Marathon runners brave soaring temperatures as 100,000 line the streets in support

Brighton Marathon runners endured scorching temperatures for a second successive year, although the hot weather also drew tens of thousands of spectators to the streets to offer their support as the city partied in the sun.

British athletics legend Steve Cram started the race at Preston Park at 9am and an estimated 8,000 runners set off on a gruelling 26 mile race, which finished at Madeira Drive after the runners had taken in much of Brighton and Hove.

Even the elite athletes found the conditions tough as temperatures reached 23 degrees celsius as, just with the inaugural marathon last year, this April weekend felt like the height of summer.

The race was won by Philemon Kiprop-boit from Kenya in 2:16:07. He was followed by fellow Kenyan Richard Rotich and Ethiopian Abessy Tolossa.

The first British runner to finish was Dan Robinson in fourth in a time of 2:19:11.

Retired boxer Michael Watson held the winning tape with Steve Cram. Watson, who suffered serious injuries in a fight with Chris Eubank in 1991, has championed a number of charities and in 2003 he completed the London marathon in six days. (see picture below)

The first woman to finish was Alyson Dixon in a fantastic time of 2:34:51. Her time was a half an hour improvement on last year’s winner and she was followed through the finishing line almost six minutes later by Lucy Macalister with Julie Briscoe finishing third.

Dixon, who shattered her personal best, was greeted at the line by her coach and former Olympic gold medalist Liz McColgan.

Local athlete Jo Bryce, who was the first woman to finish in 2010, set a personal best in finishing just under three hours.

See the top 20 male and female finishers and search for your own time here.

Among the thousands of competitors running for charities were a number of eye-catching entrants, including those dressed as a tiger, a rhino, Noddy, Spongebob and Squarepants and many more. See our marathon picture gallery for some of the best.

It is estimated 100,000 people took to the streets to support the athletes. It has been estimated the event helps inject £5m into the local economy, while yet more is donated to the various charities taking part.

It has been hoped the 2012 event will be expanded to include 20,000 competitors, while organisers are hoping to secure television coverage for the race in the year of the Olympics.

See our complete Brighton Marathon 2011 Photo Gallery below our highlights from the day to see if you can see yourself or someone you know.

Race winner Philemon Kiprop-boi crossing the line

Britain's Dan Robinson battled the heat to finish fourth

Anbessy Tolossa - Philemon Kiprop-boit - Richard Bett Rotich

Former boxer Michael Watson was at the finishing line to greet the winners

Alyson Dixon was the first woman to finish the race

One of the more eye-catching entries

Eye of the tiger

Multi-tasking from Elvis

Please don't have nightmares

Some runners made the task even harder

No Related Posts

Posted by Joseph Lewis on April 10, 2011. Filed under Brighton Marathon,Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry