VETERAN runner Tony Tilbrooke is preparing to complete the Flora London Marathon for an astonish-ing 27th consecutive year. Mr Tilbrooke, 68, has taken part in every London Marathon since the event began in 1981, and plans to continue competing until 2012
VETERAN runner Tony Tilbrooke is preparing to complete the Flora London Marathon for an astonish-ing 27th consecutive year.
Mr Tilbrooke, 68, has taken part in every London Marathon since the event began in 1981, and plans to continue competing until 2012, when the Olympic Games come to London.
He said: "There are 23 of us who have done every marathon so far, but the number drops every year.
"Hopefully a few of us will still be around in 2012, and we've written to Lord Seb Coe to see if something can be done as part of the Games to mark the achievement."
Tonly, from Fowlmere, first took part in the race with a group of colleagues in a bid to get fit.
"I used to do a lot of cycling, but then I had to give up due to an injury.
"Some of my work mates and I were having a drink one night and talking about how unfit we had become, so we decided to do the marathon.
"I can't train as hard as I used to because my body won't let me, but I hope to complete the course in under four hours," he said.
Mr Tilbrooke also has some words of encouragement for striken Arsenal striker Eduardo De Silva, who suffered a double compound fracture of his leg in a match against Birmingham City two weeks ago.
He said: "I got a similar injury to Eduardo's when I was skiing in San Moritz in 1989.
"I broke my leg on New Year's Eve, and managed to get fit again by the April to do the marathon.
"It took a lot of hard work and determination, and my doctors weren't very pleased with me because I kept breaking my plaster casts.
"But if I can be up and running after 14 weeks, I'm sure he'll be out on the pitch again soon," he said.
# The Flora London Marathon will be taking place on Sunday, April 13.
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