WHAT is believed to be the fastest road 5K ever run by a Bermudian was chalked up by Lamont Marshall in New Jersey last weekend as he came within a whisker of winning the Heroes to Hero Memorial race at Gloucester City.

After leading for the entire second half of the race, Marshall found himself in a head-to-head all out effort during the final 100 metres, just being edged out by the course record holder Mouhcne Outaleb.

Marshall stopped the clock at 14 minutes 50 seconds, one second behind the winner, to claim his own personal best and set what is believed to be the fastest road 5K by a Bermudian with only Kavin Smith holding a faster time for the distance ¿ although his mark was set during a 5,000m track race.

For the Devonshire 24-year-old it was the second lifetime best in consecutive overseas races, coming only three weeks after he shaved tenths of a second from his mile time as he came sixth in the New York Fifth Avenue Mile when he ran 4.15.3.

It was a return to New Jersey for Marshall to compete in the Heroes to Hero Memorial 5K in which he finished fifth last year when he ran 15.06.

This time he found himself tracking the eventual winner for the first mile-and-a-half.

"He ran the first mile in 4.35 and I did 4.36. After a mile-and-a-half I pulled up beside him and then overtook him and led all the way to the last 100m. That's when he out-sprinted me," said Marshall.

"He was the stronger runner. I believe he's Moroccan and he has the course record of 14.05. I'm happy with my result and it shows I'm starting to compete with the next level of athletes."

Having secured two outstanding early season performances, the Devonshire runner is putting his improvement down to an increase in his training mileage, much of which is run in the grounds of the Arboretum.

"Last year I ran 15.06 in this race and this time I took 16 seconds off that time and three seconds off my personal best. It is good to see that I'm improving so early in October and in my two overseas races I've managed two personal bests in a row."

Conditions for the Heroes to Hero 5K were perfect, with the temperature hovering in the mid 60s. With the approach of winter Marshall is unsure if he'll have an opportunity to run any further races in North America before the end of the year.

He is looking at the upcoming Crime Stoppers 5K, on October 26, as his next likely outing, a race he has previously won and which lends itself to fast times due to its mostly flat route along Front Street.