A FITNESS fanatic with a fondness for travelling the globe is celebrating after completing his 900th marathon earlier this month.

Martin Bush conquered the Phoenix Marathon in Walton-on-Thames on Sunday, June 11, clocking-up a total of 23,580 miles.

The 58-year-old trains at Palmer Park Athletics Stadium every Wednesday evening and is approaching the circumference of the Earth after his latest race.

He said: "I knew it was my 900th marathon, so it was a special day, but I am not sure what my time was.

"My fastest time was 3.28.28, but as I have got older I have slowed down and I am now at about four and a half hours on average.

"I started running in 1990 and my first marathon was nearly 30 years ago. The Abingdon Marathon was my first and I rarely miss the Reading Half Marathon.

Martin is confident he can reach 1,000 marathons by the end of 2018, with an average of five races every month making for a demanding schedule.

His athletic prowess has earned him a place in the coveted '100 Marathon Club', which he has been a member of for more than two decades.

He puts his fondness for running down to the people he meets along the way, with a love for travel at the heart of his passion.

Martin added: "New York 1999 was definitely my favourite marathon. I just love going away and visiting other countries.

"I go away quite a lot and you get the chance to meet new people wherever you go, which makes it even more special.

"I am hoping to reach the 1,000 mark by the end of next year. I do about five marathons each month, but I sometimes do a couple in the space of a week.

"Taking part in this many marathons means I have been able to raise money a huge amount for charity, particularly for blind people.

"Planning for that many races does require a lot of work and I have to book early to make sure I have a place."