Hertsmere's marathon runners make the grade

We caught up with some of them to find out how they got on and how much they raised for their charities:Despite sustaining injuries, 49-year-old Karin Hirsch, from Elstree, finished the race in seven hours and 24 minutes. She raised £2,000 for Jewish Care, a charity which provides specialist services for vulnerable members of the Jewish community, including the elderly, people with mental health problems and Holocaust survivors. She said: "I am really pleased to have finished and thank Jewish Care for giving me this opportunity. "My knee has been a problem and I was in so much pain that it slowed me down. "But the support I received has been fantastic and I am delighted to have raised so much money. I'm having a day off work to relax in a spa." Radlett resident Stuart Nagler, 61, ran for the Watford's Peace Hospice, raising more than £5,000. Mr Nagler, a former mayor and leader of Hertsmere Borough Council, finished the 26.6-mile run in four hours and 54 minutes.Grandfather-of-four, 56-year-old Meyer Fhima, of Borehamwood, finished the course in four hours and 42 minutes, an improvement of around 100 minutes on his effort last year. He said: "It was a pleasant day, the atmosphere was great despite a couple of heavy showers. I have raised £860 for Jewish charity Kisharon so far but I still need £640 to reach my £1,500 target." Husband and wife team Mike and Sarah Hilton, of Shenley, were running the marathon for the first time. So far they have raised more than £4,000 for their two chosen charities, children's cancer charity CLIC Sargent, and Leukaemia Care. Mrs Hilton said: "We had a truly fantastic day and the crowd support was amazing. I had had injuries during training so my finishing time of four hours and 37 minutes was a little slower than I would have liked. "Mike suffered with cramp after 19 miles, so he also had a slower than anticipated finishing time of four hours and 23 minutes. But we both loved every minute of it and we'll be back." Borehamwood runner Steve Skeggs finished in four hours and 11 minutes and raised £2,400 for SportsAid, which offers financial support to Britain's young athletes of the future. He said: "It was a fantastic day, the crowds were magnificent, I managed to run all the way, and not walk at all. It helped that I had friends and family along the route. "The weather did its best to put a dampener on the day, but the showers were great for the runners - although not the spectators." Councillor Darren Solomons finished in six hours and 28 mintues and raised £900 for the Children with Leukaemia charity. He said: "I ran the first 14 miles but began to struggle after that. The biggest problem was queuing for the toilets, it took ages. I think I took the advice too literally and drank too much water."Another problem was cramp. For the last five miles I stopped at every St John ambulance station I could find in order to have my legs massaged. "But I managed to find some reserve energy to run the last mile despite my legs having given up on me."GP Michael Ingram, of Radlett, completed his tenth marathon in three hours and 58 minutes. He raised £6,000 for Merlin medical aid, as he wants to help build a heliport in Darfur to allow medical supplies to reach the victims of genocide.He said: "On a day which started warm and promising and ended up cold, miserable and wet, the warmth of the crowds kept me going. "The last four miles were the worst and it is the pain you get from totally clapped-out muscles threatening you with cramp at every turn that keeps you wondering if you will make it."It was a privilege to take part in one of the greatest sporting events in the world."