PADDOCK WOOD AC members took a gamble with the weather and were rewarded with some good times in the 2007 Las Vegas Marathon and Half-Marathon on Sunday.

After two days of wind and rain the 6am start was blessed with calm conditions as 12,000 runners set off.

More than 4,000 athletes opted for the full marathon, where Kent 20-mile champion Paul Hasler was the second GB finisher in 2hr31min57sec for an impressive 13th overall.

Club chairman Des White was the fifth M50 Master (128th, 3:10.27) after a race-long battle with training partner Pete Buckingham (161st, 3:14.18).

Fiona Buckingham improved her best to 3:41.04 to make the top 100 in the women’s race, and was joined by Alison White (331st, 4:04.27), who was the 10th W50 Master, in achieving a qualifying time for next year’s Boston race.

In the half-marathon, James Ridger was second GB finisher (13th, 1:21.02) for a good long-distance debut and Alan Newman (108th, 1:33.38) was eighth M50 Master. Sue James (46th, 1:41.01) was second in the W55 Masters.