Jonathan Sangster did Burnden and Bolton proud as he completed the iconic swim-bike-run Ironman UK course in a super time of 12hrs 45mins 28secs.

Athletes were in the water by 5am at Pennington Flash to complete the 2.4-mile distance and Sangster was out in a good time of 1:23:33.

With just over five minutes transition time, it was on to the bike for the gruelling 112 miles around Bolton’s hills.

In under seven hours - a brilliant 6:54:21 - it was off with the helmet and on with the running legs in 3:59:00.

Much of the 26.2 miles is four laps up and down Chorley New Road and Sangster was strong, composed and unruffled throughout, well-supported all along the route.

He got an extra-special cheer at the lap-band station, where Burnden members were handing out the bands to athletes. Two special guests – Sangster’s two children – were the ones to give the coloured bands to their Ironman dad.

He finished the marathon in a super 4:18:22 and was welcomed with cheers at the finishing point outside Bolton Town Hall.

Elsewhere, Tim Taylor was also joining in the Ironman fun but decided to try Finland’s version of the 70.3 and hoped for a nice uneventful trip after the madness of the past few weeks.

Almost three years in the making, Taylor’s race buddy unfortunately couldn’t join in the trip at the last minute due to Covid.

The weather was a stifling 30 degrees (unlucky for Taylor as a previous London marathon saw him on a drip after a 28 degree run) and there was worldwide airport chaos.

However, despite the setbacks, Taylor’s challenge did not beat him and he arrived at the event held at the waterfront of Lahti – an hour north of Helsinki and facing onto a beautiful lake.

Unusually the race began at 4pm – meaning the competitors were to finish while racing into the midnight sun.

A smooth, then choppy 1900m swim in 22.1 degree water was finished in 42 minutes and a third of the challenge was done for Taylor.

Next came the rolling bike route through beautiful Scandinavian countryside and even though Taylor was overtaken by aero bikes, which flew past him, he covered the 90km course in 3:11:00.

The half marathon run around the harbour was next and Taylor was flagging in the heat, but plenty of hydration and a steady cautious pace saw him home in 2:16:00.

Taylor was relieved and euphoric to cross the line and, despite Finnair losing his bag and his bike, he was back in Bolton late on Sunday night to congratulate the Bolton Ironman competitors/.

Taylor completed the challenge in an impressive overall time of 6:25:00.

Night Run was under way on the Friday before the Ironman event and it was the largest turnout ever with more than 800 runners waiting to set off in waves on Le Mans Crescent.

The 5K, one-lap course takes runners out of the town centre and into Queens Park for an undulating ramble before looping back around and on to the mighty red carpet for a true Ironman finish.

Ian Mann was beaming as he crossed the finish line after an injury break in a super 34:08.

Speedy social secretaries Sarah Watton and Vicki Hamer were back in a flash with 22:26.

Other results: Martin Whitehead 20:31, Jason Attwood 23:45, Michelle Carter 23:59, Melissa Husbands 24:02, Alyson Cullen 28:17, Chelsea Entwistle 28:57, Tony Fulop 29:47, Nia Bell 29:47, Jennifer Entwistle 29:47, Joanne Darby 29:47, Tess Riley 29:47, Sarah Brown 29:58, Shirley Robinson 31:03, Jen Forkin 31:03, Sarah McConnell 33.46.

Burndener, Mark Jackson, has been enjoying the fell race season for something a bit different and this week was no exception as he took on ‘Eddie’s Revenge’.

Reaching dizzying heights of 1,080 feet, this course is a 3.8-mile mixture of moorland and forest trail and rough moorland paths.

Numerous ascents and descents are afoot as runners loop and thread their way round before finishing the end of the first lap on a a steep shale-covered slope.

Good conditions, hills and climbs is the recipe for a fun race for Jackson and he conquered the climbs in a brilliant 34:52.

Lawrence McDonald was fighting fit after a running rest break and gained a personal-best time at the tough Bolton parkrun course. He crossed the finish line in 24:40 - his best parkrun time since 2017.

A few minutes ahead of McDonald were first and second male Burndeners at Leverhulme - Stephen Horsman, in 22:56, and Mark Jackson (23:31).

Other results: Steven Bate 25:26, Simon Entwistle 28:03, Richard Blake 29:21, Philip Glassbrook 30:56, Nia Bell 32:40, Jennifer Entwistle 33:41, Sarah Brown 33:47, Ian Mann 36:47, Steven Snape 39:22, Peter Whiteside 41:54.

Furthest travelled this week goes to David Smith who finished in a brilliant 23:28 and eighth overall position in Suffolk at the Rendlesham Forest parkrun.

Simon Marland and Sue Blackman were seasiding over at Southport where Marland finished in 22:53 and Blackman in 33:01, while chairman Paul Christie and his wife, Sheila Christie, took in a parkrun at Worsley Woods. Paul finished in 22:20 and Sheila in a very respectable 28:32.

Other results: Witton - Liz Hopley 33:12; Haigh Woodland - Andy Dunleavy 21:15, Cheryl Dunleavy 37:56; Stretford - Anthony Fulop 31:30; Sale Water Park - Jenni Partington 28:05; Heaton Park - Adrian Ashburn 21:53, Chris Greenall 24:30, Gayle Gerrard 24:35.

Burnden have wrapped up the June Virtual Challenge - one mile with a sMile - and Michael Hampson achieved a phenomenal PB with 4:21. This astonishing time smashed his 1K, half mile and one mile PB.

July’s Virtual Challenge is Parkrun Away - complete any parkrun any time, anywhere (you can complete the course outside of the 9am slot).

Runners should remember to submit results to Cheryl and Andy Dunleavy via the Burnden website at www.burndenroadrunners.co.uk.