Martin Williams (Tipton Harriers) raced to the top of the Power of 10 Men’s 10km rankings for this year in Toronto, Canada, while Jo Pavey (Exeter Harriers) boosted her confidence in the BUPA Great Edinburgh Run on Sunday 6 May.

Running in the Sporting Life 10km in Toronto, Williams clocked 29 minutes 26 seconds to move 5 seconds ahead of Michael Green (Blackburn Harriers), who ran 29:31 in Georgia, USA, in February. Stephen Koech (Kenya) won the Toronto race in 27:46.

Vicky Gill ( Chorley AC ) was fourth in the women’s race – behind three more Kenyan athletes – in 33:01, which places her fifth in the Power of 10 Women’s rankings for 2007 behind Mara Yamauchi (Harrow AC), Natalie Harvey (South London Harriers), Pavey and Hayley Haining (Kilbarchan AAC).

Williams reports: “More than 9,000 runners took part and the organiser had flown in ourselves after a couple of Kenyans from Britons had dropped out last minute. The course was a fast one, point to point, just hindered a little by strong headwind. I passed 5km in 14:20 but was in no man’s land after that, losing touch with the leading group. The women’s race was won in 31:41.”

Pavey was delighted with her Edinburgh time of 32:57 after her frustrating runs in the European Indoor Championships and European 10,000m Challenge. It earned her second place, only 4 seconds behind Jelena Prokopcuka (Latvia), who proved stronger on the steep hills of the tough course.

She said: "I lost so much when Jelena broke clear and I just kept trying to catch her, but every time I got close she pulled away on mainly two more steep hills and I fell back again. I’m frustrated, but she is just so strong on the hills and it was good in the end to finish behind by such a tiny amount.

"Before the race, I spent a lot of time running on the hills and at least I believe I’m now going somewhere after the recent setbacks."

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