Robert (45) earns first GB call-up for world championships 100km ultra marathon

At the age of 45, ultra marathon runner Robert Turner could be forgiven for starting to take things a big easier.
Robert Turner will compete for GB for the first time in Croatia next month (Submitted pic)Robert Turner will compete for GB for the first time in Croatia next month (Submitted pic)
Robert Turner will compete for GB for the first time in Croatia next month (Submitted pic)

But Robert, who was raised in Forth, has actually stepped up his training levels recently as he beat the UK’s best over the vast distance of 100km to win the Celtic Plate in Wales.

And the married dad of two has now achieved his lifelong ambition by being picked to represent Great Britain for the first time at the 100km world championships in Croatia on September 8.

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Edinburgh Athletic Club member Robert told the Carluke and Lanark Gazette: “From being a teenager running the 1500m I dreamed of wearing a GB vest.

“Doing it nearly 30 years later will certainly be a proud moment.

“There was a point in my life when I went to university as a young man that I never really had any notion of representing my country.

“But it’s happening now and it’s exciting going to the world championships.

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“I’ll be 46 by the time that starts and I think my chances of getting an individual medal there are slim.

“My personal best for the 100km is seven hours and in the Japanese team I don’t think any of their PBs are slower than six hours 45 seconds.

“But I do think that our GB Athletics squad has a definite chance of a team medal.

“We just need to make sure that we all run brilliantly on the day and hope that some other teams don’t.”

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Freelance IT consultant Robert, who now lives in Musselburgh with wife Lisa and kids Imogen and Martha, runs up to 100 miles a week to try and stay in peak physical condition.

The veteran runner is loving life and said that he feels even better now than he did back in 2009 when he broke his personal bests in every race discipline from 5km all the way up to marathon.

“I think I could give all those PBs I got years ago a run for their money now,” he added.

Who knows, Robert may just record a PB in Croatia in a few days’ time.

He will run in partnership with GB mates Lee Grantham and Anthony Clark.