HANNAH Claydon can’t wait for the Virgin London Marathon later this month after smashing her personal best in the Yeovil Half Marathon.

The 23-year-old Swindon Harrier has set herself a target of breaking the three-hour mark at the marathon on Sunday, April 23 and that certainly seems realistic after winning the Yeovil event last weekend in a time of 83mins 49secs to slash 3:29 off her previous best set three years ago.

“I am very happy with the time and new personal best at Yeovil,” said Claydon.

“I had planned to try get a PB as I knew I was capable of doing so. I would like to knock off a few more minutes perhaps on a flatter race course because Yeovil had a couple of long hills between 8-10 miles.

“But Yeovil is a great race, good support from the crowds and there is a really good atmosphere.

"I would definitely like to do it again.”

Claydon, whose home is in Marlborough, fits her training around her studies for a degree is animal conservation and already has an offer to extend her academic career with a masters at Exeter University in applied Ecology.

As far as London is concerned it has also given her the opportunity to marry two passions in her life.

“I’m also raising money for the Tusk Trust and I have a Virgin money giving page that people could donate to,” added Claydon.

“I have one last hard week of training before beginning my taper for London and I am hoping for sub three hours. I can’t wait for that now. I’m feeling the fittest I have for a while and I am aiming to make the most of it.”