HEROIC FEET
40,382 brave souls hit the streets
IT’S the one day when a guy in a Spider-Man suit can run straight at the Duchess of Cambridge and high-five her in the street without being rugby-tackled by a plain-clothes copper.
Kate and William got right into the London Marathon spirit yesterday as they cheered on the 40,382 runners and helped hand out water at a drinks station.
But the wee squirt who thought it was funny to use his bottle to try to soak the future king as he ran by was lucky not to finish his race in the Tower.
That numpty was the odd one out though as a horde of heroes pounded the streets of the UK capital in an event billed as the biggest annual charity fund-raiser on the planet.
Runners raised more than £54million for good causes last year, taking the total to £830million since the race began in 1981.
Heads Together, the mental health campaign led by William, Kate and Prince Harry, was the race’s Charity of the Year this year, with more than 700 runners helping the cause.
The young royals hit the start button to kick off the race then headed on to the side of the course. They hugged and high-fived their runners – and anyone else who needed a boost – and posed for mid-race selfies with the competitors.
Swansea Harriers athlete Matt Rees, 29, was hailed hero of the day for sacrificing his own time to pick up exhausted stranger David Wyeth 150 yards from the finish and help carry him over the line.
Scots TV host Jenni Falconer – running her sixth marathon – joined fellow celebs including Chris Evans in finishing the course.
And madmen and women dressed up as Iron Man, Buzz Lightyear, Mr Potatohead, a training shoe and a giant loo roll for the race of their lives.