Harry jokes of royal marathon run (From Bridport and Lyme Regis News)
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Harry jokes of royal marathon run
12:59pm Sunday 22nd April 2012 in National News © Press Association 2013
Kenya's Wilson Kipsang won the Virgin Money Men's London Marathon
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge could enter the London Marathon next year, Prince Harry has joked.
He said: "I have been trying to get myself a place for years. I can't get myself a place. What do you have to do?
"What's fantastic is that my brother and his wife will be doing it next year, I think. He's going to have to now, isn't he?"
Harry made the comments during the BBC's coverage of this year's event, where he presented trophies to the winners. But a Clarence House spokesman later confirmed the royal couple had no firm plans to enter the race, adding: "It was said in jest."
The prince was speaking after Wilson Kipsang of Kenya had won the Virgin London Marathon men's event at his first attempt. His compatriot Mary Keitany retained the women's title.
Among the celebrity runners, shadow Chancellor Ed Balls praised the crowds for keeping him going after he posted a time of over five and a half hours.
"The crowd was fabulous, the atmosphere was amazing and it was really, really hard. I had a good first 13 miles and a good last 8 miles but the bit in the middle was really, really tough. I almost stopped and wondered if I could do it but the crowd keep you going as do the other racers."
Pop star Will Young confessed to walking the latter part of the marathon before sprinting home when the crowd grew. After coming home in a time of 4 hours 27 minutes, the former Pop Idol winner said: "I didn't do a great time, not compared with last year. I am running for Catch 22, we're a great charity and we work with young people."
Model Nell McAndrew spoke of her pride having broken the three hour barrier in her sixth London Marathon. The former I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here star finished in two hours and 54 minutes running for the charity Cancer Research: "It's amazing, I think it won't really sink in until the morning when I wake up and I've recovered. It's unbelievable."
James Cracknell was the only other celebrity to break the three hour mark, finishing in 2:59:01. The double Olympic gold medal winning rower said that the atmosphere on the course was a good omen for next year's Olympics.
