Cromer Cromer runner Emma Risbey was the first woman home in Sunday's Larking Gowen City of Norwich Half Marathon.

Risbey, who lives and works in the town, although she wears the colours of Winchester & District AC, finished in 1:27:06, 35th overall.

Risbey finished more than five minutes ahead of the next woman home, Amelia Lambert,

'It was hard going,' she said. 'I was going to try and run a good time because I had run an 80 minutes at Cambridge a few weeks ago but today I just got slower and slower and was just desperate to hold on and try and win.

'I probably went out quite fast and with the nature of this course the second half is really tough. But it was great with loads of people cheering – that was the only thing that kept me going in the last mile.'

There was a one-two for organising club, City of Norwich AC, in the overall race, with maths teacher Piers Arnold leading virtually all the way and finishing in one hour 12 minutes and 32 seconds – more than a minute and a half ahead of Ash Harrell.

Arnold echoed the views of many when he said the warm conditions took chunks off of PBs.

'It was really hard going,' he said.

Ten Beach Runners were among 2,016 finishers of the half marathon which was run over a course that, as always, started and finished at the Norfolk Showground.

First Beach Runner home was Tim Francis in 1.46.51 for 331st place, with Natasha Sumner the first Beach Runnerwoman in 2.05.05 for 936th place.

Super Seventies runner Mike Marshall clocked 2.28.41 for 1,668th place, and 18th out of 25 in the 65+ age group, although he qualifies for the 75+, and will be part of the team for the Ekiden marathon relay at Woodbridge on July 16.

Meanwhile 16 Beach Runners made the trip to the south coast at the weekend to be among 12,561 starters in the Brighton marathon, on what turned out to be the hottest day of the year so far. First Beach Runner home was ultra specialist Colin Stark in 3.12.53 for 280th place overall and 261st male finisher out of 7,743. First woman Beach Runner - and 68th out of 4,818 - was Lisa Oakley in 3.29.48 for 835th place overall. Eight Beach Runners cracked four hours.