In formidable heat and humidity Lamont Marshall and Andrea Banks were untouchable as they claimed the men's and women's titles in the annual Labour Day Five Mile Road Race yesterday.

With the mercury rising to 83 degrees, and humidity hovering around the same figure, sweat drenched runners pounded along baking hot tarmac roads on the race route that started and finished outside the offices of the Bermuda Industrial Union.

Marshall, who hasn't raced on the Island since his third place in the May 24 Half-Marathon Derby, broke clear of the field within the opening two miles and was never headed again as he retained his title.

The Devonshire 26-year-old crossed the line in 26 minutes and 21 seconds, slower than last year but with a greater winning margin of just over two-and-a-half minutes.

Afterwards he said the race was always a good start to the racing year and helped him to get used to running in high heat so that he would benefit when things start to cool down.

"I went out fast. Chayce (Smith) and Sean (Trott) were there for the first two miles. Then I started to pull away and I did not look back," he said.

During the next few months Marshall intends to compete in a number of the Island's cross-country races. That could make for a fascinating cross-country series as yesterday's runner-up Sean Trott also plans to be a regular competitor in the off-road races.

Trott is now studying at Bermuda College and will likely become a more familiar figure at races, having dealt with an injury that affected him earlier in the year.

Of the Labour Day Race, he said: "Coming into it I have done a lot of base training miles at 6.30 minute-mile pace. So I did not know how I would feel today. I tried to follow Lamont and was about 30 metres behind him initially, but then he started to get away on Front Street."

The 20-year-old said he had been training in the heat throughout the summer and has set himself targets for the coming year which include aiming at running 5Ks in the low 15 minutes and breaking 33 minutes for 10K.

Third home was nine-time May 24 Half-Marathon Derby legend Kavin Smith, around 20 seconds behind Trott.

In the women's race Andrea Banks, 37, was the clear winner in 34.23, benefiting from a summer of training – some of which has been done in cooler climes.

She acknowledged that a few of the leading women's runners, such as Victoria Fiddick, Ashley Estwanik and Jennifer Alen, were missing from the race field (Fiddick was on the sidelines and helped marshal the race), but that did not distract from Banks' first big victory.

"I was pleased with how I felt. I thought I'd take it easy and not go off too fast. I ran with Mike Osborn, James Keyes and Chris Page and aimed to keep it at about seven-minute miles," she said.

Towards the latter stages of the race she felt strong and pushed harder, to be rewarded with a personal best, which was also her first sub-35 minute time for five miles.

Later this year she expects to run a full marathon.

Second woman across the line was Catherine Mello, 32, in 36.36. She said: "I tried to keep up with Andrea at the start, but then she took off. It was a great day and I think I've beaten my old time."

Mello had a baby in January and said she was enjoying being back running, with the five miles and the half-marathon her favoured distances.

Third woman was Deborah Norman in 37.20.

The race was organised by Swan's Running Club, and included a walking event, which was led home by Larry Burchall.

An under-16s race was won by Jermaih Steede in 8.58 from Nakeno Creighton in 9.35 and first girl was Quaashie Douglas in 9.47.

Third placed boy was Charlie Keyes, fourth overall, in 10.26. Second and third girls to finish were Ailyah Nolan in 11.01 and Katie Page in 11.23.