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Canadian Erin Burrett runs lifetime best at Rotterdam Marathon

Nanaimo, B.C.'s Erin Burrett ran a lifetime best at the Rotterdam Marathon on Sunday morning improving her PB by more than a minute.

Erin Burrett Rotterdam Marathon

Nanaimo, B.C. resident Erin Burrett took more than a minute off her lifetime best on Sunday morning at the Rotterdam Marathon to finish as the top Canadian and 15th overall. In just her second marathon, she finished in 2:37:50 half-a-year after making her debut in the event at October’s Victoria Marathon (2:39:17).

“Well to be honest it wasn’t what I was looking for thanks to some super awesome blisters that started at 15K,” Burrett wrote on her Instagram page. “They tried to defeat me and while they did ultimately slow me [down], I am proud to have fought through and kept my never DNFing streak alive. Still a PB and a new experience to race overseas. I will get my goal as I live to fight another day.”

RELATED: Canada’s Leslie Sexton, Erin Burrett at the marathon PB haven known as Rotterdam.

London, Ont.’s Leslie Sexton gave it a go on Sunday morning but dropped out before the halfway point of the race citing a lack of race legs following the extensive travel to the Netherlands. Both Burrett and Sexton arrived in Rotterdam early in the week.

Sexton split 35:53 through 10K, which translates to 2:31:25 pace, her last checkpoint registered on the results.

Burrett spent much of the past month in Flagstaff, Ariz. training with a large group of fellow Canadians from British Columbia and Ontario before flying back to Canada for a few days and then off to Rotterdam for the marathon.

RELATED: Getting to know B.C. runner Erin Burrett.

On Sunday, the Asics-sponsored athlete went through 10K in 36:32 (2:34 marathon pace), the halfway point in 1:17:41, 30K in 1:51:02, before finishing in 2:37:50. Her battle with blisters began at approximately 15K.

Kenya’s Marius Kipserem won the men’s race in 2:06:11, a three-minute improvement on his previous best, and Ethiopia’s Letebrhan Haylay Gebreslasea was the top woman on Sunday in 2:26:15.

According to the IAAF, the international governing body for athletics, temperatures were ideal on Sunday morning with low wind and temperatures hovering around 9 C.

Mmm post race treats I’ve been waiting for you! Candy and beer! #getinmybelly #postmarathon

A photo posted by Erin Burrett (@west_coast_runner) on

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