Jack Oates hits the heights to win Snowdonia Trail Marathon

The 22-year-old, from Fareham, stormed up the mountain in Wales as he won the race in a time of 3hr 37min 53sec.

It was more than 15 minutes faster than the previous course record.

The performance was all the more incredible with Oates having never climbed a mountain before.

He said: '˜It was an incredible race and a really good experience.

'˜This was my first time going to Wales and my first time up a mountain.

'˜We went up the toughest way and it was pretty brutal going up there.

'˜Mile 22 was brutal. It was so tough, probably the longest mile I have ever done in my life.'

There were 2,500 people competing across four events in Wales - an ultra, a marathon, a half marathon and a 10k.

Oates, who won the UK Middle Distance Trail Running Championships in 2017, left his closest challenger Bournemouth's supremely talented Jacek Cieluszecki trailing in second (3.42.39).

He added: '˜Coming down I was pretty tired and I fell down twice. I was bleeding and hurt my knee a bit.

'˜The last mile was back on the road and it was the worst thing.

'˜Then I heard the commentator say three people were within 30 seconds off each other and I thought 'oh no, here we go'. But I looked back and I couldn't see anyone close.

'˜When I finished it was a great feeling. My parents really supported me for the event and big thanks to them.'

The next big target for Oates will be the Chiltern Wonderland 50 '“ a 50 mile race in September.