IT has taken him 91 attempts to do it but Matthew Smith was finally first across the line at Bolton parkrun on Saturday.
The teenager, who had his highest finish yet the previous week when he was second, did so again.
His time of 19mins 29secs was his second fastest so far, six seconds slower than seven days previously when he smashed his PB by 20 seconds.
Behind him in second was Mark Cannon in 19:59, also his second fastest time at Leverhulme Park, on his 10th appearance.
Like the man in front of him he also set his PB the week before.
Indeed, it is unusual for him not to set a PB, having done so on seven of his eight runs before Saturday.
The 55-59 age-category runner only sampled the undulating 5k course of track, trails and pathways around Leverhulme Park for the first time midway through September and has brought his time down by almost two minutes since then.
In third and fourth places were two Horwich RMI Harriers. Sean McMyler finished in 20:04 with Richard Marlton 12 seconds behind him.
The highest-placed finisher to record a PB was Paul Lewis in 12th place.
The VM40-44 age-category runner clocked 21:41, a sizeable 27 seconds faster than the PB he set the previous week.
Julie Robertson is also in a rich vein of form, recording her second PB in three weeks on Saturday.
She crossed the line in 39th position in 24:24 on her 48th run at Bolton.
Before that the 45-49 age-group runner had to go back to October, 2015 for her last PB.
Ten places behind her was John Miles who ran his fifth PB in seven appearances at Bolton.
The 35-39 age-category runner has continued to get quicker in each of his last four runs spanning the last six and a half months in which time he has brought his PB down from 30:54 to 25:07.
Full list of finishing positions and times from Saturday's event:
Pos Name Club Age Time Runs
1 Matthew Smith SM18-19 19:29 92
2 Mark Cannon VM55-59 19:59 10
3 Sean McMyler HRMIH VM55-59 20:04 65
4 Richard Marlton HRMIH VM50-54 20:16 60
5 Gary Furness SM25-29 20:46 181
6 Michael Kenyon VM55-59 20:49 67
7 Unknown
8 Nigel Smith VM50-54 21 92
9 Mohammed Butt SM20-24 21:06 173
10 Robert Mwelwa VM40-44 21:28 126
11 Lewis Hodgson JM15-17 21:36 112
12 Paul Lewis VM40-44 21:41 PB 35
13 Rebecca Suckling SW20-24 21:50 40
14 Andy Parker VM40-44 22 83
15 Colin Ainscough VM50-54 22:06 46
16 Antony Rowland VM45-49 22:12 7
17 Jamie Rollon SM18-19 22:15 85
18 Steven Lomax RAD SM30-34 22:35 17
19 John McCawley VM35-39 22:37 29
20 Peter Francis Johnson JM15-17 22:42 267
21 Unknown
22 Katherine Baines VW35-39 22:48 187
23 Craig Parkinson VM50-54 22:53 PB 12
24 Steve White VM50-54 22:56 9
25 Ian Riggs VM45-49 23:04 284
26 David Gillon VM35-39 23:10 59
27 Ani Das VM35-39 23:11 111
28 Andy Laycock LOST VM50-54 23:16 110
29 Ben Elliott SM25-29 23:28 FT 1
30 Atiff Mazhar VM35-39 23:35 195
31 Steve McVey VM55-59 23:38 193
32 Alan Tatterton VM55-59 23:54 154
33 Paul Roberts VM55-59 23:56 67
34 Helen Harper VW45-49 23:58 184
35 Tom Gleaves SM20-24 24:02 156
36 Gary Halsall VM50-54 24:10 PB 12
37 Warren Hodgson VM40-44 24:16 60
38 Mark Bailey SM25-29 24:20 PB 6
39 Julie Robertson VW45-49 24:24 PB 51
40 Toby Glover JM11-14 24:28 PB 22
41 Simon Pollitt VM50-54 24:29 10
42 Shazad Saddique VM35-39 24:32 PB 143
43 Keith Young VM40-44 24:35 PB 6
44 Adrian John Denham VM55-59 24:36 73
45 Ethan Wallace JM11-14 24:43 87
46 Jitesh Patel SM25-29 24:53 53
47 David Ashcroft VM40-44 24:56 18
48 Unknown
49 John Miles VM35-39 25:07 PB 16
50 Olivia Kearney BUH SW18-19 25:10 229
51 Gary Avison SM30-34 25:11 29
52 Robert Lilliott SM25-29 25:12 63
53 Chris Hart VM45-49 25:15 12
54 Finlay Coyne VM65-69 25:15 243
55 Rob Kotowski VM35-39 25:19 32
56 Samantha Leliuga VW40-44 25:22 16
57 Elaine Battson VW50-54 25:23 123
58 Jackie Oakes BRR VW45-49 25:33 44
59 Paul Taylor VM55-59 25:34 65
60 Antony Birch VM50-54 25:49 27
61 Mark Weatherall VM50-54 25:51 44
62 Sam Dalley SM25-29 25:58 2
63 Ismaeel Saddique JM11-14 26:03 FT 34
64 Les Ford VM50-54 26:13 33
65 Pritesh Patel VM35-39 26:14 PB 11
66 Stu Doherty VM50-54 26:17 17
67 Stephen Short VM45-49 26:19 PB 8
68 Harry Harper VM45-49 26:23 111
69 Josh Nuttall JM15-17 26:32 87
70 Carol White VW50-54 26:34 5
71 Gary Porteous VM50-54 26:35 PB 4
72 Neil Bonnar VM50-54 26:38 266
73 William L Vickers VM60-64 26:39 154
74 Judith Bonnar VW50-54 26:40 271
75 Michael Wilkinson VM40-44 26:49 199
76 Adam Connell SM30-34 26:56 202
77 Simon Goodier VM40-44 27:04 25
78 Alan Morris VM50-54 27:08 12
79 Alan Talbot VM50-54 27:12 25
80 Anthony Maxwell VM55-59 27:19 45
81 Steven John O'Riordan VM45-49 27:21 118
82 Jonathan Lilliott VM55-59 27:23 70
83 Philip Donlan VM50-54 27:24 62
84 Angus McIver JM11-14 27:26 14
85 Ryan Taylor JM11-14 27:27 PB 3
86 Martin Taylor LOST VM40-44 27:31 6
87 Unknown
88 Christopher Hill SM30-34 27:36 13
89 Christopher Brickell VM60-64 27:37 107
90 Timothy Green SM25-29 27:41 184
91 Kathryn Davies RAD VW50-54 27:42 99
92 Nicholas Murphy VM35-39 27:43 65
93 Brian Tull VM70-74 27:48 274
94 David Shorrock VM65-69 27:50 71
95 Ian Kay SM30-34 27:50 PB 27
96 Unknown
97 Paula Hopkinson VW50-54 27:57 146
98 Neil Counsell VM45-49 28:00 47
99 Craig Smith VM35-39 28:01 84
100 Faith Hopkinson JW15-17 28:04 8
101 Gail Hayes VW40-44 28:05 PB 11
102 Gary Larke VM50-54 28:06 107
103 Craig James Platt BMTC VM40-44 28:06 31
104 Brian Gathercole VM60-64 28:07 78
105 John Gillatt VM65-69 28:08 18
106 Paul Costello VM45-49 28:08 55
107 Jeanette Lewis VW40-44 28:09 PB 37
108 Andrew Storey HRMIH VM55-59 28:11 110
109 Phil Holden VM60-64 28:35 PB 15
110 Geoffrey Winder VM55-59 28:44 112
111 Dom Wright VM45-49 28:46 25
112 Steven Howarden VM45-49 28:47 115
113 Douglas Bentley VM35-39 28:51 3
114 Laurence Keighley BRR VM45-49 28:53 125
115 Jocelyn Chadderton LOST VW45-49 28:57 64
116 Denise Kay VW50-54 28:57 110
117 Glen Smith VM35-39 29:03 PB 15
118 Andrew Dunn VM40-44 29:07 73
119 Helen Bury SW30-34 29:10 149
120 Maurice Halliwell VM60-64 29:13 77
121 Mike Lilley VM60-64 29:16 159
122 Harvey Tammam VM40-44 29:17 39
123 Geoff Southern VM35-39 29:26 4
124 Unknown
125 Richard Hawkins VM35-39 29:43 12
126 Debra Ridings VW50-54 29:46 60
127 Glenn Evans SM30-34 29:50 27
128 Paul Greenlees VM50-54 29:51 23
129 Paul Andrew Johnson BRR VM50-54 29:56 286
130 Ivan Rubery VM50-54 30:03 40
131 Naomi Elliott SW25-29 30:06 26
132 Lee Hanson SM30-34 30:10 24
133 Unknown
134 Mark Davis BRR VM55-59 30:22 32
135 David Ian Huddleston VM40-44 30:26 104
136 Sara Das SW25-29 30:27 112
137 Gregg Beardwell VM35-39 30:30 101
138 Elaine Bailey VW55-59 30:32 95
139 Prakash Patel VM50-54 30:39 19
140 Ruth Lilliott VW55-59 30:55 29
141 Michael Chew VM65-69 30:59 15
142 Anthony Johnson JM11-14 31:05 256
143 Eddie Boswell VM55-59 31:07 9
144 Jannette Petitjean VW50-54 31:08 22
145 Peter Bryan VM60-64 31:15 4
146 Paul Standring BUH VM60-64 31:15 47
147 Anthony Foster BRR VM70-74 31:20 135
148 Martin Smith VM60-64 31:22 109
149 Unknown
150 Becky Halsall SW25-29 31:25 12
151 Matthew Ellis SM25-29 31:27 62
152 Stuart Furness VM65-69 31:36 122
153 Eric White SM20-24 31:40 FT 1
154 Stephen Rothwell VM60-64 31:44 97
155 Frances Johnson VW50-54 31:45 227
156 John Parkinson VM60-64 31:49 PB 10
157 Danny Mole SM30-34 31:51 116
158 Colin Dockerty VM60-64 31:51 6
159 Tracie Wilson VW50-54 31:52 PB 4
160 Unknown
161 Martin Burrill VM55-59 31:57 156
162 Martin O'Rourke VM45-49 32:04 101
163 Paul McGreavy VM45-49 32:12 274
164 Alex Tammam JM10 32:15 31
165 Emma Gordon VW35-39 32:18 16
166 Unknown
167 Alisha Porter JW11-14 32:32 PB 13
168 Unknown
169 Claire Cragg SW30-34 32:38 164
170 Unknown
171 Unknown
172 Ros Holland VW40-44 32:48 PB 60
173 Unknown
174 Marie Wood VW40-44 33:14 22
175 Christine Holden BMTC VW50-54 33:14 96
176 Beverley Whittle VW40-44 33:15 25
177 David Whittle VM45-49 33:15 11
178 Unknown
179 Shaowen Tan VW50-54 33:28 67
180 Kathryn Denham VW45-49 33:31 67
181 Abigail Henry VW35-39 33:38 34
182 Eesah Saddique JM11-14 33:44 FT 22
183 Rachel Haslam SW30-34 33:48 PB 6
184 Karen Higgins VW45-49 33:52 PB 3
185 Wayne Gaskell VM50-54 33:59 25
186 Mustafeez Siddiqi VM40-44 34:03 FT 46
187 Kath Rothwell VW55-59 34:04 PB 75
188 Nicky Guhathakurta VW45-49 34:07 29
189 Sumit Guhathakurta VM40-44 34:07 102
190 Helen Field VW55-59 34:13 41
191 Wendy Doxey VW55-59 34:14 104
192 Karen Kitchen VW50-54 34:15 230
193 Ellie Marsh SW25-29 34:19 FT 1
194 Anna Diggle JW10 34:32 PB 6
195 Joyce Tyldesley VW55-59 34:37 92
196 Daniel Guest JM15-17 34:38 PB 4
197 Paul Diggle VM35-39 34:50 PB 2
198 Dominique Lammas SW30-34 34:59 PB 2
199 Rebecca Owen SW25-29 35:01 27
200 Nicola Bennett VW40-44 35:08 106
201 Emma Brierley VW40-44 35:11 6
202 Craig Withers VM55-59 35:13 158
203 Marie Marshall VW45-49 35:26 20
204 Katie Tan JW15-17 35:35 22
205 Susan Foster VW55-59 36:04 29
206 Katharine Collingwood VW35-39 36:07 6
207 Louise Hamer JW11-14 36:16 5
208 William Westerman VM45-49 36:20 FT 4
209 Unknown
210 Jackie Foster VW55-59 36:29 33
211 Molly Christie JW11-14 36:36 7
212 Angela Owen VW55-59 36:44 21
213 Carolyn Allen VW40-44 37:01 2
214 Rebecca Leach VW45-49 37:02 FT 1
215 Kerry Tammam VW40-44 37:05 PB 28
216 Jennifer Worthington VW35-39 37:20 12
217 Matthew Hardman SM25-29 37:38 PB 4
218 Michael David Allwood VM50-54 37:55 94
219 Kathy Mciver VW50-54 37:58 PB 5
220 Zoe Chadwick SW30-34 38:02 18
221 John Hall BRR VM60-64 38:03 137
222 Julie Bower VW50-54 38:15 79
223 Christine Pendlebury BRR VW50-54 38:16 154
224 Charlotte Watkinson SW25-29 38:50 PB 7
225 Frannie Thurlbeck VM55-59 38:59 76
226 Brian Mather VM70-74 39:24 190
227 Rachael Howarth BRR VW40-44 39:38 129
228 Gemma Chapman BRR VW40-44 39:39 144
229 Andrew Gibbons VM35-39 40:01 17
230 Jack Diggle JM11-14 40:43 PB 2
231 Laura Diggle VW35-39 40:55 6
232 Leanne Langley VW35-39 41:07 PB 5
233 Steven Snape VM55-59 41:31 78
234 Jack Langley JM10 41:48 3
235 Luke Hardman JM15-17 42:31 3
236 Kath Bebbington VW55-59 43:51 11
237 Siobhan Pimlott SW25-29 43:52 116
238 Ann Roughley VW50-54 43:52 50
239 Alan Gibson SM20-24 44:18 35
240 Unknown
241 Unknown
242 Unknown
243 Unknown
244 Alisha Patel JW15-17 46:46 FT 1
245 Alzbeta Borkova JW15-17 46:47 9
246 Vivienne Bentley VW40-44 47:54 PB 2
247 Tracy Jane Cameron BRR VW50-54 48:16 52
248 Yogita Das-Patel VW35-39 50:28 8
249 Elizabeth Thompson SW30-34 01:00:43 111
250 Unknown
251 Joanne Larke VW35-39 01:03:33 62
Club key: BUH: Bolton United Harriers and Athletic Club; BRR: Burnden Road Runners; HRMIH: Horwich RMI Harriers; LOST: Lostock AC; BMTC: Bolton Metro Triathlon Club; TDTC: Team Deane Triathlon Club; BURY: Bury AC; RAD: Radcliffe AC.
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