A new course record for the Rosebud Marathon was the highlight of a day when summer returned just in time for our Rose of the Shires event.

Jose Santos knocked more than ten minutes off the previous best time for the marathon event as he claimed victory in three hours, 50 minutes and 37 seconds.

The result was a morale booster for Jose who is set to take part in this year’s Boston Marathon.

On a day when temperatures peaked at around 17°C, but running conditions were otherwise perfect, Andrew Platt took first place in the Rose of the Shires Ultra, completing the 54-mile circular route in 8:17:11.

The runners enjoyed a fantastic day in the sunshine as they started and finished this picturesque race at Brixworth Country Park, passing through the beautiful Northamptonshire countryside along the way, including two stunning country parks, Salcey Forest, the Grand Union Canal and 21 pretty villages and towns.

Maryann Devally took first place in the women’s category for the ultra marathon, finishing in 10:28:24; while Nikki Javan won the women’s marathon in 4:11:54 – just over a minute outside of the course record pace.