NATHAN Montague has endured a roller-coaster start to 2017 but arguably choose the right time to deliver one of his best performances of the year, writes KEVIN FAHEY.

Representing England, the 34-year-old Swindon Harriers ultra-distance star finished a best-ever sixth in the Anglo-Celtic Cup 100k road race in Hull to ensure a decisive victory in the team competition.

“It was my best-ever position in the race, and a new personal best,” said Montague.

“I was around seven minutes off a medal so on the whole was really happy with the performance plus we smashed the team competition so that was great too.”

Before the race Montague was a little apprehensive as to how he would fare as it was barely a month ago that he completed the gruelling Marathon de Sables week-long race across the Sahara Desert.

Fortunately Montague, who lives in The Parks area of Swindon, not only has amazing powers of physical recovery but can also call upon great mental strength so when he took to the start line on Sunday he was fired up for the challenge.

“I was unsure how it was going to pan out transferring from trails, or should I sand, to road, which is a completely different ball game exacerbated by the sheer distance,” added Montague.

“I took a measured start but the pace of the athletes was electric and people were pushing it from the start.

“But I stuck to my game plan and disciplined approach and, though I knew it would be a long day, I dug deep and tried to stay as mentally strong as I could, ignoring the pace of others and running my own race and hoping the body would hold strong.”