MORE than 11,000 runners took part over the two days of this year's Bournemouth Marathon Festival.

The event included the marathon itself and half marathon on Sunday, starting at 8am and 10am respectively, while on Saturday there were 1.5k and 2k races for younger runners, and the Supersonic 10k and evening Speed of Light 5k events.

First to cross the finish line for the full marathon was Boaz Kiprono with a provisional time of 2h 16m.

Jacek Cieluszecki, 38, came in seventh place with a time of 2h 35m. The Bournemouth Athletic Club member said: "I am quite happy with my result, I was aiming for 2h 40m.

"I have taken part three times and the first time I did 2h 33m, but the conditions were better.

"It was a little bit breezy and it is quite hard to keep up the pace.

"I do find the route a bit boring as I run it a lot with the club, but I love the event. It is quite a fast course although there are hilly parts around the piers."

Toby Chapman, 22, from Taunton, came in at 2h 45m. Running the marathon for the second time, he said: "It is really great event to come back to. It was difficult today, very dry, but my result was round about what I was expecting."

At the start Heidi Ramsier, a 37-year-old nurse practitioner of Vet Close in Highcliffe, said: "I should be in Barcelona doing an ironman but I'm here instead."

Russ Wareham, 43, formerly of Parkstone but now living in South Wales, said he hoped to beat his personal best of 3:40 which he achieved at this year's London event.

At the start of the half marathon, Sandro Lemos, 31, an engineer from Parkstone, was taking part for the first time but had run the Lisbon marathon twice before.

Liz Bedborough, of Church Road in Southbourne, has run it every year since it started.

"The marathon is difficult because you've got the hill at 18 miles," she said. "The year I did it was really sunny and it was exceptionally warm. There was no shade."

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Joshua, nine, and Harry, nine, were cheering on their mum Jessica Greenhalgh from Hertfordshire, who marries their dad Mark Samuel next September.

At the finish line of the half marathon, 41-year-old Barry Kemp, from Plymouth, said: “It is the first time I have ever run this half.

“It is a nice out and back run, quite level with only one hill. It is quite a fast one.

“Like all halves it is difficult at that pace.”

Barry, who was welcomed at the finish line by his girlfriend and fellow Tamar Trotters runner Amanda, crossed at 1h 24m.

“The support here is great and it is a good course for spectators,” he added.

“And there is beautiful scenery right along the coastline.”

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Vicky Ingham, from Poole, crossed in 1h 27m. It was the fourth time the 28-year-old had run the Bournemouth half-marathon.

“I like the course here, the support is really good especially with all the local people I know from running clubs,” she said.

“It is a great atmosphere and very well organised.”

Vicky was one of around 25 Poole Runners members taking part across both events today. She described the race as “hard”, and said she was heading off for a refreshing pint – of water.

“It is a beautiful route and the weather has been great today as well,” she added.

Richard Horton came first in the event, with a time of 1h 8m.

In Saturday's children's races some competitors had more incentive than others.

Bella Mason, seven, said: "Dad said if we ran it in 10 minutes we get £10."

She was joined by her Verwood First School friend Amelia Stewart, also seven, and her brother Harry, eight.

The seafront was packed with the families and friends of competitors on both days, and there were a variety of activities in the gardens to keep spectators entertained.

For a full list of results, see the Bournemouth Marathon Festival website.