ALEX Hamblin and his Westbury Harriers team-mate Ben Wood (pictured above) both had plenty to smile about after the Newport marathon on Sunday.
Hamblin smashed his personal best by almost nine minutes with a time of 2hrs 46mins 32secs for 30th place while M45 veteran Wood clocked a solid 3:06.31 on his debut.
But fastest Harrier on the day was M40 veteran Paul Gardiner, who finished two places ahead of Hamlin on 2:46.24.
From the West County Cornishman Dan Nash, who has been living in south Wales for some years now, won in a course record time of 2:19.46 while Simon Nott of Calne Running Club clocked 2:24.40 for third on his debut at the distance.
From Swindon Harriers M40 veteran William Trew ran a PB of 2:38.07 for 12th while Great Western Runners Sam Wilson was 18th (2:43.00).
Ben Bohane of Thornbury Running Club carved over 10 minutes from his PB with 2:46.27 and there was also a PB of 2:47.58 for Weston’s Darren Stacey.
Bristol & West AC’s Lee Gawler ran 2:48.16 on his debut and Steve Robbins of Southville Running Club ducked inside three hours for the first time with 2:56.14, just behind clubmate Victor Manuel Mateu Garcia (2:56.04).