THIS time last week, they were gearing up for the challenge of a lifetime before taking part in the 2013 Virgin London Marathon.

Thousands of runners from across the country, including 30 from Dorset, ran the 26.2 mile route through the nation’s capital on Sunday.

They also raised thousands of pounds for charity and the money is still coming in.

Among the local runners was Shawn Bullivant, 34, from Poole who completed the course in three hours and 45 minutes and raised £2,000 for the British Heart Foundation.

He said: “Running the London Marathon was a massive challenge and an incredible experience. The atmosphere was brilliant. It was fantastic to have everyone there cheering me on to the finish and knowing my sponsorship money would help the BHF pay for the research needed to fight coronary heart disease, the UK’s single biggest killer.”

Maria Ozanne, 52, from Poole, also ran for the BHF and finished in four hours and 56 minutes.

She said: “I joined the team because I lost my father to heart disease years ago and my brother had a heart attack in 2012. Knowing I was running for such a great cause made me determined to succeed.”

Helen Scriven from Verwood ran for the Brain Tumour Charity, for she has had personal experiences of people living with a brain tumour. Helen finished in three hours 54 minutes.

Joel Burns, 23, from Poole was raising funds for Kidney Research UK. His two-year-old son Finlay desperately needs a kidney transplant.

He said: “My thoughts kept returning to my son. It was a spectacular event – one of the best experiences of my life.” Helen Young of Bournemouth was running in memory of her brother Kevin who died aged 28, to raise money for Wessex Heartbeat.

Her mother Carole said: “Helen ran all the way in four hours and 30 minutes. We had a super weekend although it was a bit emotional at the start. Her brother would have been so proud of her.

Michelle Roberts, 45, from Bournemouth completed course in four hours and 39 minutes, raising almost £500 for veterinary charity, PDSA.

It’s the third time Michelle has completed the 26.2 mile course and she says raising funds for such a vital cause helped her keep going through the pain barrier.

She said: “Knowing that I was helping a charity really spurred me on round the course. The support from the crowd and those who’ve sponsored me has been fantastic – a big thank you to everyone for keeping me motivated.”

Former British Rowing Champion Jon Foster, 28, from Bournemouth, completed the London Marathon in three hours and 49 minutes. He ran for Sense, the national charity, that supports and campaigns for deaf blind people.

Jon said: “It was an amazing experience and I’m really pleased that all the hard work paid off.

“I had a couple of injuries during training, but the thrill of crossing the finish line was enormous, as was raising money to support deaf blind people achieve their own goals.”

To sponsor him go to justgiving.com/jon-foster1