MARK HARGREAVES tuned up for the London Marathon with an emphatic win in the Mad March Hare 20-mile race at Christchurch.

The Bournemouth AC star posted an impressive 1 hr 51 min 40 sec as he prepares a bid to retain his over-40 title in the capital.

Fellow veteran Andy Clements was second in 1:55:56, ahead of his Poole AC club-mate Peter Damon (1:57:11), but they could not prevent a team win for BAC in the Dorset League competition.

Paul Brown, fifth in 1:59:47, Nick Kenchington, eighth in 2:03:02, second over-50 Chris Birch (2:09:30) and J-P Lopez-Cascante (2:11:42) completed the King's Park club's winning quintet.

BAC also celebrated age group wins for over-55 Ian Graham (2:12:51) and over-65 Tom Cochrane (2:42:01).

Mark Lacey (2:10:02), Dave Money (2:11:44) and Ian Edwards (2:15:33) completed PAC's Dorset League team in second place. Poole Runners, led home by fourth individual Mike Grist (1:58:38), were third team, with second over-55 Geoff Scott (2:20:58) and top over-60 Bruce Cameron (2:30:02) adding to the club's achievements.

Egdon Heath Harrier Clare Phillips won the women's race in 2:19:13. Littledown veteran Heather Khoshnevis was second (2:20:56) and best over-45 Janice Palmer third for Poole Runners in 2:23:31.

Littledown also edged out Poole Runners in the Dorset League team results.

Mad March Hare 20 miles Results - Men: 1 Mark Hargreaves (BAC) 1:51:40, 2 Andy Clements (PAC) 1:55:56, 3 Peter Damon (PAC) 1:57:11, 4 Mike Grist (PR) 1:58:38, 5 Paul Brown (BAC) 1:59:47, 6 Peter Rabjohns (LMS) 2:02:05, 7 Simon Mortimer (WAC) 2:02:14, 8 Nick Kenchington (BAC) 2:03:02, 9 Melvyn Butler (EHH) 2:03:28, 10 Peter Spieler (LDH) 2:04:41.

Dorset League teams: 1 Bournemouth AC 49; 2 Poole AC 71; 3 Poole Runners 94.

Women: 1 Clare Phillips (EHH) 2:19:13, 2 Heather Khoshnevis (LDH) 2:20:56, 3 Janice Palmer (PR) 2:23:31, 4 Jennifer Maddocks 2:27:44, 5 Dawn Critchell (EHH) 2:31:54, 6 Claire Freeman (LDH) 2:33:02, 7 Amy Webb 2:34:51; 8 Jenny House (PAC) 2:35:05, 9 Kirsten Leonard (LMS) 2:40:55, 10 Heather Allen (Hart Valley) 2:41:04.

Dorset League teams: 1 Littledown Harriers 27; 2 Poole Runners 28; 3 Lytchett Manor Striders 34.

Key to clubs: BAC - Bournemouth AC, EHH - Egdon Heath Harriers, LDH - Littledown Harriers, LMS - Lytchett Manor Striders, PAC - Poole AC, PR - Poole Runners, WAC - Wimborne AC.

Other Local Results - Bournemouth AC: 17 Chris Birch 2:09:30, 26 Juan-Pedro Lopez-Cascante 2:11:42, 31 (1st M55) Ian Graham 2:12:51, 64 Mike Jordan 2:24:46, 97 Dave Parsons 2:37:48, 110 (1st M65) Tom Cochrane 2:42:01.

Poole AC: 19 Mark Lacey 2:10:02, 27 Dave Money 2:11:44, 33 Ian Edwards 2:15:33, 39 Rodger Manning 2:16:56, 41 Stephen Moore 2:18:22, 43 Richard Atkins 2:19:05, 54 John Duffell 2:22:27, 71 Michael Trew 2:28:24, 182 Rebecca Long 3:07:32, 225 Lesley Taylor 3:34:56, 237 Vanessa Long 3:53:07.

Poole Runners: 18 Scott Neil 2:09:57, 28 Graham Moyse 2:11:44, 30 Chris Guerrier 2:11:58, 32 Jim Aylmore 2:13:54, 40 Don Doe 2:17:09, 50 Steve Hogarth 2:20:22, 52 (2nd M55) Geoff Scott 2:20:58, 55 Keith Fraser 2:22:56, 70 Peter Couch 2:27:59, 74 Paul Ingham 2:29:13, 76 Steve Humber 2:29:55, 77 (1st M60) Bruce Cameron 2:30:02, 78 John Towner 2:30:05, 83 Steve Mills 2:32:00, 104 Roger Cross 2:40:51, 105 Stephen Naish 2:40:52, 126 Elaine Higgs 2:48:01, 150 Janet Damen 2:54:32, 152 Steve Wardman 2:55:44, 154 Sue Wardman 2:56:02, 156 Jim Moore 2:57:02, 218 Angela Brown 3:31:33.

Wimborne AC: 38 Neil Hopkinson 2:16:54, 62 Peter Wood 2:26:18, 79 Andy Horsley 2:30:19, 116 Becky Wood 2:44:54, 129 Nick Solomon 2:48:39, 215 Helen Allen 3:28:32, 234 Leonie Longmore 3:47:38.

Littledown Harriers: 23 Graeme Miller 2:11:15, 25 Steve Shuck 2:11:33, 35 Paolo de Luca 2:16:07, 36 Steve Cox 2:16:07, 46 Steve George 2:19:52, 53 Greg Morum 2:22:22, 92 Tony Rancroft 2:34:35, 98 Paul Manning 2:37:58, 99 Tim Fairbrother 2:38:05, 101 David Wilkinson 2:39:42, 151 David Randall 2:55:35, 155 Kevin Dowsett 2:57:12, 162 Richard Daly 2:59:15, 175 Vanessa Leonard 3:05:53, 194 Jim Kerr 3:12:59, 238 Dave Barwick 3:53:07.

Lytchett Manor Striders: 63 Stephen Littlecutt 2:26:28, 73 David Dent 2:29:01, 81 David Whiddon 2:31:16, 102 Brian Sanderson 2:39:43, 127 Kate Conway 2:48:03, 142 Michael Cutler 2:51:38, 153 Heather Brain 2:55:57, 191 Michaela Parker 3:11:53, 198 Liz Hull 3:14:28, 235 Caroline Bryant 3:47:50, 236 Julie Jobling 3:47:50.