SUE Becconsall, of Todmorden Harriers, became the first woman in the country to complete a marathon this century when she won the British Millennium Marathon at Leyland by a 10-minute margin.

Clitheroe athlete Jennifer Adams, in fourth place, was the L45 winner, but far from exhausted, she recovered quickly enough to run 47 minutes in the Kendal 10K the following day.

Another remarkable runner, Kitty Garnett of Clayton Harriers, won the L60 class with a time of 4:09.40. Burnley AC's Caroline Hindle and Accrington Road Runner Gill Craske recorded elite sub 3.45 times, with Caroline winning third in the L35 division.

Mick Nester of Blackburn Road Runners won the M45 class in the men's race by a mere four seconds from Peter Butterworth, and both finished within a minute of Andrew Taylor (ninth) and Graham Cunliffe (10th) East Lancashire's highest finishers. Two other locals joined the exclusive band of sub three-hour men, a fourth Clayton man Brian Horrocks, and Neil Holding of West Pennine Runners. Race winner by seven minutes was Preston-based Darren Hale.

Michael Green was an easy winner of the half marathon event which took place simultaneously over the first lap of the full course. It was Michael's final race before returning to university in America. Clayton pair Mark Brown and Dave Gregory were third and fourth and Christine Leathley, also Clayton, won the L50 division. Marathon (good for age) - Men: 1 Darren Hale (Rotherham) 2:29.37, 2 Bashir Hussain (Stockport) 2:36.23, 9 (3rd M40) Andrew Taylor (C) 2:46.49, 10 (4th M40) Graham Cunliffe (C) 2:46.55, 12 (1st M45) Mick Nester (BRR) 2:47.43, 13 (2nd M45) Peter Butterworth (C) 2:47.47, 28 Brian Horrocks (C) 2:45.23, 33 Neil Holding (WP) 2:58.22, 48 David Horrocks (C) 3:04.33, 61 Alan Turner (C) 3:08.42, 71 Paul Sutherland (B) 3:12.35, 73 Geoff Haworth (RR) 3:13.32, 120 John McDonald (CH) 3:22,31, 128 Graham Cunliffe (B) 3:24.22, 227 Harry Haseley (A) 3:42.02, 239 John Swift (CAC) 3:44.50, 266 Edward Murray (CAC) 3:50.09, 305 George Newton 3:57.23.

Ladies: 1 (1st L40) Sue Becconsall (T) 3:02.04, 4 (1st L45) Jennifer Adams (RR) 3:14.59, 11 (2nd L35) Caroline Hindle (B) 3:33.12, 18 Gill CRaske (A) 3:42.02, 32 (1st L60) Kathleen Garnett (C) 4:09.40, 35 Sue Middleton (C) 4:17.03.

Half Marathon (good for age) - Men: 1 Michael Green (BH) 1:06.29, 2 (1st M40) Alex Rowe (Wesham) 1:10.01, 3 Mark Brown (C) 1:11.35, 4 David Gregory (C) 1:14.25, 14 Adrian Fearnley (A) 1:20.06, 20 Neil Worswick (C) 1:22.16, 23 Andrew Smith (DD) 1:22.53, 35 Stuart Pound (RR) 1:27.01.

Ladies: 1 Karen Allen (Goole) 1:30.50, 10 (1st L50) Christine Leathley (C) 1:43.37, 56 Sheila Fogg (WP) 1:56.56, 57 Carole Kay (BH) 1:57.37, 64 Val Lawson (C) 1:59.00, 71 Julie Walmsley (BRR) 2:01.18, 72 Norma Smith (BRR) 2:01.27.

Key: A Accrington RR, B Burnley, BH Blackburn Harriers, BRR Blackburn RR, C Clayton, CAC Chorley AC, CH Chorley Harriers, RR Red Rose, WP West Pennine.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.