combined to put the brakes on most of Bermuda's road runners who competed in Sunday's annual New York City Marathon.

Of 24 locals who entered the Big Apple run, only 19 made the start line and just two finished the 26.2 mile trek with personal bests.

Cal Steede clocked a fine 2:58.10 for his best-ever marathon while Gary Wilson was timed in a PB of 3:26.00.

As expected Brett Forgesson, who represented Bermuda in last year's Commonwealth Games in Victoria, Canada, recorded the fastest time of the Island group although his 2:41.50 was outside his previous best.

Forgesson was followed home by perennial New York entrant Manuel Lopes who had an unofficial time of 2.49 while Harry Patchett (2:55.35) was the only other Bermuda runner to break three hours.

Perhaps the biggest disappointment was the performance of veteran Joe Lopes who came out of a lengthy retirement in a bid to qualify for next April's Boston Centennial Marathon.

Now over 40 and in the Masters category, Lopes needed a time of 3.20 but could only struggle across the line in 3:31.10 -- a far cry from his running heyday when he clocked a superb 2:40.10 at Boston in 1986.

Of his previous 26 marathons, all but a handful were completed under three hours.

Sunday's race represented a first marathon for five Bermuda runners -- Andrew Dunstan (3:18.00), John Ludden (3:46.50), Douglas Molyneux (3:48.00), Glennis Benjamin (4:22.00) and Barbara Correia (4:30.00).

But two of the more experienced athletes in the party -- Ed Gomez and Rhianon Pedro -- reportedly found the conditions so cold they decided at the last minute against running.

Full results -- see Scoreboard