GUISBOROUGH PE teacher Rob Holladay romped to a clear victory in Sunday's Enron Redcar Half Marathon.

The 26-year-old finished almost a minute and a half ahead of Morpeth clubmate Terry Wall, completing the course in 68 minutes 1 second.

Holladay used the event as part of his preparation for next month's Flora London Marathon and the win followed 30km and 20-mile road race successes out of the area. New Marske Harrier Alan Stimpson finished third.

Darlington primary school teacher Alison Raw gave herself a surprise birthday present by winning the North-East Championship, finishing second in the women's race to late entrant Claire Naylor.

Naylor, of Nottingham, is a Great Britain international and won by nearly seven minutes in 76 minutes 8 seconds.

Darlington Harrier Raw, 38 on Saturday, said: "I haven't been running very well for the last three months and I was basically using the race as a training run. I can't believe I've won the North-East Championship and it's a lovely birthday present."

The race produced a world record when a soldier from Catterick Garrison smashed the record for completing a half marathon with a 40lb rucksack on his back.

Cpl William McLennan crossed the finishing line in 1hr 43mins 42secs - 13 minutes and 30 seconds faster than the previous world record.

Results. - Men: 1 R Holladay (Morpeth) 68 mins 1 sec; 2 T Wall (Morp) 69.30; 3 A Stimpson (New Marske) 69.56; 4 R Hand (Durham City) 70.47; 5 S Dickinson (New Marske) 71.01; 6 I Crampton (Dur C) 71.20; 7 K Harker (Morp) 71.57; 8 D Lockett (Salford) 72.03; 9 M Armstrong (Hartlepool Burn Road) 72.14; 10 B Simpson (North Shields Poly) 72.16; 11 G Hetherington (Unatt V40) 72.34; 12 D Troman (Keswick) 72.47; 13 P Welham (New Marske) 73.32; 14 P Boyce (Eden Runners) 73.45; 15 B Roberts (Mandale V40) 73.59; 16 C Ridley (South Shields V40) 74.13; 17 I Monkman (Newton Aycliffe) 74.18; 18 M Connelly (Elswick) 74.21; 19 N Orr (Darlington V40) 74.24; 20 J Bell (Elswick V50) 74.29. V60 H Dobson (Knavesmire) 84.49.

Teams: 1 Morpeth (1 R Holladay, 2 T Wall, 7 K Harker) 10 pts; 2 New Marske (3 A Stimpson, 5 S Dickinson, 13 P Welham) 21; 3 Mandale (15 B Roberts, 25 K Carter, 26 P Lewis) 66.

North-East Championship: T Wall.

Women: 1 C Naylor (Sutton in Ashfield) 76.08; 2 A Raw (Darlington V35) 82.52; 3 F Shenton (Elvet Striders V40) 85.36; 4 M Stansmore (Middlesbrough and Cleveland) 86.09; 5 D Elliott (Houghton and Peterlee V40); 6 A Banner (Elswick) 88.58; 7 E Nutter (Ripon) 89.59; 8 D Richardson (Quakers) 90.32; 9 H Scaife (M&C) 90.47; 10 S Milburn (Newton Aycliffe V40) 91.36. V45 R Layton (Elvet Striders) 95.12; V55 V Naylor (Sutton in Ashfield) 95.32.

Teams: 1 Elswick 570; 2 Houghton and Peterlee 684; 3 Middlesbrough and Cleveland 774.

North East Championship: A Raw.