There can?t be many 17-year-olds who have a full marathon under their belt ? but Bermuda?s MacKinnon Eldridge has and at his first attempt he achieved his target of a sub-five hour run.

In last Sunday?s International Race Weekend marathon he ran with his training buddy and father Mark for much of the race before the two became separated as Eldridge snr forced the pace to achieve the best time he could.

MacKinnon, meanwhile, stuck to his task of reaching the finishing line before the clock hit 5:00:00. As he headed down Pitts Bay Road after 25-and-a-bit miles of continuous running the finish clock was the only thing on his mind.

Dad Mark, who had finished, was jogging back along the course to ask if he was alright

MacKinnon simply replied: ?What?s the time, what?s the time??

The news that it was still possible to break the five-hour barrier galvanised the teenager and he dug deep in the final few hundred metres as the seconds ticked closer and closer to five hours.

His final show of strength was rewarded with a time of 4:59:29 ? mission accomplished and the added sweetener of being the first under-20 finisher.

Two-and-a-half years ago MacKinnon started walking to improve his fitness and graduated to full running as a consequence, finding he enjoyed the sport.

In 2006 he plunged straight into the road racing scene by taking part in the May 24 Marathon Derby.

?I felt good about myself in that race. It is my favourite because everyone shows up and gives support.?

On having his father as a training partner he said: ?It has been helpful to have a family member to train with and spent time together. We are fairly well matched, although he did beat me in the marathon.?

Before Sunday?s big race, MacKinnon had taken part in the Turkey Trot 10K in December and the previous weekend?s Fairmont to Fairmont race.

Experienced runners such as former Premier Dr. David Saul have also been offering helpful tips to the Paget teenager as he prepared for the marathon.

Having gone through the pain during the latter stages of the 26.2-mile race, MacKinnon said he felt ?like a million dollars? after he had crossed the finish line having achieved his sub-five hour ambition by 31 seconds. He is now planning to run this year?s May 24 Marathon Derby.

His father, who ran a time of 4:36:35, said the pair had agreed that if one or other was feeling good during the race they would go ahead and run the best time they were capable of. However, father and son had completed the first lap together in 2:06.

It was a debut marathon for them both.

Mark said of his son: ?He took it upon himself to start running on his own every evening and he pushed me into it and we?d go out running together.

?We got a training schedule and learned how not to get injured and worked together. It has been a great bonding experience. Both of us felt great at halfway, then MacKinnon started to pull up around Collectors Hill. I think he did not have the reserves to draw on and his foot had been hurting after the Fairmont race.

?After I finished I went back along the road and saw him near the Fairmont Princess Hotel. He asked what the time was and when he saw the finishing clock he sprinted to get under the five hours.?

He added: ?The next day we were both hobbling like old men.?

But the aches and pains appear to have been short lived. MacKinnon reports he is now feeling quite relaxed and intends to resume training this Friday.