CAPTAIN Byron Edwards knocked a massive four minutes off his previous best time for a marathon to lead home a four-strong field of Bury Athletic Club runners at Sunday's Greater Manchester Marathon.
Perfect conditions and a traditionally quick course helped Edwards clock a time of 2hrs 54mins 9secs to finish 187th overall and 32nd in his V40 age group.
He made his marathon experience count with almost metronomic pacing, maintaining a speed of 41 minutes for each 10k.
Second Bury finisher was Benn Heywood, completing his first marathon in 3:25:14. He was was on target to dip under three hours at the 30k mark but struggled with cramp over the final 10k.
Mark Simkin got round in 4:30:57, followed by ultra-distance runner Irfan Qureshi, who finished with a time of 4:44:53, working his way through the field to take 423rd in his V50 age category.
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