COLCHESTER Harriers' runner Allen Smalls claimed a magnificent victory at the Halstead Marathon.

The 47-year-old defied the odds to win the county championship race in two hours 48 minutes 42 seconds, after front runners came to grief in the blazing hot conditions.

Long-time leader and second claim Harrier Angus Holford came to a halt at 18 miles after losing a big lead, as the midday heat took its toil.

A number of others dropped out of the race but Smalls took the lead on the 22-mile mark.

He finished ahead of Stubbington Green's Pele Capdevila, who was a distant second in 2h 51m 07s.

Only two further runners bust the three-hour mark, before Harriers Colin Ridley finished fifth (3h 00m 38s).

The half-centurian took the gold county medal for the over-50s before Jon Nears finished in 16th spot in 3h 21m 16s, securing the Harriers trio team silver behind Springfield Striders.

Steph Horner clocked 4h 05m 41s for bronze in the over 45 category, while Darren Horner clocked 4h 13m 56s and an exhausted Malcolm Statham posted 4h 00m 23s.

Harriers' Adrian Mussett retained his Colchester Garrison 10km title in style after clocking 32m 31s in severe heat.

Mark Harrod was sixth in 36m 20s in a field of 600 runners.

Chris Manby returned to form in 17th (38m 54s), while Simon Smith was 18th (39m 03s).

Other Harriers finishers: 19 Craig Mitchell 39-10, 20 David Wright 39-16, 21 Andy Lovelock 39-24, 22 Martyn Clarke 39-07, 25 Keith Marley 39-58, 30 Ian Haw 40-29, 31 Richard Boden 40-29, 35 Dan Mark 41-31, 48 Ady Frost 42-32, 50 Richard Millward 42-39, 66 Darren McGill 44-25, 67 Simon Morgan 44-32, 69 Jerry Walder 44-50, 72 Arthur Whiston 45-04, 102 Greg McDowell 47-15, 109 Pat Marsh 48-02, 128 Oliver Saunders 48-50, 137 John Wheatley 49-42.

Harriers' Sarah Stradling had to settle for runners-up spot in 36m 38s behind winner Georgina Schiwiening of Cambridge and Coleridge.

Rebecca Cooke was a fine fourth in 43m 21s, ahead of Beth Francis (47m 21s), Jo Martin (48m 33s), Fiona Wattam (48m 36s), Becky Bjotter (63m 08s), and Rachel Rodgers (63m 12s).

Harriers were in great form at the first summer Harwich handicap 5km race.

Fourteen-year-old Danny Millward ran an astonishing 17m 43s, while Wayne Cook clocked a personal best (PB) time of 18m 57s.

Other Harriers finishers: Paul Preston (17m 57s), Dan Foster (18m 52s), Richard Boden (19m 03s), Simon Smith (19m 06s), Richard Millward (19m 27s), Ady Frost (19m 49s), John Wheatley (23m 21s), Steve Clarke (22m 50s).

Nearly 350 runners took part in the Colchester Castle Park Run, with Carwyn Jones first home in 16m 30s.

Other Harriers finishers: David Wright: fourth, 19-25, Stacey Eyres: tenth and first lady 20-12, Rachel Dale: second lady, 20-56, Jo Martin: 3rd lady 23-19, Andrew Dagge 23-02, Dan Mark 23-20, Fran Norris 23-31, Gavin Sandercock 24-11, Richard Boden 24-13, Oliver Saunders 24-14, Jasmine West 24-32, Fay Smalls 31-21, Kate Sandercock 32-03.

Wayne Cook was third in the Cornard 5km Park Run in 18m 38s, while Debbie Cattermole ran 23m 28s.

At the Chelmsford Park run, Hannah Watson was first lady in 20m 29s and Rachel Richardson-Wright was 18th at the Mersea Island Duathlon.