A GEOGRAPHY teacher who took on his first ultra marathon completed it in the fastest time out of the two-day competitors.

Kevin Warren, 43, took part in the two-day 64-mile Cotswold Way Challenge from Bath to Cheltenham.

Some competitors ran the 62 miles in one go with the fastest coming in at 11h28m39s.

But there was also the option to complete the challenge in two days and Mr Warren was the fastest at 15h05m36s.

He ran the race in memory of his mother, Sonia Warren, who died aged 69 from Motor Neurone Disease last year.

He said: "My mother battled this cruel disease for five and a half years. Initially, she lost the ability to speak, then to swallow and was thus fed through a tube. Finally, the disease attacked her limbs and she lost all movement.

"As there is currently no cure for this horrendous disease, supporting the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA) and their research, will hopefully help to find one as soon as possible."

Mr Warren, from Llanwarne in the south of the county, said the thought of his mum drove him forward.

He said: "There was a few times where it got very tough and you think, 'Can I do this?' But that thought keeps you going forward."

Although Mr Warren has run marathons before, it was the first time he ran an ultra marathon.

He said: "It was one of the hardest things I have ever done. It was just completely gruelling at times.

"I managed to record the fastest time out of the two-day competitors."

Mr Warren teaches in Cheltenham and in his spare time he is a coach for the under 14s at Hereford Rugby Club.

He thanked everybody who has donated so far and thanked his wife, Gaynor, and sons, Fred, 14, and Henry, 13, for their support.

Mr Warren said: "They were there all the way through the race. They supported me massively throughout the training."

He has so far raised £2,000 for MNDA. If you would like to support the cause go to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/kevin-warren2