She was the frontrunner leading up to the Marathon Derby and Lynn Patchett lived up to that billing all the way.

The top contender for the women?s title outran her rivals from Somerset to the stadium, never once surrendering her spot at the head of the pack though initially threatened by Karen Smith.

Thus it was that three years after first tasting success in the May 24 spectacle, the multi-talented sportswoman added a second title to her collection.

Finishing in one hour, 30 minutes and two seconds, Patchett placed 21st overall and beat women?s runner-up Victoria Fiddick by 40 seconds.

?It took a lot of concentration leading for the whole race. We have some strong runners who are capable of challenging me and who I thought would be in contention ? Karen Smith, Victoria and Anna (Eatherley).

?I didn?t see them for the first few miles so I thought they were running conservatively and would come a bit later. Then I heard that somebody was 150 yards behind me and I was struggling a bit at that point so I was a little worried.?

However, coming into Hamilton, Patchett got a second wind and managed to maintain her composure for the rest of the course.

?I felt stronger than I thought I would and I was really focused because I knew they were coming. I had led the whole race and I thought ?You can?t lose it now?,? recalled the 38-year-old who dethroned Eatherley.

?I?m very fortunate to have another title. I worked towards this from January and I?m very happy to win today.?

Fiddick passed Smith on Harbour Road and motored on to claim second in 1:30:42.

?I feel really good. I didn?t feel that great finishing because I collapsed as I came across the line. I just kept thinking ?get through that barrier?, said Fiddick.

?I?m more than pleased and being second that?s great. I could not have expected any better. Lynn is very competitive. Right now she is in excellent shape so for me to be second to her is great.?

The 39-year-old ? who was 25th overall ? was additionally thrilled to record a personal best, improving on her previous best of 1:37:13 in last year?s race. She rued not having a tad more in reserve to give Patchett a run at the death.

?I felt great up until the last mile. I was hoping that I would have a little more left. If I could have got up next to her she was going to have to work hard because I think I can outsprint her.?

Smith struggled coming out of Hamilton, eventually capitulating around Montpelier Road, leaving Kim McMullen to grab third among the women in 1:33:39.

?I feel quite good. I ran my own race and I knew there were three girls in front of me and unfortunately Karen dropped out close to the end,? said the 35-year-old who was 33rd overall.

There were also celebrations in the Forgesson household as husband and wife Brett Forgesson and Anna Eatherley ? both aged 41 ? won the Masters (age 40-49) divisions.

Eatherley, last year?s women?s champion, triumphed over injury as she has been plagued by hamstring trouble for the entire year.

?I went out nice and slow, trying to ease into the race. I felt like pulling out around three miles because my hamstrings were so tight but they loosened up later and I felt quite good,? she said, after finishing in 1:34:56.

?I enjoyed it and I generally felt comfortable all the way but my hamstrings are so tight now.?

The veteran runner, who placed fourth among the women and 38th overall, is optimistic she can be competitive again once her injury heals.

?I have to work on getting healthy again. I wanted to do this race and now I?m going to take it easy and try to get over my hamstring problems.?

Forgesson, too, left the National Sports Centre in a buoyant mood after not only being first in his age group but wresting fourth place overall in 1:21:09.

?Conditions were really good today and the humidity was down. I hung back because my legs felt a bit heavy in the first four miles. At that point I was in about 12th place and about the fourth Master so I knew I had a lot of work to do.

?Luckily, my legs came right in the second half of the race. I managed to pull the other guys back and take over in the Masters around ten miles and hang on from there.?