CARDIGAN runner Mike Kallenberg put in another excellent performance to take second place overall at the Snowdonia Marathon, having only decided to enter the race three weeks before the event.

He was using the race as part of his build up for running in the 50K World Championships in Doha Qatar on 4 December, where he will represent Great Britain. As the weather forcast had predicted, the heavens opened on the 2,500 runners as they stood waiting on the start line, but this year’s event still promised to be a fast race, with a strong field of elite athletes.

From the start Kent runner John Gilbert, who recently ran 2.15 at the Berlin Marathon, took to the front, with Kallenberg and Swansea’s Phil Matthews in pursuit. Positions didn’t change as they hit the half way mark 13 miles in at Beddgelert, with frontrunner Gilbert pulling a 30 second lead on rival Kallenberg in pursuit.

The Eryri Marathon has the reputation of being Europe’s toughest marathon, and the front three runners looked strong as they entered Waunfawr at 22 miles. Gilbert extended his lead as they carried on the upward climb, which took them off the road and onto a trail, which proved very slippery, especially on the descent into Llanberis, where many of the following runners took a tumble or two. Gilbert continued to push the pace, taking the win in a time of 2.33.38, breaking the course record by over two minutes.

Kallenberg held his form superbly over the closing miles, coming home in second in a time of 2.35.50, a little over two minutes back on Gilbert, and barely 10 seconds outside of the old course record. Fellow Welsh runner Phil Matthews finished the race in third position in 2.39.11.