HAVING been declared fastest participant from Tynedale for the past two years, a Prudhoe runner won’t be defending his Great North Run crown this weekend.

While 45-year-old Terry Scott, of Western Avenue, has posted the fastest time of people with a Tynedale postcode at the world famous event, he has been denied a hat-trick of wins after his country came calling!

The Tyne Bridge Harrier, who only started running in 2012, has been selected to represent England in the 45 to 49 years category at Sunday’s British Masters international 10k road race, in Cardiff.

As it clashes with the Great North Run, he had very little option but to miss out on a fifth consecutive appearance at the Newcastle to South Shields half marathon.

Terry said: “I’m a bit gutted to be missing the Great North Run, but I got the call-up and it was hard to turn down with it being the England vest. Very little else would have stopped me doing the GNR.

“It is the second time I’ve been selected as last year I took part in the British and Ireland Masters international cross country, in Dublin, and you are chosen by a panel after you post your times to them.

“Dublin was fantastic and to get the opportunity to represent England on the road is great, and I’m really looking forward to Cardiff.”

As well as being crowned champion of the Hexham Courant’s Race within a Race competition for two years running, Terry has enjoyed a barnstorming year.

After making his debut for England, he and fellow members of Tyne Bridge Harriers were invited to run the Great Ethiopia Run where they met running legends Haile Gebrsellasie and Kenenisa Bekele.

He also qualified for a place in the championship race at the London Marathon after recording a time below 75 minutes for a half marathon in Holland.

He continues to improve, and just last week recorded a personal best time over 5k of 15 minutes and 27 seconds at Gateshead Harriers’ Tyneside Business Forum event.

Over 10k, his best time is 32:51 which he is confident of surpassing this weekend.

He said: “I’m hoping, if the conditions are good, that I can get a new PB and round the year off quite well. I don’t know the course but it is described as a fast one, so I’m confident I can beat my time unless I have a complete disaster.”

The progress Terry has made since first putting on his running shoes has been remarkable, and he is constantly achieving the goals he sets for himself.

He was bitten by the running bug in 2012 when he signed up for his first run, the North Tyneside 10k at Whitley Bay, and posted a good time of 39 minutes.

With the encouragement of fellow participants, he decided to take it even further and has entered the Blaydon Races as well as the Great North Run for the past four years.

He said: “Absolutely never in a month of Sundays did I ever think I would get to where I am now, and even now I have to pinch myself.

“I always set myself the next target to go under, and once you get under 35 minutes you then want to beat 34 minutes.

“I always think I can’t do any better when I reach a milestone, but then I run a minute quicker or so and I can’t believe I’m down to 32 minutes When you achieve your target, you get a real confidence boost and that was what happened when I won the Race within a Race two years ago.”