THE London marathon saw six runners from Dursley Running Club on the start line.

For some it was a question of getting around, others matching a personal best or getting a good for age time.

For Emma Denton the question was whether she would be a world record holder at the end of her run.

Running to raise money for RP Fighting Blindness, Denton ran attired as a giant human eyeball and became the fastest female runner dressed as an organ.

Understandably, Denton was not one of the quicker Dursley runners with Neil Parry and Kevin Jackson leading the club's challenge in the early stages of the race, both running steady 5k splits of just over 21 minutes.

Running behind these two was Haydn Smith.

Denton and her Dursley support runner Rebecca Topham followed, maintaining a very even pace.

The heat clearly told on many runners, Parry tailing off from a very steady pace over the final kilometers to finish in 03:07:57, a couple of minutes shy of his target for the day.

Having maintained a steady pace in the middle section of the race, the wheels came off for Jackson after 25 kilometres, his 5k splits slowing progressively from 24:38 to 27:41 and in the final stages to 30:28.

This meant he was passed in the run-in by Smith, who ran an exceptionally steady pace with five out of eight 5k splits at around 24:30.

Behind these two the world record attempt continued to go smoothly with Denton and Topham running around 27-minute 5k splits, which put them on target for a sub four-hour run.

Unsurprisingly the pace dropped by around a minute per 5k split in the final stages but this was not enough to affect the outcome, which was a 03:52:02 time and the world record.

In addition to this, Denton has so far raised almost £3,000 for RP Fighting Blindness.

Ian Hobbs was Dursley’s Lanterne Rouge. Running steadily for the first 25k, Hobbs started slowing over the closing miles with the final 12 kilometres being quite a slog, completing the course in 04:06:35.

Dursley RC Results: Neil Parry 2065th, 03:07:57 (291st MV45); Haydn Smith 4596th, 03:27:38; Kevin Jackson 4663rd, 03:28:00; Emma Denton 9497th, 03:52:02; Rebecca Topham 9498th, 03:52.02; Ian Hobbs 13241st, 04:06:35.

Dursley RC stalwart Graeme Hawkins crossed the channel to compete in the Paris Marathon.

Hawkins, a London Marathon veteran, noticed some key differences, with much-reduced facilities for competitors and a more relaxed approach to the event as whole, with runners joining the throng for a short distance before heading off.

Hawkins didn’t let any of this phase him and he completed the course in 03:39:30. This time would have placed him 21st in his age category in London this year.

The club runs from Dursley Rugby Club on Tuesday nights. Meet at 6.15pm for a 6.30pm start.