Today's Archive Hour story goes back 15 years to a group of Helensburgh athletes who were preparing to run in that year's London Marathon.

Here's how we reported their efforts in the Advertiser on April 10, 2003...

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THE film the Magnificent Seven unleashed a cliche that is bandied around with reckless abandon nowadays.

But seven intrepid runners from Helensburgh Amateur Athletic Club (HAAC) are no doubt shaking in their trainers with the thought of only a few days to go until the London Marathon on Sunday.

For this magnificent seven include first time runners Gail Thomas, Geraldine Whyte and Lig Hill and more experienced runners Ellen Thomson, Lorna Masterton, Karl Holditch and Erwin Loosekot.

The group have followed a set 14-week training programme devised especially for the 26.2-mile race.

The training included a long run every Sunday, which the group often did together, and at the ‘peak’ of their training they completed a 20-mile run over a challenging route that included Whistlefield and Glen Fruin.

Lig Hill said: “We have all had to literally put our lives on hold for the past 14 weeks and now we can only hope that we have done enough training to get us round.

“With all of us running for charities that are very close to our hearts, this will undoubtedly give us the extra strength we need to get to the finish line — no matter how long it takes.”

Lig added: “We intend to go out there and do our best.”