Manchester lined the streets in support of the giant half marathon turnout, Jelly Babies to cups of tea were waiting along the route, bands playing and church choirs singing.

Runners focused on time windows mile by mile reading the pace watch and checking the giant mile marker boards for this Middle England big one on closed roads as high vis marshals delivered a perfect package all the way to the final mile. Thirteen, no! There is just a bit more, put the pedal down and be sure the van is empty before parking up for the full half-marathon distance.

IOC team rallied up the mile marker calculations via tracking and mobile phone text as Lomas dug into the post ten mile distance watching the delivery time match the target.