13795/2GAZETTE & HERALD: SHOPKEEPER Scott Terrell is set to take part in a treble of mammoth tests of endurance in the next three months The Great North Run, the Great South Run and finally, the prestigious New York marathon.

The 32-year-old assistant manager of Costcutter in Conway Road, Chippenham is no stranger to marathons he has been running seriously for two years and last April completed the London Marathon.

But he was over the moon to learn he has been awarded one of the prized places in the Big Apple's largest event.

"I applied for one of the overseas runners places this year after being refused last year and was thrilled to find I'd got a place," he said.

"I believe it can take three or even more attempts to get a place, so now I'm training hard to make sure I'm as fit as possible."

To make sure he's up to the challenge of the 26-mile course, Mr Terrell is running 30-45 miles a week and will also be competing in both the Great North and Great South Runs, to keep his fitness levels at their peak.

Britain's biggest running event, the 24th annual Great North Run will take place on Sunday 26 September 2004 and Mr Terrell will join thousands of runners in tackling the famous route from Newcastle to the coast at South Shields.

Then, with only two weeks to rest and recuperate, he's off to the south coast to take part in the Great South Run, a fast, flat 10-mile course along the seafront in Southsea and Portsmouth.

"They're two tough races, but I feel I have to really keep myself at the peak of fitness before travelling to New York for the marathon," he said.

After the south coast challenge, Mr Terrell will then have just over three weeks before joining the throngs of runners competing in the Big Apple.

The event, which is held on the first Sunday in November, begins on the Staten Island side of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.

The course then runs through Brooklyn and Queens and across the Queensborough Bridge into Manhattan and the 16-mile mark.

From there, runners head north along First Avenue across the Willis Avenue Bridge for a short trip through the Bronx, across the Madison Avenue Bridge back into Manhattan, and along Fifth Avenue into Central Park.

For the last three-and-a-half miles, the course goes through Central Park, finishing at the Tavern on the Green.

"I love New York. I have been there before, but only as a tourist," he said.

"I don't know if I'll have much chance to take in the sights while I'm running the marathon, but I'm really looking forward to the atmosphere of the marathon and am also hoping to prolong my visit after the race and have a short holiday."

Mr Terrell has chosen the Wiltshire Air Ambulance Appeal as his fundraising beneficiary for the marathon.

"After living in Chippenham and working at the shop for all these years with the support of the community, I was looking for a charity which would help me put something back," he said.