CORNISHMAN Dan Nash finished leading West Country runner in the Therme Manchester marathon on Sunday.
Nash, who now lives in Cardiff and runs the city club, clocked a PB time of 2:15.34 for seventh place, just ahead of Devonian Frank Baddick.
Nash’s previous best stood at 2:18.51 which he set three years ago in Brighton.
“Very pleased to finally knock out a good one after a couple of shockers in recent years,” said Nash.
“Stuck to the plan which was to finish strong but unfortunately fell an agonising five seconds short of the Commonwealth Games standard. Maybe next time…”
Baddick made his name as a 1500m track runner and his time of 2:16.20 was only just outside his debut of 2:15.58 in the British Olympic trials at Kew Gardens a year ago.
Completing a trio of West-born runners in the top ten Devonian Ronnie Richmond also took advantage of the benign conditions and quality field to smash his PB.
The consistent Bideford AC runner clocked 2:16.59 to eclipse his previous best of 2:18.19 which he set last year in the Cheshire Elite marathon.
Locally former GB international Holly Rush of Avon Valley Runners was the leading woman in the elite race clocking 2:46.46.
In the open race Bristol & West AC’s Andrew Drake was the leading local runner finishing 74th in personal best time of 2:33.15.
That time clipped 3mins 2secs off Drake’s previous best set in Berlin last year.
Team Bath’s Ed Gwynne-Harris clocked a PB of 2:41.39.
Other B&W runners to break three hours included Aled Anderson (2:42.49), Tom Newman (2:45.41), Ryan Liquorish (2:45.45), Richard Boyes (2:47.15), Nick Tuftnell (2:51.21) and Matt Davies (2:52.56).
Bristol & West AC’s Annabel Granger continued her excellent form this winter with the W45 veteran clocking 2:48.33 – only 50 seconds outside her lifetime best set in London three years.
What an amazing performance from her and another amazing one from clubmate Kate Mactear, who smashed her lifetime best with 2:56.32.
That was not only Mactear’s first time under three hours but also 3:10 as her previous PB was 3:14.18 which she ran five years ago in London when a member of the Mid Sussex Triathlon Club.