AFTER running his first 26.2-mile race 20 years ago, a 60-year-old Middlewich resident has crossed the finish line on his 100th marathon.

Russell Harper joined the elite '100 Marathon Club' after years of determination, raising money for a variety of charities in the process.

This includes £1,065 for Ehlers Danlos Support UK, a charity which has supported Russell's wife with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), a connective tissue disorder.

"I started running marathons about 20 years ago so it has taken me a long time to reach this goal," Russell said after completing his 100th marathon at Slaithwaite in Yorkshire.

"I love running, it helps me to clear my head and the marathon running community is very friendly.

"I am 60 now and have a scoliosis so I am not fast, but I am tenacious.

"I don’t really do much training other than running along the lovely canals around Middlewich.

"I am also a member of Middlewich Clean Team so I often litter pick at the end of a run.

"I tend to run around 12 marathons a year and I have done marathons all over Europe – Düsseldorf, Florence, Amsterdam, Barcelona and Rome – the New York Marathon twice and the London Marathon.

"When I first started I didn’t envisage running 100 marathons – I don’t think I have quite processed the achievement yet.

"My wife has been a tremendous support.

"She helps with getting my kit ready and she is good at crafting so has put my name on my running shirts.

"This is great for getting support along the route because people shout 'well done Russ'.

"She used to come with me to cheer me on but due to her problems with EDS she has not been able to go to the events for a while and missed out on seeing me finish my 100th, but I was on the phone to her as I crossed the finish line so that she could be with me in spirit."

Russell has no plans to stop running, and he'll be putting on his running shoes again at Kirkstall Abbey in Leeds.