West Midlanders braved downpours and cold conditions to raise thousands for charity at the London Marathon.
The region's competitors returned home on "runner's high", wrapped in foil blankets and sipping tea after Sunday's
26.2-mile race.
They included BBC TV presenter Adrian Chiles, a former reporter atThe Birmingham Post, who is from Hagley in the West Midlands.
The consumer and sports journalist crossed the
finishing line in four and a half hours to raise funds for a Midland autistic school.
Sir Digby Jones, the director general of the Confederation for British Industry, who was born in Longbridge, Birmingham, raised £165,000 for Cancer Research and Unicef.
The business leader, who lost three stone while training for the race, completed the course in five hours 58 minutes.
He said: "This is my first and last marathon. At the moment I never want to see another pair of trainers, but at least I haven't got any blisters." More than 33,000 competitors, from athletes to celebrities to fun-runners, took part in the capital's 25th marathon cheered on by half a million spectators.
Paula Radcliffe's time of two hours 17 minutes 42 seconds earned her a new world record for the women-only race.
GMTV's Dr Hilary Jones and his son were banned from competing in the race after Dr Jones, aged 51, let 24-year-old Sebastian run in his place without official permission.
An injured Dr Jones had asked officials if Sebastian could take his place but had been refused.
Sebastian ran the race anyway and finished in three hours and eight minutes.
The event was marred by the death of a 59-year-old man from Cambridgeshire who collapsed while taking part and died later in hospital.
