The London Marathon runners proud to be last

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About 50 people completed the London Marathon after the finish line on The Mall was packed away. Fred Tomlinson, a 75-year-old runner from Doncaster, came last in over 13 hours. He was supported by a team of about 100 tailwalkers. Tomlinson runs the marathon every year for Rainbow Trust Children's Charity in memory of his daughter. Shone Surendran managed to cross the official finish line just before it closed, with the help of tailwalkers. Tailwalkers were introduced in 2021 after the 2019 race was criticized for lack of support for slower runners. Jo Gennari, who works for the NHS, was instrumental in setting up the group of tailwalkers. Tim Norman, a volunteer for The Samaritans, said the participants at the back of the pack are equally worthy of their medals as the elite athletes. BBC journalist Charlie Jones supported a woman named Terri Sarno, who had fallen behind the eight-hour pace. Shreena Kotecha formed a group called Team Finish Together to improve the experience for slower participants. She ran the marathon two years ago and was disappointed by the lack of crowds towards the end. Team Finish Together aims to celebrate the final finishers and provide support.

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