NEW Marske veteran James Bulman showed his younger rivals a clean pair of heels to win yesterday’s 30th Redcar Half Marathon by nearly three minutes to claim the North-East championship.

It was the 41-year-old Teessider’s 21st half marathon of his athletics career and his time, in the windy conditions, of 71 mins 59 secs was only a minute outside his personal-best, set in the 2010 Great North Run, as he beat clubmate Shaun O’Grady by a comfortable 2 mins 52 secs with Jarrow and Hebburn’s Andy Burn third in 75 mins 8 secs.

Bulman, a prolific road racer, had won ten veteran first prizes this year, but it was his first success over the 13.1 mile distance since he won the Keswick Half Marathon three years ago.

O’Grady, who was third on his debut at Redcar in 2007, clocked 74 mins 51 secs, while 30-year-old Burn, in only his second half marathon, slashed a huge 15 minutes off his previous time of 90 mins 59 secs which earned him 640th place in the 2010 Great North Run.

The women’s race was won by Durham City Harrier Aiveen Fox, who clipped three minutes off her personal-best with a time of 86 mins 6 secs in only her second half marathon. She beat unattached runner Michelle Avery by 59 seconds.

Results – Men: 1 J Bulman (New Marske M40) 71 mins 59 secs; 2 S O’Grady (New Marske) 74.51; 3 A Burn (Jarrow & Hebburn) 75.08; 4 S Potts (Sunderland) 75.27; 5 C Isherwood (Sund) 75.44; 6 T Danby (New Marske) 76.07; 7 A Chadfield (Billingham Marsh House) 76.21; 8 M Smith (Aberystwyth) 77.04; 9 G Cook (North Shields Poly) 77.21; 10 P Kaiser (Valley Striders) 78.18. M45 G Humphries (Unatt) 80.03; M50 W Shively (York Postal) 82.56; M55 I Bloomfield (Chester-le-Street) 81.13.

Women: 1 A Fox (Durham City) 75.27; 2 M Avery (Unatt) 87.05; 3 K Neesam (New Marske W45) 88.11; 4 S Black (Hartlepool Burn Road) 89.52; 5 K Aspin (New Marske W45) 90.32.