Mission accomplished for our 'Marathon Man'

After weeks of rigorous training, Sunday 22 April saw Ben Ryall pounding pavements from Blackheath to Buckingham Palace as he conquered the world famous Flora London Marathon in just 2 hours 53 minutes.

Ben took his position at 09.45 in Greenwich Park, joined by an eclectic mix of 36,391 charity fun-runners, professional athletes and celebrities. The gruelling 26.2 mile course stretched from Greenwich to The Mall, taking in some of London's most famous sights and landmarks along the way. Thousands of lively spectators filled the streets to support the competitors and cheer them along to the finish line. Amongst them were members of Imperial staff and students along with some of Ben's family and friends.

The final few miles of the course took Ben past the Tower of London, along the River Thames and past Nelson's Column. The end was well and truly in sight as our runner passed under the shadow of his namesake 'Big Ben', into Birdcage Walk and finally, along The Mall.

Sweltering heat made this year's London Marathon an even greater test of endurance. Temperatures had soared to around 21 degrees by midday, making it the hottest event since 1996. Despite the punishing conditions however, Ben managed to clock an extraordinary finishing time of 2 hours 53 minutes. Speaking at the finisher's enclosure in St James' Park he said: "This has been both a challenging and rewarding exercise for me. It's a tough 26 miles, but the crowd really helps you along and encourages you to get to the finish line. I'm so pleased that I have had the opportunity to run the Marathon for Imperial College and I only hope that by doing so, I have provided opportunity for many more future students."

Ben was chosen from a line-up of hopefuls to represent the College after penning a compelling personal statement and taking part in a fitness challenge event at Ethos back in January. His progress has been closely tracked through a training diary on the College's website where visitors have also been able to sponsor Ben online.

Representation in this illustrious event has added even more significance to Imperial's Centenary celebrations. Staff, students, alumni and friends have given generously to support Ben's efforts which will benefit the College's Student Opportunities Fund. The College-wide scholarship fund provides entry scholarships for undergraduate and postgraduate students who might otherwise be unable to study at Imperial College because of financial need. Since it was established in 2003, the fund has awarded 60 scholarships to talented and deserving students, with a further 37 due to enrol in September. Ben comments: "The Student Opportunities Fund does some truly fantastic work. Those who have sponsored me have really made a donation to the College's future and invested in the lives of tomorrow's students."

It's not too late to pledge your support for Ben. Sponsor his efforts online here.