'I'm proud to have come last at the London Marathon'

The runner who finished last at the London Marathon said it was a "huge privilege" to raise money for a charity that she says saved her life during a "very dark" time.

Clair Roberts, from Milton Keynes, completed the course in 12 hours and 16 minutes, finishing just before midnight.

The 35-year-old has raised more than £2,000 for the suicide prevention charity Samaritans, which she now volunteers for after turning to them seven years ago, when she had thoughts of ending her life.

"I was battling a lot of emotions on Sunday; it was so much harder than I thought it would be. But to be the last person to cross that line feels really special, and I'm proud of myself," she said.

Ms Roberts has volunteered answering phone calls for the charity since the pandemic.

"During a really tough time in my life, they saved me from myself. I plunged into very dark times, but it is amazing what one phone call can do," she said.

As well as struggling with her emotions on the day, she had a virus and injuries in the run-up to the race.

"You can prepare and prepare, but if it doesn't come together on race day, it's a very tough experience. I have previously done a half-marathon, but I have never pushed my body that hard before," she added.

"But I kept thinking, if I could get through that dark period in my life, I could get through this. I want to show others that there is always hope."

Ms Roberts finished at St James's Park, rather than The Mall, where there is an alternative finish line for participants who take longer than eight hours.

She said she would not have finished the race without the support of four tailwalkers, who volunteer with the slowest runners, affectionately known as the back of the pack.

As soon as participants drop behind the eight-hour pace, they get allocated help from the team, who accompany them on to the pavements due to the roads reopening, and guide them to the secondary finish line.

Tailwalkers were introduced five years ago after the 2019 race was criticised over support offered to slower runners.

Jo Gennari, who works for the NHS, was instrumental in setting up the group after experiencing the "horrific" marathon in 2019, when she was a pacer for slower runners who got heckled by contractors.

She said: "It's such a joy and a privilege to lead the tailwalker team. We know how hard those participants work to complete the 26.2 miles on the pavement as the crowds thin and they head to the secondary finish.

"Their grit and determination and the stories they tell about why they are participating inspire us all to keep coming back."

Shreena Kotecha has spent the last few years improving the experience for the back of the pack, forming a group called Team Finish Together.

She ran the marathon in 2022 in about eight hours and was disappointed by the lack of crowds towards the end, so has made it her mission to celebrate the final finishers.

"Witnessing the sheer joy and emotion on the faces of these participants as they crossed the line, knowing they had an entire community cheering them on, was truly inspiring," she said.

"It's powerful to see them being celebrated as the endurance champions they are, and it reminds us that the marathon is about more than just speed; it's about courage, community, and achieving something extraordinary together."

Sonya Trivedy, executive director of external engagement at Samaritans, said the charity was so grateful to Clair for helping the charity support people in crisis.

"Clair is a true inspiration, both as a runner and a Samaritans listening volunteer, and her incredible spirit was clear for all to see on Sunday," she said.

"When it comes to something as amazing as completing a marathon, you don't finish last, you just get to celebrate the achievement for longer."

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