 C Gibbon (V45-49) 20.03pb, 42 G Le Good (3rd V60-64) 21.17, 49 A Lock (3rd V50-54) 21.38, 51 L Smith (1st LV 40-44) 21.40pb, 59 S Howard (2nd LV45) 21.54, 73 H Howard (1st JL11-14) 22.20, 105 S Rhodes (V45-49) 24.01, 178 D Burkett (2nd LV55-59) 26.26pb, 191 J Le Good (2nd LV60-64) 26.46, 270 I Fowler (V50-54) 29.53.

GUNNERSBURY PARKRUN 5KM

Witney RR: 85 B Lonsdale 22.25pb.

LISTOWEL PARKRUN 5KM

Witney RR: 7 K Hennessy (1st V40-44) 20.02.