TWENTY-EIGHT Farnham Runners enjoyed the 22nd Fleet Half Marathon, efficiently organised by Fleet & Crookham AC on a clear and sunny Sunday.

Eight figured in the top 300 of the almost 2000 finishers, while many recorded personal best times or raced this distance for the first time.

The route was changed again this year to include one start lap of just over a mile.

First home for Farnham, for the second year, was Vince Crowley in 73rd place.

He bettered his last year's time by two minutes and was spot-on when it came to his target of 1-22 because he recorded 1hr 22mins 00secs. His prospects look excellent for a good time in the London Marathon, now only four weeks away.

New member Graham Wilton chased him round the course for another impressive time of 1-22-35 and 84th place.

Another newcomer, Richard Hosmer was 117th (1-25-09), helping the Runners to 10th position out of 68 teams.

Steve Parker and Chris Jackson made up a competitive trio with Hosmer. Parker finished 118th (1-25-13) and Jackson was fifth O/50 veteran and 127th overall (1-25-40).

Although disappointed not to make the 1-30 target, Terry Steadman finished 10th in the same age group (1-30-57), sneakily overtaking Jane Georghiou (1-31-03) who was 13th in the ladies' section.

This result, along with Nicolette Overy (pb 1-46-42) and Sara Fitzgerald (pb 1-47-16) gave the Farnham ladies sixth place out of ten teams in this competitive event.

Paula Judge was second lady and her time of 1-19-39 was a new British women's over-50s record.

Bob Brimicombe, making his half-marathon debut, had a strong run for 297th place (1-32-43).

Other Farnham times: Nick Hill 1-33-13, Richard Blackburn 1-34-00, Charles Ashby 1-36-16, Richard Baldock 1-38-05, Rob Murdoch 1-39-09, Graham Higgins 1-45-43 (pb), Lindsay Bamford 1-50-16 (pb), John Andrews 1-52-02 (pb), Robert Bevan 1-53-46 (pb), Clive Jones 1-54-15, Gillian Kenny 2-02-29 (debut, 7th in age group), Lucia Caravia 2-03-19, Michelle Dixon 2-06-04, Jackie Williams 2-08-48, Sara Buckle 2-09-54, Angela Ballard 2-12-51, Helen Scullard 2-26-57, Jonathan Emett 2-36-16.

Chris Jackson recorded 1-27-48 (4th in age group) and Dean Lindsey 1-28-33 in the Petersfield Half Marathon.