Bury St Edmunds hosted its first official marathon on Sunday.

East Anglian Daily Times: Joanna Simcock-Sims after the 10K. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWNJoanna Simcock-Sims after the 10K. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant)

The 26.2 mile distance was one of four runs organised for the Bury St Edmunds running festival.

East Anglian Daily Times: Runners take to the streets in the Bury St Edmunds half marathon. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWNRunners take to the streets in the Bury St Edmunds half marathon. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant)

The event was run by HaverSports – behind the Haverhill Running Festival since 2014 – and sponsored by Unique Bars, which runs Flex Nightclub.

East Anglian Daily Times: Runners take to the streets in the Bury St Edmunds 10K. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWNRunners take to the streets in the Bury St Edmunds 10K. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant)

All of the distances in the Unique Bars Running Festival embarked from Abbeycroft Leisure’s Skyliner Leisure Centre, in Moreton Hall.

East Anglian Daily Times: Runners take to the streets in the Bury St Edmunds 10K. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWNRunners take to the streets in the Bury St Edmunds 10K. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant)

The Abbeycroft Leisure marathon set off at 9am on Sunday – taking runners twice under the A14, past Little Whelnetham, through Bradfield St George, Rougham, Blackthorpe and Battlies Green – and round again, before finishing back at the sports centre, where medals were handed out.

East Anglian Daily Times: Runners take to the streets in the Bury St Edmunds half marathon. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWNRunners take to the streets in the Bury St Edmunds half marathon. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant)

Half-an-hour later, the Knights Lowe 10k got underway from the same spot, followed at 11.30am by the Kent Blaxill half marathon, which took runners on a single lap of the route twice taken by the marathon field.

East Anglian Daily Times: Debbie Wiseman and Caroline Green after the 10k. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWNDebbie Wiseman and Caroline Green after the 10k. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant)

Finally, the fun run saw families complete a short loop of the footpaths on Moreton Hall.

East Anglian Daily Times: Runners take to the streets in the Bury St Edmunds half marathon. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWNRunners take to the streets in the Bury St Edmunds half marathon. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant)

All of the runs were staged in support of Bury Town Pastors and the My WiSH Charity, which supports West Suffolk Hospital.

East Anglian Daily Times: Ruth Acworth with her medal after the 10K. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWNRuth Acworth with her medal after the 10K. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant)

The event marked the culmination of the Ourburystedmunds Festival of Sport, which kicked off on October 23, promoting a range of clubs and organisations, and including netball matches and a standalone 5km run.

East Anglian Daily Times: Runners take to the streets in the Bury St Edmunds half marathon. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWNRunners take to the streets in the Bury St Edmunds half marathon. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant)

Mark Cordell, chief executive of the Ourburystedmunds Business Improvement District (BID), said: “For the first event of its kind, that started as an idea over a cup of coffee about nine months ago, to have more than 1,000 people sign-up is really pleasing.

East Anglian Daily Times: Runners take to the streets in the Bury St Edmunds half marathon. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWNRunners take to the streets in the Bury St Edmunds half marathon. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant)

“We timed the run to coincide with the festival of sport, and its been our best week so far.

East Anglian Daily Times: Joshua Griffiths, Francesca Lawton and Keelan Smith after the 10K. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWNJoshua Griffiths, Francesca Lawton and Keelan Smith after the 10K. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant)

“We hope to make it a staple of the local running calendar.”

East Anglian Daily Times: Robert Rivers with his medal after the 10K. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWNRobert Rivers with his medal after the 10K. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant)

Archant’s group features editor, Liz Nice, took part in the marathon. She said: “It was well attended with a lot of people lined up at the start of the marathon and 10k events.

East Anglian Daily Times: Michael Roshier with his medal after the 10K. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWNMichael Roshier with his medal after the 10K. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant)

“It was a really nice course with lovely countryside.

East Anglian Daily Times: Runners take to the streets in the Bury St Edmunds 10K. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWNRunners take to the streets in the Bury St Edmunds 10K. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant)

“It was very different to London and Paris marathons, where the route is lined with supporters.

East Anglian Daily Times: Runners take to the streets in the Bury St Edmunds 10K. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWNRunners take to the streets in the Bury St Edmunds 10K. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant)

“Hopefully it will become an annual event and will build in popularity.”

East Anglian Daily Times: Runners take to the streets in the Bury St Edmunds half marathon. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWNRunners take to the streets in the Bury St Edmunds half marathon. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant)

In total, 77 runners took part in the marathon, which was won by Oliver Knott in 2:51:43. Puri Meseguer Bernal was the fastest female finisher, with a time of 3:51:21.

East Anglian Daily Times: Runners take to the streets in the Bury St Edmunds half marathon. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWNRunners take to the streets in the Bury St Edmunds half marathon. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant)

The half marathon was won by Stephen Dunne, while Robert Smailes took first place in the 10k and Dom Melero won a race to the finish line in the fun run.

East Anglian Daily Times: Runners take to the streets in the Bury St Edmunds half marathon. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWNRunners take to the streets in the Bury St Edmunds half marathon. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant)

The full marathon results were:

East Anglian Daily Times: It's all smiles at the inaugural staging of the Unique Bars Bury Festival of Running, held from Moreton Hall on Sunday. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWNIt's all smiles at the inaugural staging of the Unique Bars Bury Festival of Running, held from Moreton Hall on Sunday. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant)

1 Oliver Knott 02:51:43

East Anglian Daily Times: Runners take to the streets in the Bury St Edmunds half marathon. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWNRunners take to the streets in the Bury St Edmunds half marathon. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant)

2 Andrew Southwood 02:58:26

East Anglian Daily Times: Runners take to the streets in the Bury St Edmunds 10K. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWNRunners take to the streets in the Bury St Edmunds 10K. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant)

3 Dave Solomon 03:04:28

East Anglian Daily Times: Runners take to the streets in the Bury St Edmunds half marathon. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWNRunners take to the streets in the Bury St Edmunds half marathon. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant)

4 Colin Graham 03:05:39

East Anglian Daily Times: Runners take to the streets in the Bury St Edmunds 10K. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWNRunners take to the streets in the Bury St Edmunds 10K. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant)

5 Jason Brunt 03:07:35

East Anglian Daily Times: Runners take to the streets in the Bury St Edmunds 10K. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWNRunners take to the streets in the Bury St Edmunds 10K. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant)

6 Chris Mower 03:13:35

East Anglian Daily Times: Runners take to the streets in the Bury St Edmunds 10K. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWNRunners take to the streets in the Bury St Edmunds 10K. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant)

7 Louis Suggett 03:15:03

East Anglian Daily Times: Runners take to the streets in the Bury St Edmunds 10K. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWNRunners take to the streets in the Bury St Edmunds 10K. Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN (Image: Archant)

8 Stuart Weaver 03:15:32

9 Lloyd Henderson 03:19:21

10 Matthew Axton 03:20:55

11 Mike Salter 03:24:30

12 Pete Baistow 03:27:28

13 Mark Lyttle 03:28:33

14 Robin Harper 03:28:55

15 Kallum Breward 03:34:20

16 Romas Bleda 03:34:33

17 Sam Brooke 03:35:11

18 Andy Ellis 03:35:17

19 Jamie Cracknell 03:35:47

20 Fraser Welsh 03:36:17

21 Ben Cons 03:38:26

22 Mark Prigg 03:42:46

23 Paul Osborne 03:43:06

24 Denys Baudry 03:46:41

25 Adam Bowers 03:50:34

26 Puri Meseguer Bernal 03:51:21

27 Jason Walne 03:53:32

28 Jess Farthing 03:57:06

29 David Edwards 03:58:01

30 Caroline Burgess 03:58:35

31 Shirley Fowlet 04:00:29

32 Darren Doyle 04:03:43

33 Frances Cooke 04:06:05

34 Jo Summers 04:06:05

35 John Trowell 04:10:57

36 Frances Baldwin 04:11:27

37 Christopher Parker 04:11:40

38 Michael H 04:12:24

39 Lincoln Simpson 04:13:21

40 Bhimkumar Lawati 04:14:18

41 Dee St Ledger 04:19:36

42 Linda Fullman 04:22:00

43 Steve Chapman 04:23:57

44 Gregory Ellis 04:25:12

45 Alison Bills 04:26:42

46 Chris Oxley 04:27:58

47 Steven Rendell-Read 04:33:21

48 Stuart Millar 04:33:55

49 P Rooke 04:34:11

50 Sarah Rattle 04:35:16

51 James Eastwood 04:36:45

52 Caroline Perry 04:40:07

53 Craig Ladley 04:44:31

54 James Nicholls 04:45:13

55 Chantal Lovell 04:45:41

56 Catherine Rushworth 04:46:29

57 Paul Watts 04:48:19

58 Mandy Harley 04:48:20

59 Roger Taylor 04:48:31

60 Martin Murray 04:48:31

61 Stephanie Balaam 04:53:03

62 Dan Sharps 04:54:10

63 Matt Saunders 04:59:09

64 Simon Whalley 05:03:01

65 Samantha Emms 05:08:37

66 Karen Hamilton 05:08:38

67 Amanda Goldsmith 05:11:22

68 Ian Sillett 05:11:23

69 Simon Anderson 05:25:05

70 Liz Nice 05:39:38

71 Kate Measures 05:53:41

72 Steve Coey 05:53:45

Started Julie Dring

Started Caroline Dalchow

Started Darren Cook

Started Daniel Lockwood

Started Luvuyo Mfazwe