ATHLETICS: Edwards has just three races to go in marathon quest (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Leicester marathon takes endurance king Steve Edwards to No. 497

9:00am Thursday 18th October 2012 in Sport By Danny Hall, Sports Editor

STEVE EDWARDS moved within three races of completing his magnificent endurance-running odyssey when he ran the Leicester Marathon on a glorious autumn Sunday.

Fresh from clocking his second fastest time of the year (3hr 6min) in the Chester Marathon on his previous outing, Steve posted another rapid 3:10.26 to finish 37th from more than 525 starters.

Bidding to become the first athlete on the planet to run 500 marathons inside 3hr 30min, he is now in the final straight as Leicester was No 497. It was also his 28th marathon of 2012 – and they have all been inside 3:30.

So the dream finale in time for his 50th birthday (November 29) is getting ever closer.

“Three more sub-3:30s required for the 500 record and if I can maintain current form, another two good performances could see me reach 250 sub-3:15s, which would be a massive bonus,” said Steve.

As plans stand, Steve’s final three marathons will be this Sunday in the Abingdon Marathon followed by Preston (Oct 28) and the Enigma Autumn Marathon in Milton Keynes (Nov 11).