It would be the first time that the London Marathon has had male pacemakers in the elite women's race for 20 years.

Britain’s Patrick Dever finished fourth last year, one second shy of third place, only for a doping ban to promote him later. As the 50th five-borough race nears, he faces a field that has lost Sifan Hassan but gained European record-breaker Andreas Almgren.

Clare Elms, 62, outpaces every M65 man at the British Masters Cross Country Relays in Oxford while Birmingham University dominates in Manchester.

The 24-year-old ran without a watch to finish second in the second-fastest time by a German woman, while Amanal Petros was beaten by 20 seconds in the men’s race.

The 58:03 winner is the first Spaniard to take the half marathon title, as Sheila Chepkirui set a world-leading 1:03:51 and Laura Luengo broke the women’s national record.