LOSTOCK'S Tony Marlow and Albert Sunter completed this year's Three Towers Ultra Marathon in 8hrs 23mins to finish 10th and 11th respectively.

Starting in Sunnyhurst Woods, the Three Towers Ultra takes in the iconic West Pennines landmarks of Darwen Tower, Rivington Pike and Peel Tower over 37 miles with more than 7,000 feet of ascent.

Returning to competitive ultra marathon running after injury, Marlow and Sunter also endured appalling weather and driving rain. 

James Jackson and Alan Mather faced far more benign weather conditions the following day at Triathlon England's national duathlon championship at Oulton Park.

Competing in the standard distance race and against England's best amateur triathletes, Jackson turned in an initial run of 37:57, a 1:08:04 bike split and a second run time of 16:58 to finish 19th in his age group and inside the top 100.

Mather finished the course in 2:42:07 and said afterwards: "Today wasn't about my time, it was just about competing.

"My season has been severely affected by illness, culminating in the ultimate disappointment of having to withdraw from the Ironman, so I was just delighted to have raced."

Mather and Jackson had warmed up for the duathlon at Haigh Hall parkrun, posting comfortable times of 25:56 and 27:27 respectively.

Cathy Stratton posted 27:49 and Helen Mather, in her first-ever parkrun, finished in 31:10.