- The 2020 elite-only Virgin Money London Marathon was a tough race for GB's Lily Partridge, who dropped out at mile 20.
- What is the London Marathon route.
Lily Partridge, who won this year’s Big Half Marathon, lined up on the start line of the elite-only Virgin Money London Marathon with hopes of running an Olympic qualifying time for next summer’s Tokyo Games. However, at mile 20, suffering in the cold conditions, she dropped out of the race.
Partridge took to social media last night to thank fans for their support: ‘Just wanted to come on to say thank you to everyone for the well wishes and messages of concern. I'm honestly okay. I just didn't cope in the conditions. All my years of XC didn't help clearly. Being cold for 15 mins is one thing but I have never ever been so cold out running in all my life. I started cramping around 16 and tried to back up to relieve it but by 20 miles my hamstrings and calves felt like someone had hold of them. Back to the drawing board, I’m fit and healthy (minus a pair of calves and hamstrings atm!) shouldn't take long to recover and we can hopefully put this strange year behind us & keep building for next year 💪🏽'
Partridge also congratulated her partner, Ben Connor, who ran an Olympic qualifying time of 2:11:20 in the race. He was the second British athlete to cross the line in the men's event, after Jonathan Mellor, whereupon he dropped to the ground in tears.
Partridge wrote, 'What a team. && WHAT.A.DEBUT @bdconnor had me sweating a bit at the end for the only time today but am so bloody proud; that was hard. We put the work in together (at more than a 2m distance!) but he smashed it! 2.11.20 OLYMPIC QUAL TIME 🔥🔥🔥❤ Guess am driving home...
'Hope everyone racing virtually managed to smash their targets and I was thinking of you all when it got tough ❤'
What happened to Eliud Kipchoge? Sign up to our newsletter I just didnt cope in the conditions Lily Partridge on her London Marathon experience.
