DURSLEY Running Club member Dan Anderson finished ahead of great American ultra runner Anton Krupicka at the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB).

The elite international event is a single-stage mountain ultra marathon which takes place once a year in the Alps, across France, Italy and Switzerland.

Anderson's performance was awesome as he finished in 25:40:13 to come 36th overall, three hours and 16 minutes faster and 53 places higher than last year, beating many other full-time sponsored professional athletes who race ultras around the world

He was also 24th in his category, having finished 57th in 2013, averaging 6.57kmph.

The distance of the race is approximately 166 km (103.75 miles), with a total elevation gain of around 9,600 m.

It is widely regarded as one of the most difficult foot races in Europe and is one of the largest with over 2000 starters.

The race was the reason Dan Anderson starting running ultras and in 2013 he qualified to run the race for the first time.

Anderson was confident that his preparation had been good, despite a few up and downs in his season, and most importantly he felt that his physical condition had significantly improved since 2013.

He started steadily, reaching the first checkpoint of Le Delevret in just under one and a half hours in 110th position.

The long descent to St Gervais saw him pass 17 runners.

He was now faced with approximately 25 kilometres uphill to the Croix Bonhomme.

Picking off runner after runner he reached the top in 83rd position.

The next 55 kilometres resembled a tortuous rollercoaster, but Anderson was in his element, getting to the Grand Col de Ferret, the 99.5 kilometre point, in 14 hours and 33 minutes and in 53rd position.

After the ups and downs of the previous section, Anderson had a 20 kilometre descent before the race’s final undulation would bring him to La Tete Aux Vents in 40th position, 158 kilometres completed in 24:18:50.

The last 10 kilometres saw him pass another four runners.

Anderson’s adventure was not the only endurance challenge of the weekend, with Dursley Running Club represented at the Cotswold Classic 70.3 Triathlon by Rob Woodward and Andy Kilby.

Woodward, as expected, was powerful in the water and on the bike, before gritting it out over the half marathon.

Kilby swam well but couldn’t match Woodward in the water or on the road, and whilst he pulled back 13 minutes on the run he was still 22 minutes in arrears at the end, consoling himself with a fifth place in his age a category.

Woodward went three better, finishing second in the V60 category.

Results: Rob Woodward 35:32 (1.9k swim), 02:55 (T1), 02:33:04 (bike), 01:30 (T2), 02:37:23 (run), 05:50:53 (overall), 362th (overall), 2nd V60; Andy Kilby 42:13, 02:28, 03:00:57, 01:32, 02:25:18, 06:12:29, 427, 5th V55.

The club runs from Dursley Rugby Club on Tuesday nights, with five groups to cater for all paces with other runs organised in the week.

Meet at 6.15pm for a 6.30pm start.