In the top 100 for the second year running

The 27-year-old mum completed her third London Marathon in three hours and seven minutes But while most of the 36,000-strong field, including the 53 hospital casualties the race claimed, would have been delighted with that she was angry with herself for not beating last year's time of three hrs, one minute as the record temperature took its toll.

She said: "I had a bit of a cry at the end. I was so angry with myself. I genuinely believed I'd get sub-three hours. I was confident in my ability and sure all the training would pay off.

"But you never know what's going to happen in a marathon. At 20 miles my legs went like lead and I wanted to feel invisible and fade away because I wanted to do better. I'm a perfectionist."

The Handy Cross Runner started on the elite grid for the first time after last year's performance when she stunned everyone by finishing 88th in the ladies' race.

But being with the elite ladies didn't help her this year.

She said: "I remember doing my first two miles in just over 12 minutes which for me is too quick for this type of distance.

"I felt quite strong up until the 20-mile mark and was on course for the sub-three hours."

But then she ran into trouble feeling it in her legs and also suffering from stomach cramps from taking on too much water to prevent dehydration."

But after her initial disappointment she was soon back to her normal self.

And the runner, who works for Symantec, was back in the gym the very next day and finished her Monday with a seven-mile run.

She said: "I only took up the running two and a half years ago. It started as a but of fun but now I'm addicted.

"Sub three-hours is the next step, then 2.55 or 2.50 hours."

Other members of the Handy Cross Runners Club to complete the course included Penny Cutler (3:43:33), Donna Howlett (5:50:04), Colin Knight (3:56:49), Chris Lansdown (5:25:18), Rod Palmer (4:17:43), Gary Tarr (3:49:40) and Kim Travers in (3:49:24).