Marathon record would bring £500 bonus

THE Guernsey Waterfront Marathon organisers have added a £500 bonus should the course record fall at this month's big race.

And Mike Wilesmith, Guernsey's No. 2 marathon man behind Olympian Lee Merrien, is hoping that the Kenyan Reuben Chumba will scoop the cash bonus by breaking the all-comers' mark of 2hrs 22min. set by GB international Tony Simmons all of 27 years ago.

Wilesmith has been instrumental in bringing the Kenyan to the Guernsey event, having befriended him during a month-long training stint in Kenya earlier this year.

While Wilesmith is preparing for his own fast marathon time, but in Frankfurt as opposed to Guernsey, he has been working hard to get Chumba to the island and all the indications are that the Kenyan is in great form to challenge Simmons' record.

The Guernsey Waterfront Marathon takes place on Sunday 22 September.