When the going gets tough, the tough get going as the saying goes.

One month ago Orran Smith won the 20-mile road race round the NSC perimeter in miserable conditions. On Easter Saturday, when temperatures were hovering around zero in the early stages over the higher peaks, the gritty Western AC man won the Manx Mountain Marathon at the first attempt.

He ran with 2017 winner Ben Scott for the first half but then powered away to win the 30-miler by almost seven minutes from experienced Ambleside AC man Tom Gibbs.

Full report in today’s Examiner.