CORSHAM runner James Atkinson smashed his personal best in the Great Bristol Half Marathon on Sunday.

The 28-year-old not only broke 1hr 20mins for the first time with 1hr 16mins 39secs but also got close enough to the landmark barrier of 75 minutes.

“Initially, I was trying to get under 1hr 20ins as my best was 1:21.30,” said Atkinson.

“I was delighted to run a big PB by five minutes.”

Atkinson’s previous best was set in Florida, in the Orlando half four years ago, and he hadn’t got close to that time since.

But since linking up with Team Bath six months ago after moving to Corsham, he has made rapid progress.

“I used to train mostly on my own but since joining Team Bath, I have been doing their weekly speed sessions on a Tuesday and that has really helped me,” added Atkinson.

“There is always room for improvement and hopefully I can get close to 75 minutes next time.”

Atkinson’s big PB was certainly one of the stand-out performances by a Wiltshire runner on Sunday but it wasn’t good enough to earn him the accolade as top male runner in the county.

That honour went to Rich Ayling of Avon Valley Runners, who also notched up a personal best to finish 10th from a field of several thousand runners.

Ayling clocked a time of 72mins 48secs to slice 35 seconds off his previous best which he set in Cardiff six months and which carved almost two minutes off his then existing best.

“That is brilliant, I am absolutely delighted,” said Ayling.

“It has always been a dream target for me to break 73 minutes for the half marathon and now I have done it.”

So that adds up to a remarkable year for Ayling, who has also set PBs at 5k (15:57, Bristol), 10k (33:32, Corsham) and 10 miles (56:56 Melksham).

Another AVR runner to enjoy the fine conditions – although the slight changes to the course didn’t seem to make it quicker - was Mike Rose as he sliced 24 seconds off his best, which he ran in Bath earlier this year, to finish 30th in 77:05.

Thomas Davies, of Westbury, a member of Team Bath, carved almost two minutes off his PB as he clocked 76:47 in 28th, easily eclipsing his 2015 best of 78:39.

“Both James and Tom had great runs and it is really encouraging to see them run big personal bests,” said Team Bath chairman Dave Coales.