Ron Hill MBE set the fastest finish time in the 1969 Freckleton Half Marathon – 65 minutes and 44 seconds.

Now aged 70, Ron will celebrate the anniversary of his record by competing in the race and then presenting the prizes.

Race organiser and seasoned runner, Brian Porter of Freckleton, said: "Ron's time has never been beaten in 40 years and I'm sure he will win the over-70 category.

"I'm hoping I'll be able to buy him a few pints the night before to give myself some chance of beating him!"

This year's race is particularly poignant as for Ron it will be his last. He still intends to compete in races, but is likely to stick with 5k distances.

Ron said: "Brian made me aware of the anniversary and I agreed to come back to run it one last time. It's seems a very fitting place to run my last half marathon."

The veteran will don his famous number 65, a number Brian insists only Ron can wear: "I've always let Ron have that number because the first race was in 1965 and Ron's record was just over 65 minutes.

" He will always be welcome to run here, and the number will be waiting for him. Perhaps one day there will be another record-setter who can wear the same number each year, but it will be have to be 64 or under."

Back in the 60s half marathons were held very occasionally. Ron first entered because the run attracted high calibre athletes.

He said: "The first time I ran the race, the prize was a pony skin rug. I didn't like pony skin rugs, so I went to Lewis's in Manchester and changed it for a coffee set.

"The next year, I suggested the prize of an extended ladder, because I really needed one, and I ended up winning it and sticking it on top of my van to take it home."

1969 was a great year for Ron in other ways too. He explained: "It was a really special year for me, when I really made good. I started to win some significant races, and it was just after the Freckleton race that I got a trial for the European Games."

But it hasn't always been a good run in Freckleton. Ron remembers running one year in 100 degree heat: "It was that hot most people had to walk in the end. That was one of my personal worsts."

Although Ron still runs an average of four miles a day he thinks he may get beaten in the Freckleton race by a 75 year-old runner from Blackpool, but he will enjoy the day anyway.

He added: "There was always a great turnout in Freckleton to support the runners, with hose pipes and people cheering at their garden gates.

"I'll certainly enjoy going back one last time and hope to enjoy a few pints afterwards too."

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