Lamont Marshall set a new personal best competing indoors at the Boston University Terrier Classic at the weekend.The top middle distance runner finished second in the men’s 3,000 meters after stopping the clock at 8:11.95 in the final.Marshall shaved some 26 seconds off his previous fastest (8:37) time in this event and came to within seven tenths of a second of the national record (8:11.21) held by Terrence Armstrong.“I was just seven tenths off the record and so I am very pleased about that ... I just have to keep on doing what I’m doing,” Marshall told The Royal Gazette.The 27-year-old athlete said his performance in Boston was right on par.“The projected time was 8.10 with a bare minimum of 8.15, so the 8.11 was right on point,” he added. “It’s always good to hit your projected times because it lets you know that you are on course.”Marshall said he felt fairly comfortable throughout the 15-lap race.“It was a pretty smooth race, I ran the first mile in 4.23 and basically held that pace,” he added. “A guy made a burst around lap ten and I went with him initially.“He extended his lead somewhat and it was about three of us in the chase pack. I led the chase pack and eventually held on for second.”Syracuse freshman Martin Hehir won the men’s 3,000 meter final in a time of 8:06.63 while Yale junior Tim Hillas (8:12.55) rounded off the podium finishers.Marshall warmed up for last weekend’s event with a strong showing during Bermuda Marathon Weekend, placing second behind Chris Estwanik in the 10K in a personal best time of 31:33.The top athlete reckons his form has come on in leaps and bounds in recent years.“I’ve seen my strength over the last few seasons grow tremendously,” he said. “Sometimes I’ve run one mile races in 4.20 and 4.24 and now I’m going out in 4.23 and holding that pace for two miles so that’s a clear indication of strength.”Marshall, who has accepted an invite from past World Marathon Champion and Olympic medallist Douglas Wakiihuri to train in Kenya, is due to return to the US East Coast next month to compete in the same event at the Boston University Valentine Invitational.