Brighton runner Pat Davoren won the Brighton Beacon Half-Marathon yesterday.

The 29-year-old Phoenix AC runner led for the last ten miles and cruised home in a time of 1hr.11min.42sec.

Davoren, who is training for the London Marathon on April 14, said it was a useful workout.

He said: "It is a long way to be out in front on your own so I decided to sit in for three miles.

"I enjoyed it and it is good training for London. It was tough, but that is what you need.

"If I hadn't run the race then I would have been training on my own so it is useful to compete and also help raise money for people with disabilities."

Third place in the men's event went to 23-year-old Tom Naylor, from Woodingdean, who finished in a time of 1hr.13min.45sec.

Naylor, who trains with Davoren and whose father Mike is the race director, said: "Coming back into the wind was tough but I am pleased with my performance and also the turnout.

"In the last couple of years the race has been getting smaller but this year the numbers are good. There needs to be a race on the seafront in Brighton in preparation for the London Marathon.

"Unlike other courses, the route is totally closed off and I hope the event gets even bigger in the future."

First woman across the line was Londoner Juliette Clark, 37, of Belgrave Harriers who completed the course in 1hr.23min.05sec.

Some three minutes behind was Seaford runner Liz Lumber, 35, of Arena 80 who was pleased with her time of 1hr.26min.43sec.

Lumber said: "I pushed it from about ten miles out and started to pick off the other runners one at a time. I must have passed about 20 runners from Rottingdean.

"The conditions were difficult with the wind in your face and if you are small like me, then you get battered around."

Over 1,500 runners took part in the race.

They enjoyed benign conditions early on, but the weather deteriorated to dent many personal best hopes.

The record-breaking field headed east along the seafront from The Concorde 2 on Madeira Drive towards Hove Lagoon, before returning east past the Peace Statue to Rottingdean.

It was the final leg of the 13.1-mile course from Rottingdean back to Madeira Drive into the wind and rain that proved tough for many entrants.

Albion youth team manager Dean Wilkins exceeded his expectations by nine minutes to cross the line in a creditable 1hr.36min,30sec.

The former Seagulls player, who made nearly 400 appearances for Albion, said it was the toughest event he has ever done. "It was diabolical. Never again. It is the hardest thing I've ever done. My plans for the London Marathon have gone out of the window.

"Luckily I got some encouragement from the other runners and it does help. There are times in the race when you just want to stop but I managed to keep going."

Organisers were pleased with the event which hopes to raise around £10,000 for the Sussex Beacon, the country's only national centre for people with HIV and AIDS related illnesses in Bevendean Road.

Race director Mike Naylor, who also organised the event last year, said he planned to make the run better next year.

"We had more water stations this year and a bigger entry," he said. "I want to make more improvements for next year."