While four-time London Marathon winner Eliud Kipchoge was the stand out veteran in the M40 age group on Sunday with 2:05:25, home interest among the masters centred around who would lead the Brits home.
Kipchoge went through the half-distance in 61:31 before the warm weather took its toll with a slower second half.
That unseasonably warm weather saw temperatures rise to 21C for the later runners in the older age groups.
It was the in-form John Gilbert who took the home masters honours with a chip time of 2:16:06 and a gun one of 2:16:30 but this came after a quick first half of 67:05 and a series of sub-3:13 kilometres.
His first 5km was an ambitious 15:48 before easing back with even splits to 30km. Thereafter the Kent runner slowed by up to 15 seconds per kilometre before running his second best ever time about a minute down on his lifetime best of 2:15:49 set in 2015.
Jack Nixon, the European Masters champion, wound up third M40 after a steadier start and a 69:12 halfway split before finishing with a chip time of 2:20:06 – two seconds outside his best – and a gun time of 2:20:10.
Fourth to finish was Graham Rush, who was close behind Gilbert in the early stages before fading as Nixon went through. It was a similar story for fifth placed James Connor, who was a little less impetuous in the opening miles but still fell back as the second half unfolded.
Things were extremely tight in the M45 class before Alasdair Watson just pipped Kevin Quinn by five seconds in 2:22:06. Running an extraordinarily consistent race, the Notts runner’s kilometre splits were all between his first at 3:18 and 3:25.
Quinn, was behind for the first half before going ahead by 19 seconds at the 25km point and then holding it up to the 35km mark when Watson began to close. Quinn still led by a few seconds at 40km before losing out down Birdcage Walk and the turns to the finish on The Mall.
In his first outing over the distance for eight years, Rob Keal was top M50 with 2:27:27.
Further up the age groups, Plymstock’s Graham Bale was a comfortable M60 winner in 2:48:19 and former overall veterans’ winner Ben Reynolds was handily placed early on before fading for fourth at the line.
Winning his first age group title in 11 years was Billericay’s David Butler, who was top M70 in 3:11:07.
Men M40: 1 E Kipchoge (KEN) 2:05:25; 2 J Gilbert (Kent) 2:16:26; 3 J Nixon (C&C) 2:20:06
M45: 1 A Watson (Notts) 2:22:06; 2 K Quinn (S Lon) 2:22:11; 3 T Aldred (Lon H) 2:28;18
M50: 1 R Keal (Beest) 2:27:27; 2 B Rusche (L Goat) 2:31:46; 3 A McCarron (QPH) 2:35:04
M55: 1 P Jones (Shrews) 2:39:24; 2 N Hughes (hilt) 2:42:15; 3 T Mardell (R Next Sea) 2:43:31
M60: 1 G Bale (P’stock) 2:48:19; 2 S Mills (Uck) 2:49:23; 3 R McGrath (N Masters) 2:51:50
M65: 1 G Neville (Schaef) 2:59:50; 2 K Murray (Serp) 3:01:48; 3 V Mikhalov (RUS) 3:05:29
M70: 1 D Butler (Bill’cay) 3:11:07; 2 D Gibson (Tri Hard) 3:16:27; 3 S Piakas (USA) 3:34:19
M75: 1 A Watts (Wilm) 3:55:13; 2 R Butler (Thanet AC) 3:58:34; 3 D Winch (Thanet RR) 4:04:27
M80: 1 S Mann (Herts P) 4:28:07; 2 M Ford (Chelt) 4:57:39; 3 R Scott (Kilb) 5:12:56
Women
It was a similar story in the women’s race where Vivian Cheruiyot was a stand out master in the elite race, in fifth overall, with a 69:57 halfway split en route to a 2:22:32 finish after slowing over the final 5km.
This was five seconds outside a listed world best W40 record of 2:22:27 by Russia’s Mariya Konovalova, although another listing gives the best time to Lydia Cheromei Kogo at 2:22:11.
Either way, Cheruiyot was just outside both.
The Brits languished miles further back as the in-form Helen Gaunt not only led home the W45s but also headed all of the W40s in 2:36:25.
The Tonbridge runner was on target for a much faster time at the half-distance as the watch showed 75:39 but a series of slow 5km splits followed and the chance to beat Joyce Smith’s 2:32:48 from the 1984 LA Olympics drifted out of reach. This left Gaunt third on the all-time W45 list.
Lauren Reed led home the W40s after coming from behind to pass the halfway leader Gabriel Carnwath to wind up with 2:40:50.
W50 winner Elisoa Crawford set a personal best 2:50:14 when moving to fourth on the all-time lists after a six-minute victory over Joanne Stanfield and being ahead for most of the way.
Karima Harris sits second on the W55 lists with a 2:50:57 clocking from Abingdon last year but could not improve and drifted back to 2:52:17 and a seven-minute age group win.
The Highgate Harrier was inside the record pace at the halfway mark, at 82:54 before the skids came off after 35km and the finish line was a welcome sight. She said: “It was just too hot for me today, so I will try again.”
British W60 record holder Treena Johnson had no need to get anywhere close to her age group best time of 2:57:24 as 3:10:05 was enough for a win, as her time slowed in the second half.
Sandy Masters’ 3:29:17 was the best of the 65 and over runners to finish.
Women W40: 1 V Cheruiyot (KEN) 2:22:32; 2 L Reed (Hav’g) 2:40:50; 3 G Carnwath (Herne H) 2:41:48
W45: 1 H Gaunt (Ton) 2:36:25; 2 A Braham (Ealing E) 2:40:16; 3 C Grima (HW) 2:51:29
W50: 1 E Crawford (N Belf) 2:50:14; 2 J Stanfield (Trenth) 2:56:25; 3 J Cook (Shrews) 2:58;20
W55: 1 K Harris (High) 2:52;17; 2 S McTigue (B’burn) 2:59;57; 3 K Streams (Read RR) 3:04:10
W60: 1 T Johnson (Dews) 3:10:05; 2 M Slocum (Ward Pk) 3: 11:32; 3 R Hutton (S Lon) 3:15:54
W65: 1 S Masters (W’bury) 3:29;17; 2 G Jacobsen (USA) 3:35:14; 3 J Thompson (T Bath) 3:40:27
W70: 1 P Jarvis (Poole R) 3:58;34; 2 H Todd (Stock) 4:16:35; 3 J Tombs (Gosp) 4:22;15
W75: 1 J Ashby (Ryst) 4:44:58; 2 N Doherty 4:55;35; 3 S Marzaioli (Hast R) 5:05:05
W80: 1 G Little (100 Mara) 5:25:27
All times chip
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