19‑year‑old Northamptonshire runner wins 24‑hour ultra marathon

Zach is the founder of the Percent Run Club in Northamptonshire, a group which has grown rapidly over the past four months.

The group's social media following has increased by almost 2,400 people and the number of runners attending their weekly sessions has nearly doubled.

People are now travelling from across Northamptonshire to join in, with the group having one simple message - focus on getting one per cent better every day.

Zach told this newspaper: "On the 3rd of May, I decided to put that message to the test in a big way. I entered the Boughton House Backyard Ultra — a 24‑hour endurance race where runners complete a 4.2‑mile loop every hour on the hour. Despite having never run a marathon before, my best friend (who is only 17) and I committed to taking part.

"There were 140 runners, many far more experienced than us, but we stayed focused on our purpose.

"After 23 hours and 80 km of running, it came down to the final lap. I pushed with everything I had left and ended up winning the entire race.

"I also set the all‑time course record with a 25:06 final lap, finishing three minutes ahead of second place, and broke my 5 km PB from 19:42 to 18:23.

"I’m 19 years old with just five months of proper running experience and a year ago I couldn’t have imagined even entering a race like this.

"Winning it was a moment I’ll never forget, and I hope it can inspire others in our community who are just starting their own fitness journeys."