IN A big weekend of marathon running for local runners pride of place must go to Jenny Spink in Frankfurt.
Representing England in Germany the Bristol & West AC international smashed her personal best by over five minutes to go fourth on the UK Rankings for 2019.
Spink, who is based in Spain, crossed the line in 2hrs 31mins 14secs to overwhelmingly beat her previous PB of 2:35:19 which she set when winning the Manchester marathon in April (pictured above).
It was clearly a great day for marathon racing as the course record was beaten by Kenyan Valary Jemeli Aiyabei in 2:19.10 while Britain’s Steph Twell ran a PB, a new Scottish record and a 2020 Tokyo Olympic qualifying time with 2:26.40.
That time lifted Twell to fifth on the UK All-Time List – while Spink leaps to 30th fastest ever and is the fourth fastest marathon by a female from the West Country behind Olympians Claire Hallissey (2:27.44), Jo Pavey (2:28.24( and Marian Sutton (2:28.42).
Meanwhile in Dublin Charlotte Taylor-Green, now running in the colours of Clevedon AC, clocked a superb time of 2:36.54 in what was her first serious attempt at the distance.
Seven years ago Taylor-Green (pictured right after Sunday’s race) dipped her toe in the water with 3:20.28 in London but at that point was mixing up track and cross country with occasional road races.
Taylor-Green has come a long way since those days and this year she has been focussed on her first proper attempt at the distance and all the hard work paid off with a time that immediately lifts her into the top 15 of the UK Rankings.