East Cornwall Harrier Marc Smerdon won the sixth Eden Marathon.

Marc, from Liskeard, who was second two years ago, set off at a storming pace and never looked back, triumphing in 2.57.24.

Marc said: ‘I’m pleased to have won, especially because I knocked 10 minutes off my previous time.’

Fellow Harrier Oli Jones had thoughts of sticking with Marc, but wisely ran his own race in fifth place (3.13.25). Chris Gilbert has been putting in miles on coastal paths with Oli wasn’t too far behind in nieth (3.19.13). Andrew Bickle, who is approaching 400 marathons, recorded 4.25.06, to grab some race wine as ECH men again got second team. Andrew Berry is just getting back into the marathon swing and rounded up the team in 5.05.22, 159th place overall, putting the seal on one of the best days for East Cornwall Harriers in a long while.

Isobel Wykes, 37, a teacher from Probus, was the fastest woman (3.28.46) in the marathon for the third year in succession, smashing her previous best Eden Marathon time, set in 2013, by nearly six minutes.

Thirteen East Corwall Harriers set off in the half-marathon first off being Chris Ullman. Unfortunately 12 minutes later he was greeted by the sight of 20 or so runners coming in the opposite direction. It turned out the marshalls had gone too far ahead and lost sight of the lead runner who took a mistake left turn.

The race headed off again and this time ended up in a derelict railway station, before getting it right on the third attempt. By this time much of the field had regrouped and those Harriers who had put in big efforts at the start, such as David Philp, Clive Shute and Chris found themselves fighting to re-overtake all the people they’’d just spent two miles getting ahead of.

David struck out to lead home the Harriers in 1.32.04 (17th) and fourth in the male vet 50 age category.

Chris Ullman was denied a course pb in 34th place (1.35.23), and third in the male vet 45 category. Clive wasn’t too far behind in 1.36.47 (42nd) and sixth in the male vet 40 category, managing to hold off the challenge of Andrew Sims (1.37.08 44th). This team of four were the second-placed male team.

Other Harriers’ results: Marc Doyle (1.41.13 62nd); Ann Quarmby, the lone ECH lady (1.46.21); Jim Lockyer (1.54.35); Steve Beazley (2.06.23).

The marathon and half-marathon saw nearly 1,200 entries from all over the world.