Merrien content with ‘solid run’ in Portsmouth

Tuesday 27th October 2009, 2:29PM GMT.

LEE MERRIEN was relaxed with his 10th-place finish in Sunday’s televised BUPA Great South Run in Portsmouth, despite posting a slower time than last year.

‘It was pretty windy,’ said the fastest Guernseyman ever over the 10-mile distance.

‘Generally the times were slow. It was a fairly exposed course and the last two miles we were running into a strong headwind.

‘It wasn’t a bad run. It was a solid run.’

Merrien (pictured) was second fastest Briton in 2008 when he posted 48min. 49sec., but this time he was fifth Brit in a race won by Britain’s Mo Farah from the South African Stephen Mokoka.

The Londoner came back strongly and outsprinted Mokoka in a thrilling finale to win the Portsmouth race in a time of 46-26.

Merrien was seen briefly on the Five coverage of the race before he dropped out of contention.