another emphatic victory in yesterday's Marathon Derby, taking the women's title for the third successive year and fourth time overall.

Her time of one hour, 24 minutes and 30 seconds was just too fast for her challengers as she finished 20th overall in a field of more than 450.

But the diminutive Bermudian was unable to challenge Sandra Mewett's course record of 1.19.56.

"It was a hard race, the humidity really affected my breathing,'' said Eatherley, who realised her chances of beating Mewett's time were "impossible'' after just the third mile.

Triathlete Karen Smith was the surprise second place finisher (1:31.21), beating Lynn Patchett (1:31.50) into third after the latter experienced problems in Hamilton and required medical attention on finishing.

Former winner Karen Adams ran came home fourth in 1:33.52.

Eatherley had been warned by her husband, Brett Forgesson, before the race not to overextend herself by going after the record.

"He told me `don't even try for it','' she said. "At the third mile I knew there was no chance of the record or even a fast time because the humidity was too high.

"It was a disappointing pace, with the high humidity you just couldn't breathe well. Usually my breathing is very good, but I was sort of struggling a bit.

"The hills were hard, I just found my breathing was so bad I couldn't really attack them and I trained to do them well. It was a bit disappointing, because you couldn't complain about the heat.'' While the rain cooled off many of the runners, Eatherley said the conditions weren't to her liking, making the roads slippery.

"I don't like running in the rain, I get scared of slipping on the downhills.

I think it probably affected me a bit but I can't complain, it could have been really, really hot and humid.'' Eatherley was never challenged, admitting she didn't see Patchett after the start.

And second-placed Smith never caught sight of Eatherley as she eventually passed an ailing Patchett on Cedar Avenue.

"I didn't see Lynn until at Queen Street,'' said Smith. "I didn't know where she was. I knew I was third, the crowds are good at telling you your position, giving you the motivation and encouragement.

"I passed Lynn on Cedar Avenue, I was suprrised. I didn't expect to pass her, I knew she was such a strong runner, and she is so fit and had trained for this a lot. I didn't expect to be up there today, I just had everything on my side, the puddles made me feel like a kid again out there.'' Adams snatched fourth place, surprising herself by finishing so high, having not trained specifically for the race.

"I had a great run, I started out very steady and just ran entirely by instinct, picked up the pace a bit after five miles and continued,'' said Adams. "I saw none of the leaders, I was just fortunate to pick up some people from the back as the race continued.

"I had no goals other than to just get to the finish. I didn't realise that I had the miles in my legs today. I was really very wary of the distance because I had not done the distance in training.'' Annette Hallett, the first veteran, was fifth woman overall in 1:34.49.

Anna Eatherley: First over the Marathon Derby finish line for the third straight year.