HALSTEAD Road Runners' Andy Wilmot won the men’s 70 and over age category for the third successive year at the Kent Circuit Marathon.

Wilmot finished alongside Halstead team-mate Dan Smith in four hours 23 minutes at the event, which replaced the award winning Kent Roadrunner Marathon.

Despite the name change, much remained the same including the venue and the course located at the gently undulating but perfectly smooth, private tarmac circuit at the Cyclopark near Gravesend.

The course is a familiar one for several of the Halstead Road Runners including Wilmot, Smith and Rosie Atkins, who all returned to race again.

The looped nature of the course makes it an ideal location for spectators and Halstead RR were supported by family and friends who set up a very popular water spraying station.

The race started with an initial loop of 0.5 miles before a further 20 laps each measuring 1.29 miles, to make up the 26.2-mile distance.

Weather conditions were tough for the runners with the race starting with a downpour and a spectacular display of lightening before then warming up considerably.

However, heat took its toll on a number of runners across the field.

Andy Owen was the first to finish the mentally-tortuous course in 3h 27m.

John Warne was very happy to run his fastest marathon in recent years, finishing in 4h 13m and third in the men’s 60-69 age category.

Atkins showed real determination and stamina to finish in 4h 18m.

Elsewhere, Caroliena Cameron took to the trails to run the Elmstead Market trail half marathon in 2h 20m.