Mr Lett finally secured a win after coming second in last year's Auckland marathon, last year's Wellington Marathon and the Christchurch Marathon in June.
"You have to have a little bit of luck in marathons, who's kind of got it on the day, luckily I had just enough for the last five kilometres and I'm glad it wasn't a kilometre longer," he said.
Mr Horspool started conservatively and was relying on the leading runners to drop off.
"The other guys went out quite fast and it was probably a little too quick for me so I pretty much had a 42 kilometre time trial and managed to hold it through the second half and I was hoping a few of the guys would fade a bit and everything worked to plan," he said.
Beijing Olympian Liza Hunter-Galvan of The United States won the women's marathon in two hours 47 minutes and 42 seconds.
Last year's winner Kirsten Molloy of Australia was second over ten minutes back with New South Wales compatriot Melissa Criniti third in three hours four minutes and 26 seconds.
Hamish Carson and Camille Buscomb were winners in the half marathon.
The weather was dry and cool for runners as they made their way from Devonport in to the city.
Two southbound lanes of the Harbour Bridge were closed for the event. The southbound Shelley Beach Road and Fanshawe Street off-ramps and the Curran Street on-ramp for northbound drivers were also closed.All road were expected to be open about 10:30am.
Some runners dressed up in costumes to participate in the race. Costumes included two runners dressed as characters from Star Wars and one with a cardboard road-cone taped to his head.
A half marathon runner completes her run. Photo / Greg Bowker
New Zealand Herald designer Rob Cox ran his first marathon today and was pleased to have finished the race without having to stop and walk at all.
"I went out slowly, which I think saved me from not finishing at all because those last 10 kilometres were agony. Coming back from St Heliers my neck, my shoulders, my hips, they were all kicking in."
He finished in four hours and 18 minutes.
Mr Cox said the final leg of the race from St Heliers to the city was difficult and he passed many people who were walking.
"I was passing these people who were walking, but not by much so I must have been pretty close to a crawl."
Mr Cox said the last 100 metres to the finish line was brilliant and made it all worth it.
He wished he had trained with a stricter schedule of four or five mid-week runs, he said.
Mr Cox said the favourable weather conditions and the organisation on the day made it a fantastic event.
"You see so many positive, smiling faces. It's a real feel-good environment, everyone was really helpful. If you stopped and were walking people patted you on the back and said, 'come one mate'.
"It's so well-organised, I really think more people should be doing it."
Olympian sailor Jo Aleh was among the runners completing the Auckland Marathon today. She tweeted "Auckland Marathon done! Beat my Rotorua time! 3.32 I think.. All good until I hit 30k, then went too early at 39. Ow."
This year runners could participate in either the full marathon of 42 kilometres, the half marathon of 21 kilometres, the quarter marathon of 10 kilometres, Heart Foundation five kilometre challenge and the kids run.
Results
•
MarathonMen:
Stephen Lett (Akld) 2h 27m 38s, Nick Horspool (Wgtn) 2h 28m 46s, Josh Maisey (Akld) 2h 29m 8s, Tony Payne (Akld) 2h 30m 51s, Steven O'Callaghan (Rotorua) 2h 31m 52s, Sasha Daniels (Akld) 2h 34m 3s.
Women: Liza Hunter-Galvan (Texas) 2h 47m 42s, Kirsten Molloy (Aust) 2h 58m 56s, Melissa Criniti (Aust) 3h 4m 26s, Lizzie Wesley Smith (Wgtn) 3h 4m 56s, Claire Walton (UK) 3h 6m 17s, Nancy Jiang (Akld) 3h 6m 38s.
• Half Marathon
Men: Hamish Carson (Wgtn) 1h 8m 27s, Daniel Balchin (Chch) 1h 8m 47s, Jono Jackson (Akld) 1h 9m 1s, Luke Hurring (Akld) 1h 10m 19s, Tim Stewart (Hamilton) 1h 11m 37s, Michael Banks (Akld) 1h 12m 9s.
Women: Camille Buscomb (Hamilton) 1h 15m 50s, Nikki Hamblin (Akld) 1h 15m 56s, Katie Kemp (Wgtn) 1h 18m 35s, Lydia O'Donnell (Akld) 1h 19m 4s, Rebecca Fogarty (Akld) 1h 21m 35s, Maria Bentley (Akld) 1h 22m 53s.
