LOSTOCK AC member Tony Marlow achieved one of the great feats of British fell running by successfully completing the Joss Naylor Challenge.

Instigated in 1990 by fell running legend Naylor for over-50s' runners only, the challenge covers 48 miles of the Lake District, starting in Pooley Bridge, Ullswater and finishing at Greendale Bridge, Wasdale.

Those 48 miles include 30 separate mountain tops and over 16,000 feet of ascent.

Depending on the age of the runner, this brutal course has to be completed between 12 and 24 hours.

Running with a full support crew that included fellow Lostock members Albert, Michelle and Abigail Sunter, Mike Ernill and Josie Greenhalgh, fresh from her own success as third-placed female at the previous weeks' Fellsman race, Marlow was able to sustain a punishing pace that saw him finish in a time of 11hrs 6mins 32secs.

The race finishes at Naylor's house and the great man was there to meet and congratulate Marlow and all his support runners and crew.

An additional challenge set is that all competitors must raise £100 for charity – Marlow's chosen charity being the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Reflecting on his achievement after the race, Marlow described it as "a weekend I'll remember for ever", being the culmination of six months training and something he had never thought he could achieve.

Other Lostockers competing last weekend included Robert Sharkey, Mark Checkley and Matt Withers, who all turned in strong performances at the Great Hambledon fell race, while Jonathan Cosgrove got his triathlon season off to a very promising start, finishing 29th overall at the Pendle Triathlon.