Kim Fawke, Telford Athletic Club's marathon runner has had the call up of her life with an invitation to run for England Athletics in an international marathon in Toronto, Canada on 28th September. It is a great reward for Kim who has such an impressive race in this years London Marathon in April (pictured) when she ran a lifetime best of 2.42.08. This was an amazing 14 minutes quicker than her previous best also set at London in 2006. On reflection the London run was really tough recalls Kim, who started with the elite women, so that with such a quick time spent much of the race running alone. Her impressive split times of 37.16 10k and 1.18.31 at halfway saw her run faster than ever before and earn her first international vest. Her London time puts here up to 8th place on this years national marathon ranking lists behind the number 1, Mara Yamauchi, who will be representing Team GB in Beijing, ran 2.25.10 in Osaka earlier in the year.

She will be joined in Toronto by Karen Hazlitt, Helen Decker and Andrea Woodvine and a mens team of Tomas Abyu, Peter Tucker, Matt Normington and Gareth Raven.

Kim who has started her build up to Toronto with recent victories in the Crown Classic 10k which she won in 37.06 and a more recent victory in the Tenbury 10k last week in 36.25. The Tenbury performance, although well outside her 10k best of 35.00, set at Telford in December, puts her into 6th place on this years West Midlands 10k rankings. These rankings show 3 Telford AC girls in the top 10 with Claire Martin 2nd after here recent 34.10 in the Manchester 10k and Cathy Ansell, is in 10th after her 37.21 at Whipsnade in June.

Kim, from Sutton Hill, who works at Telford and Wrekin Council, has recently received a further boost with some kit sponsorship from Brooks and from the JJB Sports Store in Telford.

Paul Sanderson