Bicester athlete Nigel Marley was delighted with his performance after finishing 82nd in Sunday’s Virgin London Marathon.

In sweltering temperatures, Marley, who was running for first-claim club Coventry Godiva, clocked a personal best time of 2hrs 33mins 44secs.

Coming home in the top 100 was a superb achievement for Marley, whose second-claim club is Alchester.

He managed a quicker second half to the race than the first, after reaching the midway point in 1.17.21.

Marley said: “I was over the moon to finish where I did.

“My initial plan was to run sub 2hrs 30, but training had not gone as well recently.

“My personal best is around 2.31, and I would have liked that, but to be honest, I just took things easy.

“The heat didn’t affect me as much as I thought it would.

“I saw loads of local runners that I wanted to beat, and it all went to plan, although I had to answer a call of nature at ten miles.”

Marley, 28, is now targeting the Edinburgh Marathon next month, and the Abingdon Marathon later this year.

He said: “I’d like to get a personal best in Edinburgh.

“And although it’s a long way off, I’m building towards the Abingdon Marathon, which I’d like to win and become county champion.”

Marley was closely followed home by Headington Roadrunner Julien Lhomme, who clocked 2.33.47 for 83rd place.

Lhomme’s time was a personal best and Headington club record.

James Bolton (Woodstock Harriers) clocked a best of 2.39.55 to finish in 155th.

Yiannis Fitsakis (Headington Roadrunners), also recorded a sub-three hour time, crossing the line in 2.52.54, as did the Oxford City duo of Julian Richardson (2.51.30) and Ed Mezzetti (2.56.51).

Former Witney Roadrunner Lazloe Boden was the first veteran 50 runner home.

Boden, 50, who ran for Witney until 2008 and is now a member of Harborough, clocked 2.41.30 to win his category by 26 seconds.

Banbury Harriers’ Richard Thomas was second in the vet 60 category, clocking 3.03.57.

Abingdon Amblers: L Birchon 3.06.21, E Fergusson (V40) 3.13.07, T Clarke (V40) 4.29.52, A Moger (LV45) 5.41.23.

Alchester: J Nelson (V50) 3.01.51, L Grolimund (SL) 3.16.19, A Stickley 3.17.52, E Colclough (SL) 3.21.18 pb, K French 3.34.03, G Grieves (V40) 3.40.14, A Banks (LV45) 3.49.01, E Gould (SL) 4.21.00, N Cherry (V40) 4.24.10, N Garside 4.35.11, A Henshall (SL) 4.58.46, M Sandford (V40) 5.18.18, N Green (LV35) 5.23.35.

Banbury H: R Thomas (2nd V60) 3.03.57, P Newell 3.18.10, T Petruso (V40) 4.02.02, L Hobbs (SL) 5.37.43.

Didcot Runners: P Griffiths (V40) 3.14.40, R Sharp (V40) 3.17.27, K Reade (SL) 3.39.09, A Tilley (V40) 3.44.47, S Biddiscombe 4.11.29, D Howes 4.27.52.

Eynsham RR: K Dawson 3.23.41, N Dawson (SL) 4.05.24 pb, Z White (SL) 4.18.40, J Breaker (SL) 4.48.02 pb, J Kavanagh (LV55) 5.22.43, H Frenken (LV45) 5.33.28.

Headington RR: J Lhomme 2.33.47 (club record), Y Fitsakis 2.52.54, D Fieldhouse (V40) 3.04.25, N Shea (V40) 3.10.03 pb, E Flouri (SL) 3.14.41, R Treadwell (V40) 3.24.35, R Baskerville (V40) 3.27.12, A Smith 3.35.51 pb, A Ward (V40) 3.36.20, H Nickau (V40) 3.51.34, T Mean 4.00.27, I Goldin (V50) 4.01.54 pb, E Joslin (LV35) 4.15.02, G Day (V40) 4.30.56, A Munday (V40) 4.59.29, R Cherry (V40) 5.03.34 pb, B Hughes (SL) 5.10.41 pb, J Garnder (LV45) 5.17.34, C Moorman (LV45) 5.24.22, S Field (SL) 5.26.32 pb, L Ward (LV35) 5.27.35 pb, K King (SL) 5.30.40, C Slay (SL) 5.49.55 pb, M O’Sullivan (LV65) 5.59.06 (club record), A Robinson (SL) 6.47.57.

Hook Norton: D Warlow (V40) 3.16.58, D Tame (V40) 4.34.33, G Hackland (V40) 4.57.10.

Kidlington: S Evins 3.29.23, M Dilks 3.31.49, H Talbot (SL) 5.05.38.

Oxford City: J Richardson (V40) 2.51.30, E Mezzetti 2.56.51, A Ali 3.19.52, D Beasley 3.25.45, P Kimber (V60) 4.00.00.

Oxford Univ: A Walsh 2.45.37, T Hills 2.50.01, J Leitch (SL) 3.06.30, C Chen 3.39.03.

Radley: T Loyd (V50) 4.09.19, G Manning (V60) 6.14.19.

White Horse Harriers: D Peace 3.03.11, J McCabe (LV35) 4.21.11, G Wiggins 4.32.44.

Witney RR: J Young 2.49.49, T Jones 3.03.44, A Reynolds (V5) 3.05.27, A Giles 3.23.46, P Ainslie (V40) 3.27.59, N Moglia (V50) 3.30.17, K Chard (V50) 3.35.26, S Le Good 3.37.03, C Ellis 3.37.25, Sarah Le Good (SL) 3.41.30, N Smith (SL) 3.45.51, C Strange (LV35) 3.50.42, N Rhymes (LV35) 3.51.52, L McArthur (LV35) 3.53.02, L Pierce (SL) 3.57.58, M Harris 4.09.59, G Ferris (V40) 4.24.14, S Christie (LV45) 5.10.52, D Cross (V40) 5.51.36.

Woodstock H: J Bolton 2.39.55 pb, M Townsend (V50) 3.33.22, P Sugden (V60) 3.34.23, J Webb (SL) 3.37.3 pb, P Rayner 3.41.15, R Haines (SL) 4.17.45, A Rideout (SL) 4.34.13, H Warren (V50) 4.45.42.