M80+ at London 2026: Fanshawe Dominates as 13 Legends Conquer the Capital

• John Fanshawe wins in 4:07:16 — a 9:26/mi average that left the rest of the M80+ field well behind, finishing more than 55 minutes clear of runner-up Iain Day.
• Iain Day (5:02:26) and Chris Harland (5:28:20) complete the podium, with just under 26 minutes separating 2nd from 3rd.
• David John Winch was the fastest M80+ runner in the field through the opening 5K–10K segment, but faded dramatically over the second half to finish 5th in 5:51:16.
• Robin Scott (6:19:10) and Stuart Colwill (6:20:32) were separated by just 82 seconds at 6th and 7th, the closest battle of the day outside the podium.

John Fanshawe turned in a performance that demands to be read twice. At 9:26 per mile across 26.2 miles in cool but breezy London conditions — 56°F with a 14 mph wind — he didn't just win the M80+ age group, he ran away with it. His men's field position climbed steadily from the mid-22,000s at 5K all the way to the 15,900s by 40K, a consistent forward march that never wavered. The gap to second place, Iain Day, was 55 minutes and 10 seconds — a margin that tells its own story about the quality of this particular performance on this particular day.

Iain Day (5:02:26, 11:32/mi) held second place with a solid, measured run, his men's field position improving through most of the race before a very slight drift back in the closing stages — a common story over the final miles of a marathon. Chris Harland (5:28:20, 12:31/mi) and Paul Watson (5:32:24, 12:41/mi) ran the back half of the race in a similar pattern, both giving back positions through 35K before steadying to claim 3rd and 4th respectively, separated by just four minutes at the line.

The race's most dramatic arc belonged to David John Winch. He was flying early — his 5K–10K split was the fastest of any M80+ runner on that segment — but the effort came at a cost. From a men's field position inside the 16,000s at 5K, he had drifted all the way back to 30,640th by 40K, a vivid illustration of how cruelly the marathon punishes an ambitious early pace. He still finished 5th in 5:51:16, which deserves its own respect.

Further back, the race became a testament to sheer tenacity. Robin Scott (6th, 6:19:10) and Stuart Colwill (7th, 6:20:32) were inseparable across the finish line, 82 seconds apart after more than six hours of running. Mahmut Hilmi (8th, 7:07:47), Christopher Bent (9th, 7:40:29), Harry Newton (10th, 7:53:59), James Turner (11th, 7:57:08), Bob Smith (12th, 7:58:57), and Bill O'Connor (13th, 8:39:55) all crossed the line in their own time — every one of them an 80-year-old finishing a marathon in London. That speaks for itself.