Otley's Chris Carver is celebrating being England No 1.

The ultra-distance runner, whose successes are all the more remarkable because part of his right lung has been removed after he got testicular cancer, took part in a 24-hour race which was part of the inaugural Commonwealth Mountain and Ultra Running Championships in Keswick, Cumbria.

He was selected to represent England by virtue of the 141.9 miles he ran in a 24-hour race in London last October (he was also ranked No 2 in England for 2008).

In the Commonwealth Championships 24-Hour Race, there were 44 runners from New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Scotland, the Isle of Man, England, Wales and India.

The race was won by Australia’s Martin Fryer, who completed over 159 miles.

Second was Jonathan Blake (Australia), 154.7, and third John Pares (Wales), 151.8.

Chris ran a total of 143.8 miles for fifth place overall in his first championship race. Australia won the team gold, but Chris led England to silver medals ahead of Scotland.

Carver is now also No 3 in Europe and No 30 in the world, which is good news for his future selection for World, European and Commonwealth races.

Chris had an operation for testicular cancer in the 1990s, only to find three months later that the disease had spread to his lungs.

He then underwent six months of chemotherapy, followed by an operation to remove part of his right lung.

Meanwhile, Menston’s super-fit doctor Annaliese Mawdsley has also been putting her body under strain.

The 32-year-old, who competes in gruelling triathlons, was set the exhausting task – by her fiance Adam Nevins – of cycling 100 miles from Leeds to Newcastle, running the 13-mile Great North Run, then pedalling the 100 miles back home to Menston.

Annaliese, a specialist registrar in paediatrics, is hoping her punishing mission will help her raise around £3,000 for the Candlelighters children’s cancer charity, set up by parents of children treated at St James’s Hospital in Leeds.