BLACKBURN Harrier Ben Fish claimed a season’s best time, winning the Oxford and Abingdon Marathon.

Fish won the race in two hours 26 minutes and 55 seconds – a six-minute improvement on his time at Chester earlier this month, where he finished eighth.

Illness forced Fish to scrap his long-term plan to attempt qualification for the Commonwealth Games at the Berlin marathon and his Chester effort was a disappointing one by his own very high standards of long-distance racing.

“I did what I set out to do – and that was to win in a reasonable time,” he said.

“It was the best I could have hoped for.”

Fish, who needs to dip under two hours and 17 minutes to claim a place in the England team for Glasgow 2014 before next May, added: “I tried to run more off feel than be a slave to specific pace in the race.

“My lead was never commanding and I was only ever 20-30 seconds ahead of my nearest rival.

“It went right down to the wire as I finished just six seconds ahead.”

Meanwhile, Blackburn Harrier Thomas Blaney ran a splendid race to finish runner-up at the tough Standish Hall Trail Race.

Blaney clocked 37 minutes and 54 seconds for the 6.1 mile challenge near Wigan, just ahead of Chorley’s Julian Goudge, who produced an excellent run to finish fourth in 38.23 and also collected the V40 prize.

Chorley vet Michael Chalfont ran a cracker too, taking fifth place in 38 minutes and 39 seconds.

It proved a competitive challenge for the 127-strong field, and Bowland Fell Runner vet Sarah Sarginson was first lady home, taking 22nd position in 44.23.

Club pal Simon Sarginson (M50) was just two places behind in 44.34, while John McDonald (M50) from Trawden AC was 35th, clocking 46.13.

Rossendale Harriers were also represented with Michael Toman (M45) completing the trail race in 47.20. Chorley’s David Miller (M55) was 62nd in 50.10.

Close by, at the Farmers Arms 10k at Parbold, Trawden’s Mark Fawcett (MV40) was home in 14th, clocking 40.47 There was also a terrific run from vet John Clarke (MV50), also representing Trawden. He secured 25th position in a time of 42.23.