Pink ladies are pick of the crop in this year’s London Marathon run

This weekend literally dozens of ad execs and senior marketers will experience the London Marathon: they will get out of bed early, their hearts a-flutter; with trembling fingers they will tie their shoes and don casual sports gear and then they will head out to Blackheath or somewhere else along the route and heroically cheer on those foolhardy souls who are actually running the race.

After all, this is 2006, supporters say. Any modern day Pheidippides suddenly finding himself required to carry an important message from point A to point B, would simply pick up the mobile and ring for a motorbike courier – who would then probably still take well over two hours to get from Greenwich Park to The Mall.

The Diary agrees, to an extent, but salutes the dedication of those with the gumption to take on the course. The Diary’s last attempt at a jog ended in ignominy on a park bench in Acton.

Among those to look out for this year will be Felicity Aston and Jo Vellino – running on behalf of Breakthrough Breast Cancer and dressed as a pair of “pink lady” apples. Another is Zoe Waistell, marketing manager at Hinckley-based Recognition Express, running for the WellChild charity.

The Diary wishes them the very best of luck.