BRINGING fun to the streets of Glasgow for a spectacular 26th year, this year's freshnlo Great Scottish Run was hailed a massive success by organisers.

For the first time the race was held over two days, with the Junior 3K Run on Saturday at Glasgow Green, and the adult 10K and half-marathon yesterday.

With 13,760 completing the course in blustery but thankfully dry conditions, organisers say they will definitely consider making it a two-day fiesta of running again in 2008.

There was the usual bright and breezy combination of elite athletes and fancy-dress charity fun-runners. And every one managed a smile as they crossed the finishing line.

The winner of the men's half-marathon in 1.02.42 was Isaal Macharia, from Kenya, and the winning woman was Arusei Peninah, also from Kenya, in 1.10.47. She was delighted to have moved up from third place last year.

"I'm very happy with my result this year," she said. "It's a very good race, I've been a few times now, and hopefully I'll be back again next year. Glasgow is very good, especially with so many people on the road cheering."

The squad of Japanese runners had an excellent day, with Toru Okada second in the men's race in 1.03.19 and Naoto Yoneda third in 1.03.53. In the women's race, Aya Manome was second in 1.11.31, and Yoshika Hosokawa third in 1.12.28.

First male Scot in the half- marathon was Andrew Lemoncello, from Fife, who came seventh in 1.06.29, and first Scotswoman was Hayley Haining, from Kilbarchan, who came second in the women's race. Steeplechaser Andrew was competing in his first half marathon, with the added handicap of jetlag after a 31-hour journey back from the World Championships in Japan the day before the race.

He said: "It was good to get one last run in Scotland done before I head back to America, and it being my first half marathon it was a little harder after eight miles.

"But I couldn't believe the crowds who were out cheering at the start and finishing lines, I've never had anything like that before."

Hayley, whose next race is the Berlin Marathon in four weeks' time, notched up a personal best of 1.11.18. She said: "I'm delighted with my time. I knew the course can be really fast, and because of the wind - especially up on the Kingston Bridge where it was a bit exposed - I didn't think I would do that well. I was running with a couple of Scottish guys and the Japanese girls who were keeping the pace going, and after 10 miles I knew if I kept the pace going I'd get a personal best, so I kept pushing hard."

She added: "I like the course, the way it goes through the parks, and there is a lot of straight running. And with the crowd cheering along the way, you're running much faster. They go wild at the end, it's a great atmosphere!"

In the 10K there was also a good presence from Scottish runners.

Men's 10K winner was Glaswegian Alan MacPherson, who runs with Ronhill Cambuslang club.

He completed it in 31.39. "I'm really pleased. This was my first road race this year, I've been running on the track a lot, so it's a good result.

He added: "It's a brilliant race to do. There are lots of road races in Scotland that are good fun, but something like this, with big crowds, it definitely makes a difference. You run faster."

In second place in the 10K was Shaun O'Grady in 33.07, and 17-year-old Rory Cartwright, from Giffnock, was third in 33:18.

Women's 10K champ was New Zealander Rebecca Moore, who now lives in Edinburgh, in 34.40.

In second place was Fiona Matheson, from Falkirk, in 36.26, and Glasgow runner Susan Finch, from Victoria Park, was third in 37.13.

She said she was disappointed with her time, having peaked earlier in the season, but added: "It's a good course and the conditions were perfect. I like doing the run. I've done it every year, and it's a great atmosphere. I wouldn't miss it, even if I wasn't fit."

Receiving special honours as top Scottish male and female runners over the line (excluding Alan in first place) in the 10K - were Michael Gillespie and Lindsay MacNeill, with 33.14 and 36.02 respectively.

Lindsay, who has had a difficult summer after having to pull out of one championship, only decided on Saturday to enter the race.

"I wasn't very confident, and only entered the race just to see how I was getting on," she said. "So I'm really pleased with the result. I haven't been running great this year, I'm doing a post-graduate at university and also working full-time, so my running has suffered. But this is the fastest I have run for a couple of years."

Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson was there to present winning wheelchair athlete, Mark Telford from Perth, with his prize. Mark, competing in his fourth Great Scottish Run and preparing to take part in the Great North Run, said: "It was great, quite fast with a nice tail-wind."

Mark finished in 58.48, with Jason Gill second in 1.03.17. Third place went to Dame Tanni's husband, Ian Thompson, in 1.07.29.

In Saturday's Junior Run there were excellent performances from promising youngsters. First male was John Cooke, from Bellahouston Academy School of Sport, who finished in 9.00 exactly, and Bearsden teenager Beth Potter, who runs for Victoria Park, in 9.26.

Bailie Liz Cameron, chairwoman of Culture and Sport Glasgow, said: "It's been an outstanding day, with runners setting their own personal bests and raising tens of thousands of pounds for charity.

"It shows once again that Glasgow is more than capable of putting on world-class events, as we continue in our bid to bring the Commonwealth Games to Scotland in 2014."

Sandy Wilkie, sales and marketing director of Robert Wiseman Dairies, main sponsors of the freshnlo Great Scottish Run, said: "This is the fourth year in which we've supported Scotland's biggest mass participation sporting event. We're delighted to be associated with such a fantastic celebration of sport and fitness."