ON A day when footpaths resembled streams and roads were more like rivers, almost 800 runners finished Airecentre Pacers' Chevin Chase on Saturday.

And for the first time since 2006, a Brownlee (be that Alistair or Jonny) did not stand on top of the podium, that honour on a wet Boxing Day going to Serpentine RC's John Franklin.

He covered the course, which is just under seven miles, in 40min 39sec, with Woodhouse Grove schoolteacher Phillip Tedd (Thames Hare & Hounds) completing a London double by coming second 53 seconds further back.

Yorkshire's top three came third, fourth and fifth in the shape of Chris Miller (Harrogate Harriers & AC) in 41:36, Adam Osborne (Leeds City AC) 42:24 and Frank Beresford (Otley AC) 42:39.

Others in the top ten included Pudsey & Bramley AC's Colin Walker (sixth, 43:08) and Ilkley Harriers' Ben Stevens (tenth, 43:45).

Ilkley's Georgia Malir, a junior international fell runner and clubmate of Osborne, won the women's race by over two minutes in finishing 18th in 45:45.

Second was Hannah Brown (Skyrac AC) in 47:54 for 35th and third was Laura Dransfield (Roundhay Runners) in 50:42 for 76th.

Fourth was Idle AC's Donna Edmondson in 51:25, and other locals in the top ten were Ilkley Harriers AC's Kate Archer (fifth in 51:37), Horsforth AC's Ruth Moran (sixth in 52:07), Skyrac AC's Rebecca Cesar De Sa (seventh in 52:27), Bingley Harriers' Lesley Watson (eighth in 53:04) and Horsforth Fellandale Club's Kathryn Fisk (ninth in 53:05).

One tweeter summed up the experience for the junior marshals by writing: "Bet the kids enjoyed themselves . . . where else can you get wet and mucky and not get into bother with mum?"

Ste Barnett tweeted: "Well that's easily one of the craziest experiences I've ever had . . . but so much fun too!", while the marshals in general were praised for sticking it out in the rain.

Some runners even thought the race had a chance of winning a national award for races with 1,000 runners or less.