Despite the focus being on the first big race for Paula the darling of British womens athletics nothing can detract from the supreme effort by Kenya's Martin Lel. He won the men's race in a sprint finish ahead of world-record holder Sammy Wanjiru and sprinting after that kind of distance requires supreme fitness and reserves only few in the world have. Lel put the hammer down to pull away from his fellow countryman in the final mile to clock 60:10. As the ninth fastest time in the world this year it was a stunning performance but overshadowed by interest not only in the womens race but the 50,000 other runners of all ages and types out for personal or charitable reasons. South Africa's Hendrick Ramaala, the champion in 1997, 2003 and 2006, was third.

Labels: bupa, great north run, lel, paula, ramaala