There were many excellent performances and personal bests from the runners of this year’s Kent Coastal Marathon and Half-Marathon sponsored by County Solicitors on Sunday.

Organised by Thanet Roadrunners, just under 550 runners took part with 369 finishers in the half-marathon and 170 in the marathon.

The event attracted runners aged 17-75 from as far as Australia, New Zealand and Russia and took in the towns of Margate, Broadstairs and Ramsgate.

Two Thanet Roadrunners, Peter Gough and John Hunt, did their best to make things even trickier by running the route twice – the first in the early hours.

Springfield Striders’ James Wright won the half-marathon in 1:19.17 while Emma Hollands, of Paddock Wood AC, claimed the ladies’ first place, in 1:36.05. Steve-John Benjamin won the marathon in 2:49.10.

Although 80 Thanet Roadrunners helped stage the races, 15 club members donned their racing shoes – Andy Stevens (1:26.39) led the team home in seventh in the half. Bradley Cameron clocked 3:04.08 to finish sixth overall in the marathon.

That Roadrunners’ half marathon finishers: 7th Andy Stevens 1:26.39; 15th Jack Bradley 1:32.22; 46th Andrew Richardson 1:41.14; 90th Abigail Cardwell 1:50.20; 320th Carl Boarder 2:30.51.

Full marathon: 6th Bradley Cameron 3:04.08; 30th Paul Joy 3:36.58; 31st Paul Galt 3:39.25; 34th Matthew Perrin 3:44.29; 36th Steven Suttle 3:45.44; 67th John Hunt 4:08.48; 77th Mark Lintott 4:12.43; 82nd Mark Foster 4:15.54; 135th Philip Cope 4:58.22; 162nd Peter Gough 5:38.55.

Race director Jon Holl said: “We hope to see as many of the runners again next year but entries are open for the Miles and Barr Alan Green Memorial 10 Mile Race on December 3.”