Another year,another Flora London Marathon -this time in sweltering heat.

The pain,the realisation of the challenge and the camaraderie are evident in these photos,taken near Millwall Fire Station,Westferry Road at circa 16 miles and 18 miles.

Above all else,I hope they show the determination and guts of 36,000 runners in the best marathon event in the calendar.Most raising money for charity and others also remembering friends and relatives.

My favourites?
The Fullers Bottle man (Tom Langdown) - an exceptional achievement in such heat!
And also Noddy & Big Ears - they seem to be enjoying themselves so much,it's ridiculous!

CLICK ON EACH PHOTO FOR A BIGGER VIEW.
AND THEN CLICK ON MEDIUM IF YOU HAVE A SMALLER SCREEN (17"-) TO SEE WHOLE PICTURE ON YOUR SCREEN - ALTHOUGH BEST VIEWS ON "ORIGINAL" SIZE TO CAPTURE THE EMOTION!

The lens is the hard-to-find 18-200mm Nikon with Vibration Reduction - superb kit for this event! Buy it at Gray's of Westminster,the world's greatest camera shop - they seem to be the only UK outlet who is holding any stock.
The camera is the fantastic Nikon D200(and a surprise birthday present from my Mum & Dad - thank you!).

And thanks to my son Richard for location support (holding the water bottles and cheering them on...) - we'll do this together one day! (Oh blimey...what have I signed up to?).

Copyright - Mike Robson (3hrs 56 mins in 1982 / 4hrs 57 mins in 1997 - bit of a trend here.....)