THEY were tired, aching and sore but as they crossed the finishing line at Sunday’s London Marathon, Luton runners were jubilant about the amount of money they’d raised.
Tony Jerodiaconou of Old Bedford Road, who was doing it for the first time, said: “I hurt so much. I hurt when I got home and then I hurt some more.
“But I’ve raised £2,200 for Keech Hospice Care and my boss at Fifth Dimension has promised to double it.” His race partner Robert Locke notched up £2,500 and Tony was 30 seconds ahead of his childhood chum’s time of 4:41:39.
Tony said: “The atmosphere was unbelievable.
“The noise is so great it really keeps you going – at the end all the crowds are cheering and clapping and shouting your name.
“It was a very, very good day.”
Father and son team Trevor and Joshua Thompson of Round Green were delighted to raise £3,500 for Get Kids Going, a charity that enables disabled children to take part in sports activities.
Trevor was taking part for the sixth time – after a massive stroke last year.
“Having Josh with me gave me something to focus on,” he said. “We took it nice and slow I was the freshest I’ve ever felt at the finish.”
Josh, who turned 21 before the marathon, said: “It was the best birthday present ever.”