Meet the runners from Dorset who beat the heat to complete the London Marathon

The 26.2 mile challenge, saw a number of runners from the county put on their running shoes to raise money for charity. Her Majesty The Queen started the event in the morning by pressing the traditional red button.

The sun was shining above the capital as temperatures soared to 23 degrees for what was the hottest London Marathon on record.  Sir Mo Farah, who came third in the elite men’s race, smashed the British record time, unofficially recorded as two hours, six minutes and 21 seconds.

Mandy Burley from Weymouth, finished the race in five hours and nine minutes, and raised money for WOW youth musical theatre group and The Front Skatepark in Weymouth.

She said: “I am pleased to tell you that I completed the London Marathon.  “It was extremely hard in the heat, so I had to take sensible precautions and slow down.

“I was completely overwhelmed with the crowd’s support and continual noise which is very unlike all the training runs on my own along the Esplanade and over to Portland. Seeing my family at five different places around the route was uplifting and emotional.  “I am ending my fundraising on May 1 when I will tell WOW youth musical theatre and The Front Skatepark how much they will receive.  “Thanks to everyone for their support.  “Thanks also to you the Echo for helping to raise awareness of my cause.”

Mandy Burley

Dan Hallett from Weymouth took part in the marathon to raise money for The British Heart Foundation (BHF).  He completed the London Marathon in five hours and 16 minutes.

After crossing the finish line, Dan said: “Taking part in the London Marathon was a huge challenge and an incredible experience.  “The atmosphere on the day was brilliant and I am proud to have been part of the Heart Runners team for such an iconic event.  “Knowing I was running for a wonderful charity made me determined to succeed.  “It was fantastic to have everyone there cheering me on and to know that my sponsorship money will help the BHF raise funds for life saving research to bring new hope to the seven million people living with heart and circulatory disease in the UK.”

Dan managed to raise around £2,000 for the charity and took on the challenge because he was born with a congenital heart condition.CLARE Pimbley from Bridport, ran the marathon in aid of Wessex Cancer Trust, and managed to raise £2,115 for the charity.  She completed the run in six hours one minute and said: “The crowd was so encouraging when it was really hot. There were parts which felt harder than others and their encouragement was phenomenal like a wall of sound.”  Wessex Cancer Trust helps and supports anyone affected by cancer.  It is also committed to offering free support away from a hospital environment.

Dan Hallett

Keith Butcher from Bridport ran the marathon in aid of Arthritis Research after his mum suffered from the illness.  He managed to raise £2,329 for the charity and completed the marathon in a time of 6 hours 44 minutes.

He said: “I survived.  “It was so hot. I have never done a marathon before, it was tough. The crowds were incredible.

“Knowing the people around you are running for their own personal reasons was quite inspiring.

“I wanted to show my children that if you put your mind to something you can achieve anything.”

He added: “One of the standout parts of the day was actually travelling home on the train when a man asked if I had just done the marathon for charity and I said yes, he then put his hand in his pocket and gave me some money to donate to my fundraiser.

“I think it shows the spirit of London.”

Keith Butcher and his family

A wheelchair-rugby player traded the court for the hot streets of London as she powered through this year’s marathon.

Grace McGowan from Weymouth took part in the race alongside her sister Amy and Amy’s partner Paul Tewin. She completed the challenge in seven hours and 48 minutes.

Grace, who suffered from a spinal cord injury in 2014, completed the challenge in her wheelchair and raised money for Spinal Research.  She has so far managed to raise £965 for the charity.

Amy and Paul ran around the track with Grace as she completed the challenge.

Grace said: “Amy and Paul did brilliantly, they carried us as a team.They came around with me and helped push me around some of the course.”

She described the race as a ‘hard slog’ but ‘well worth it.’ Grace said the rough terrain of the track was a great deal tougher than the basketball court she is used to and said: “It is a lot harder you have to deal with cobbles, and curbs and their impact. It was very difficult and a lot harder to train for.”

she said the ‘incredible’ crowd supported her and her team while they went around the track.

Amy McGowan, Grace McGowan and Paul Tewin

Fiona Bacon and Catherine Avery Williams managed to raise £5,600 for Dorset County Hospital’s Cancer Appeal.  Catherine, who lives near Dorchester, completed the marathon in five hours and 31 minutes while Fiona, from Weymouth, completed it in five hours and 28 minutes.

The Cancer Appeal is funding a new outpatient department for cancer patients at Dorset County Hospital as part of a project bringing radiotherapy services to Dorchester.

Catherine said she wanted to take part in the race after working at the hospital as a service improvement programme manager. She also said a member of her family has also suffered from cancer.

She added: “I have always wanted to do the London Marathon and got a charity place through the hospital.  Discussing the run, she said: “It was really tough. The heat slowed the pair of us down, but I am glad I took part it was a really good afternoon and I’m really chuffed we did it.”

Fiona Bacon and Catherine Avery Williams

Rosemary Locock from Weymouth completed the marathon in seven hours and five minutes and managed to raise £3,167 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

She said: “It was very hard work in that heat. I am very pleased to have completed it.”

She added that no one was prepared to run in the warm weather having trained in rain and snow for the last few months.  The money she has raised will go towards granting magical real-life wishes to children living with life-threatening conditions.

Rosemary Locock

Charlotte Herbert, who is from Bridport, smashed her target at this year's marathon. She finished the run in 7 hours 7 minutes and raised money for Dementia UK.

Charlotte said: "I had a very eventful marathon but I finished and that is all that counts. I managed to exceed my original target of £2,500 and I currently stand near £2,800!" 

Charlotte Herbert with her family

Mike Hansford, a youth football coach from Dorchester, raised £3,000 for the charity Mosaic.

He ran the marathon in 4 hours and 36 minutes.

A spokesman for the charity Mosaic said: “We are so proud of Mike for achieving one of his life-time ambitions to run in the London Marathon and for raising in excess of £3000 to support children struggling with grief after the death of parent, sibling or loved one. His amazing fundraising efforts make such a difference to helping Mosaic continue to support those bereaved children in need across Dorset. Well done and thank you to Mike.”

Mike Hansford after running the marathon

Lee Collier from Blandford completed the marathon in six hours 40 minutes. Despite the heat, Lee ran around the track dressed as Paddington Bear.

He said: “It was very good, but very hot which made it ridiculously tough.

“I loved it. The crowd were just incredible that’s probably what got me through it.  “The heat was unbearable, there was a lot of people who suffered because of it.”

Mr Collier managed to raise just over £1,000 for Action Medical Research, which funds research to prevent and treat disease and disability in babies and children.

Caroline Reeves, who lives near Bridport, said she wasn’t ready for the hot conditions but was glad to have finished the run.

She completed the run in 5 hours 43 minutes.

Discussing the marathon, she said: “It was extremely hot and very hard work. I was slower than I wanted to be because of the conditions and it was my first marathon.

Discussing the heat, she said: “I had no experience of how to manage it, having practiced running in snow after the weather we have been having.  “I am glad I have done it. I raised around £5,000 so I'm happy.

“London for Dorset folk can be quite scary. The crowd was amazing I was beat by a person dressed as a panda, but I managed to beat someone dressed as one of The Wombles which is the important thing.”

Caroline took part in the marathon to raise money for CLIC Sargent, which helps support young people with cancer and their families.

Caroline Reeves