ALLEN Smalls retained his marathon title at the annual Heritage Coast Run, staged from Thorpeness and organised by the Rotary Club of Saxmundham and District last Sunday.

ALLEN Smalls retained his marathon title at the annual Heritage Coast Run, staged from Thorpeness and organised by the Rotary Club of Saxmundham and District last Sunday.

A field of more than 700 entrants took part in this run/walk event, which featured three distances over a marathon (26 miles), 14 and six miles.

Enjoying its 25th anniversary, the courses followed the scenic east coast of Suffolk. There was a mixture of serious club runners, joggers and walkers, and money was raised for the Home-Start Suffolk Coastal charity.

Smalls, an experienced ultra-distance runner from Colchester Harriers AC, won the marathon for the fifth successive year, a remarkable feat.

Fresh from his recent long-distance exploits in Scotland and the north of England, in addition to a swift time at the London Marathon, Smalls clocked 2hrs 58mins 45secs for the off-road route. It was his quickest time for this event.

He is currently in training for the West Highland Way race next month, which covers 97 miles.

Martin Jones was second overall and the leading over-45 veteran in 3.29.24, while Ipswich Jaffa's Ker Macrosson was third in 3.37.05.

Sarah Colbert, of Springfield Striders, won the ladies' marathon title, thanks to an effort of 3.44.31. She led from start to finish over a multi-terrain course that also featured long stretches on the beach.

Carina Sewell, a member of Woodbridge Shufflers, took second spot with 4.02.27. This was her third marathon in five weeks, following previous outings at Bungay and London. Springfield's Janet Hill stopped the clock at 4.08 for third position.

The top three men in the 14-mile route were made up of Angus Cosby (first in 1.22), Harwich Runners' Paul McClelland (second in 1.27.01) and Paul Sexby (third in 1.28.41).

The Hertfordshire-based Verlea club won the team trophy for the sixth consecutive year, while Springfield had two representatives in the top 10, in the shape of Tim Brockington (fifth) and Andy Mason (eighth).

Debbie Cattermole, of Colchester Harriers AC, was first lady home in the 14-mile race with 1.34.35, followed by Harriers club-mates Jane Hill (1.37.44) and Melissa Dowell (1.39.45).

Oliver Chamberlain, a 12-year-old from Cambridge, was the first junior (12 and under) in the six-mile event in 43.17.

Rotary Club President Roger Keene acknowledged the impact that running clubs and individual long distance runners have brought to the event, but was also keen to highlight the prodigious fund-raising of the other participants, both runners and joggers, of all ages.

Sue and John Haresnape, representing one of the event's main sponsors - the Lady Florence River Cruise Restaurant at Orford - were on hand to present the trophies and medals.