Hundreds of Sussex runners will be lining up today for the dubious pleasure of running 26 miles of London roads.

It is London Marathon time again and last year Brighton and Hove's Dan Rathbone and Jane Boulton from Crowborough were the leading Sussex performers and they could well repeat the feat this year.

Boulton, who is now in the over-45 category, is in fine form having led the Sussex runners home in the Hastings Half-Marathon and taken second spot in the Sussex 20-mile championship at Worthing.

In 1997 when Boulton clocked her fastest time of two hours 52 minutes she took the bronze medal in the over-40 age group but such has been her form that she is aiming for another sub three hour finish.

The preparation of Sam Baines from Hailsham, the winner of the recent Worthing 20-mile road race, has been hampered by injury.

Baines said: "I messed up my knee at the Brighton Half-Marathon and since then have only been racing with the help of pain killers. I was quite pleased with my Worthing run and having done all that work I am determined to race.

"I did run a couple of years back but had not prepared properly so this was to be my first serious attempt. I'm disappointed that the injury will prevent me giving of my best but I'm going to give it a go."

Brighton and Hove's former International race walker Julie Drake, who finished third in the Sussex 20 at Worthing has been training and racing well and is determined to produce a good time. Club-mate Julia Cornford is hoping to return to action and if fit could well challenge for the top Sussex honours.

The Arena 80 Club has done well in the team race in recent years, winning the British title in 1999, but they will not be launching a serious challenge this time as they concentrated their efforts on a trip to the recent Paris Marathon.

In Liz Lumber and Vicki Boyle, however, they have two strong candidates who are both capable of getting close to the three-hour mark.

Last year Lumber was the sixth Sussex runner to finish in three hours. six minutes but this will be the first time that Boyle has qualified to line up with the elite women and she is aiming to finish in three hours eight minutes. Her best time so far is three hours 20 mins.

In the men's event, Rathbone has not been racing for a couple of months but his appearance on the starting grid suggests he is pretty fit.

Club-mate Paul Froud, who led the county's challenge in 1999, has been troubled by injury during the winter and is not at his best but the reverse is the case for another Brighton and Hove runner Keith Newton.

Newton has had a fine cross-country season and he will be hoping to get closer to the two hours 33 minutes 14 seconds he did in 1999.

Peter Daws from Hailsham, Gary Judd (Phoenix) and Andy Lamb (Hastings Runners) are all capable of getting inside Two hours 40 minutes as is Hussain Imbrahim (Brighton and Hove).

Several early season track and field open meetings have already been held and next Saturday the first Southern Women's League matches of the season are being staged.

Entries for the Sussex County Championships at Crawley next month will be accepted as long as they are post marked by Friday 27th.

These should be sent to the Sussex Administrator at 11c Hillcrest Close, Scaynes Hill, West Sussex RH17 7P