PAUL Whittaker won this year’s Southend Half Marathon on his home roads.

The Southend AC athlete ran within himself to finish in a time of 1h 12m 3s, some way down on the speedy times he has recorded over the distance already this year.

Whittaker was well backed up by two team-mates who also made the top 10 to ensure the Seasiders won the men’s team prize.

Rhys Gillard was sixth in 1h 17m 8s and Pat Walsh one place further back in 1h 17m 55s.

Benfleet RC’s men finished second overall led by a fine run from Dan Carter who was fourth in 1h 16m 26s.

James Caldon (17th, 1h 21m 5s) and Paul Ruffy (23rd, 1h 22m 21s) were the other team members.

Other Benfleet results: Paul Delaney (1:25:32), Keiron McGill (1:27:59), Damien Harvey (1:29:55), Tim Tomlins (1:30:08), Mike Grout (1:30:17), Ciaran Byrne (1:31:51), Michael Banham (1:32:16), Neil Casey (1:33:19), Colin Rothwell (1:36:36), Doug Stephens (1:37:55), Trevor Mickleburgh (1:38:23), Stuart McMeekin (1:39:16), Shelley Hall (1:41:14), Steve Wise (1:42:51), Daniel Lyons (1:43:08), Stephen Burton (1:43:41), Jayne Stacey (1:43:48), Angela Hall (1:44:13), Mohammed Shofiuzzaman (1:46:18), Stewart Morley (1:47:57), Anthony Eden (1:49:44), Rik Dolby (1:50:34), Kevin Judge (1:54:06), Alison Horsley (1:54:42), Melanie Anthony (1:55:32), Morgan Reddish (1:59:22), Paul Reed (1:59:30), Sue Kempson (2:00:16), Kerry Williams (2:00:47), Jon Parsons (2:00:54), Paola Kemsley-Benson (2:02:22), Steve Hall (2:05:39), Stuart Ross (2:09:35), Mark Cowan (2:11:50), Bob Chapman (2:13:03), Richard Dyson (2:23:10).

AN amazing 56 Leigh on Sea Striders took part on familiar roads and the club’s women showed their class by winning two medals in the team competition.

The A-team of Tracy English, Nikki Baynes and Katie Spicer were team gold medallists while the B -team of Ellie Kimber, Jemma Lee and Helen Kidgell were third.

The first Strider home was Matibini Matibini in 1h 20m 37s with English the first woman back in 1h 34m 13s.

Other LoSS results: Clive Cheese (1:25:44), James Burns (1:26:29), Aaron Paterson (1:28:58), John Hannan (1:29:30), Peter Goldring (1:29:56), Andy Prior (1:32:00), Robert Burns (1:32:46), Matthew Letley (1:34:14), Dean Ovel (1:34:22), Darren Summers (1:36:50), Nikki Baynes (1:38:00), Matthew Rivers (1:39:20), Martin Hitchcock (1:39:49), Katie Spicer (1:39:49), Andy Collier (1:41:18), Eleanor Kimber (1:42:40), Niki Read, Arran Salmon (1:43:38), Ronan Quinn (1:43:40), Gary Brown (1:45:31), David Ward (1:46:06), Ian Bernhardt (1:46:23), Elliott Cone (1:46:27, Jemma Lee (1:46:41), Helen Kidgell (1:46:59), Ian Tatman (1:47:02), Tom Rae (1:47:41), Fiona Walker (1:48:41), Richard Newman (1:52:38), Ben Warman (1:53:15), Tania Hagan (1:54:05), Keith Limburn (1:55:17), Michelle Payne (1:55:55), Johnny Lau (1:55:56), Mark Norton (1:56:52), Mark Armitage (1:57:41), Robert Kahl (1:58:33), Lynn Rivers (2:00:02), Eleanor Carmichael (2:01:40), Martin Diggines (2:01:54), Rebecca Davenport (2:02:02), Lorraine Mitchell (2:04:07), Gary Walsh (2:05:14), Simon Boyes (2:05:48), Kerry Slesser (2:06:29), Gail Alexander (2:06:48), Matt Campbell-Carr (2:08:46), Laura McHugh (2:09:23), Loren Murrell (2:12:27), Rachel Geary (2:14:21), Cathy Salmon (2:15:06), Irwin Bassett (2:16:41), Natalie Lewis (2:20:43), Michelle Roberts (3:16:00).

There was a big contingent from Rochford Running Club at the Southend Half led by Neil Hatton and Lindsey Colman.

Hatton was the first club member home in 1h 30m 22s, but Colman was not far behind as she clocked 1h 30m 53s.

Other Rochford results: Adam Shaw (1.35.40), Kevin Peters (1.41.58), Dave Joy (1.42.34), Steph Ager (1.46.28), James Bowker (1.48.49), Samantha Pickett (1.50.38), Daniel Benwell (1.50.45), Lisa Bolton (1.53.12), Richard Vernon (1.57.39), Martyn Mackean (1.59.24), Roy Ferdy (2.03.19), David Gittings (2.08.36), Michelle Thomas (2.14.59), Mark Frost (2.23.21), Helen Marriott (2.34.27), Sarah Eva (2.35.20), Stilwell Sandra (2.35.20), Claire Twidell (2.39.08), Charlotte Danes (2.53.33).

There were five Pitsea runners on the streets at the Southend Half Marathon, with Mike Woodward storming to 47th place in 1h 27m 02s. Other finishers were Andy Coombes (1h 46m 27s), Angela Smith (2h 05m 21s - a PB), Samantha Coombes (2h 07m 13s) and Dennis Jones (2h 47m 25s).