The Martello Marathon, Folkestone, Kent, must be unique in that it consists of two marathons on two consecutive days over exactly the same course. Other events comprise consecutive marathons, but along different courses, often each day’s course a continuation of the previous day. Jon Sharkey was amongst a small group who took on the challenge of competing in both the Martello Marathon‘s races, on Saturday 10 January and Sunday 11 January. Jon was the winner on both days, and was clearly holding himself back on the Saturday, finishing in 3.03.59, because, the next day, he crossed the line in 2.51.24, a clear winner, the second athlete (who hadn’t competed the day before) finishing in 3.08.23.  111 finished the race on the Saturday and 89 on the Saturday.  To put Jon‘s achievement into perspective, amongst the leaders, only one other athlete, Martin Devine, competed on both days.  Martin himself had creditable runs, finishing 3rd on Saturday in 3.25.26 and 4th on Sunday in 3.12.45, but everyone else who finished at the front of each marathon had only run once (and who can blame them for that!).  Jon is planning on running once again in the Celtic Plate 100k, in which last year he was selected to compete for England, so surely Jon‘s two wins over the 10/11 January weekend will help convince the selectors that Jon should be there for his country again!