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| Wacky racers prepare for marathon | Wacky racers prepare for marathon |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A woman on stilts and a 101-year-old plumber are just some of the 40,000 people taking part the London Marathon. | A woman on stilts and a 101-year-old plumber are just some of the 40,000 people taking part the London Marathon. |
| Michelle Frost hopes to break the record for longest distance covered on 4ft (1.2m) stilts. | Michelle Frost hopes to break the record for longest distance covered on 4ft (1.2m) stilts. |
| Buster Martin, 101, hopes to become the oldest person to complete the 26.2 mile (42km) race. | Buster Martin, 101, hopes to become the oldest person to complete the 26.2 mile (42km) race. |
| The weather could be on their side with forecasters predicting "perfect temperatures" for the run, which begins at 0830 BST on Sunday. | The weather could be on their side with forecasters predicting "perfect temperatures" for the run, which begins at 0830 BST on Sunday. |
| Ms Frost, who is raising money for the Reach volunteer charity, said: "It was a bit of a spur of the moment idea because I could already stilt walk, and I thought why not? | Ms Frost, who is raising money for the Reach volunteer charity, said: "It was a bit of a spur of the moment idea because I could already stilt walk, and I thought why not? |
| "Hopefully it will not be too painful. Hopefully the pain will come after I've finished. | "Hopefully it will not be too painful. Hopefully the pain will come after I've finished. |
| "I sure to have blisters on my shins, and my hips will hurt from carrying all that weight around." | "I sure to have blisters on my shins, and my hips will hurt from carrying all that weight around." |
| Mr Martin, who has 17 children, and finished the Roding Valley half-marathon in Essex in March, said: "I may not be a millionaire in money, but I'm a millionaire in health." | Mr Martin, who has 17 children, and finished the Roding Valley half-marathon in Essex in March, said: "I may not be a millionaire in money, but I'm a millionaire in health." |
| Others aiming to complete the race include 25 Met Police officers linked together, basketballer Jean-Yves Kanyamibwa dribbling a basketball and Lloyd Scott, who is wearing a 9ft (2.74m) robot suit and expects to finish on Friday. | Others aiming to complete the race include 25 Met Police officers linked together, basketballer Jean-Yves Kanyamibwa dribbling a basketball and Lloyd Scott, who is wearing a 9ft (2.74m) robot suit and expects to finish on Friday. |
| Six Maasai warriors from Tanzania will run wearing traditional clothes, shoes made from car tyres and plan to sing along the route. | Six Maasai warriors from Tanzania will run wearing traditional clothes, shoes made from car tyres and plan to sing along the route. |
| The warriors are raising money to provide safe drinking water for their village, Elaui, in east Africa. | The warriors are raising money to provide safe drinking water for their village, Elaui, in east Africa. |
| Celebrities running include James Cracknell, Adrian Chiles, Graham Poll, Jonathan Pearce, Phil Daniels and Amanda Holden. | Celebrities running include James Cracknell, Adrian Chiles, Graham Poll, Jonathan Pearce, Phil Daniels and Amanda Holden. |
| They will all be helped by cooler temperatures that last year when runners suffered in 21C heat. | They will all be helped by cooler temperatures that last year when runners suffered in 21C heat. |
| Meteogroup UK's Michael Dukes warned there could be a heavy shower during the race but added: "It will be a lot cooler than last year. | Meteogroup UK's Michael Dukes warned there could be a heavy shower during the race but added: "It will be a lot cooler than last year. |
| "Temperatures will be around 7C or 8C and when the last stragglers are coming in, it will be around 11C or 12C. | "Temperatures will be around 7C or 8C and when the last stragglers are coming in, it will be around 11C or 12C. |
| "So we expect to see perfect temperatures for marathon running." | "So we expect to see perfect temperatures for marathon running." |