ONE of the most amazing feats of running to be accomplished in the Lake District - the Brathay Ten Marathons in Ten Days Challenge - is back.

Last year the legendary fellsman Joss Naylor set off a band of intrepid runners dubbed the Magnificent Seven' - and varying in age from 41 to 72 - to complete the world-record feat in the lead-up to last year's Brathay Windermere Marathon.

Now the fund-raising Challenge is on again and those accepting it will set off from Brathay Hall on May 9 this year to complete their first circuit of Windermere.

They will then aim to achieve the feat for ten consecutive days, completing their last race on the day of the Brathay Windermere Marathon on May 18.

Back for another Challenge is 45-year-old Steve Edwards, who became the youngest runner to complete 100 marathons and also a world-record breaking 87 marathons in a single year in 1992.

To date he has completed more than 450 marathons and is well on his way to realising his ambition of running 500 marathon by the time he is 50. Steve's average marathon time is an impressive 3 hours 18 minutes.

He said: "I wasn't really sure how the body would hold up to such an intensive period of running.

"However, I was surprised at just how well it can adapt and respond when pushed. I relished the opportunity of try to repeat this incredible journey."

Other Challenge runners this year include a husband and wife Paul and Sue Adams, aged 58 and 56 and both members of the York Knavesmire Harriers.

There is also an inter-national flavour to the Challenge represented by writer Malcolm Anderson, a 47-year-old New Zealander now living in Canada who is the author of the book The Marathon: From Athens to Disney, to be released in the spring.

Others to sign up include another inaugural Challenge runner Jim Munday (58), Ray O'Connor (38), Selina de Silva (51), Matthew Evans (35), George Russell, Michelle Atkins (42) and Phillip Roberts (32).

The Challenge was the inspiration of Sir Christopher Ball after the achievement of Sir Rannulph Fiennes, who completed seven marathons in seven days on different continents.

Sir Christopher, a fellow of the Brathay Hall Trust, said: "I ran seven marathons in seven days in 2004, running the length of the Thames from the source to Tower Bridge in a week, then aged 69.

"I was confident that I could increase this to ten in ten days and looked for an opportunity to undertake the challenge with like-minded enthusiasts."

The Ten Marathons in Ten Days Challenge is held in conjunction with the Brathay Windermere Marathon.

Entry forms for the marathon can be downloaded from www.brathay.org.uk (News and Events) or requested on 015394 39730.