OTLEY Athletic Club's Ian Fisher was the first non-African runner to finish the Nairobi Marathon, part of the Greatest Race on Earth series. Ian finished third in the Nations Overall Challenge to Kenya's Muge Edward who finished in 02.18.23 and Zimbabwe's Abel Chimukoko who finished in 02.22.11. Ian's time was 02.29.30.

The series sees marathons run through four exotic cities in mainly 100 per cent humidity, soaring temperatures and thin air at extreme altitudes.

The series is four marathons rolled into one epic contest. The series started in the dizzying altitudes of Nairobi takes in Singapore and Mumbai and finishes in Hong Kong.

It is The Greatest Race on Earth because it is unique, it is ambitious and it is a huge achievement for anyone to even cross the finish line.

The altitude is extreme, the air is thin and the conditions are gruelling. You need to be at the peak of your physical fitness to do well.

The course was a good introduction to the sights of Nairobi, starting at the Kenyatta International conference centre.

A total of 578 runners, double the number of runners from last year, will compete in The Greatest Race on Earth 2005/06 Series with its record prize pool of $1.57 million. The Greatest Race on Earth is the world's only relay of marathons, and spans across four countries in Asia and Africa.

Last year's winning team time for four marathons was 09:11:32. The quickest debut marathoner ever, Joseph Osoro of Kenya, led the charge, but with 32 professional teams in this year's event, Joseph's team PACE will have to be consistent as well as quick.

The new women's event will be hotly contested as former world record holder and marathon great Tegla Loroupe from Kenya and her team, looks to beat off a strong Chinese team and 11 other all-women teams from across the globe.

While the current dominance of East Africans in marathon running is reflected in the make up of many teams this year, the Nations Challenge boasts a line up of 30 teams representing countries from across the globe.

Each team comprise of four individuals, each running one marathon in Nairobi, Singapore, Mumbai or Hong Kong. Last year Ian ran the marathon in Mumbai.

After representing GB in Sunday's Nairobi Marathon Ian said:

"I was the first non-African to finish. I had a great run except the Africans nicked the GB drinks. It would have been a sub 2.20 pb back home."