Last year Galpin ran a club record of 1.53.12 to finish second but he had to settle for third in 1.57.01 on this occasion around the undulating course.

He explained: "I began to get a sore throat three days before the race so ran a bit more cautiously and it went okay.

There's been a lot of illness around and many of my family have been under the weather. My fiance (Laura Nobles) has had it worse than me and had to drop out after 12 miles."

Galpin is hoping to recover in time to compete in Sunday's final race of the Frostbite League season, hosted by his club BRJ at Huntingdon.

He is the most successful runner in the league's history with 34 wins, including seven in the last nine years on his home course.

There was better news on Sunday for some of his BRJ clubmates with John Wright taking 14 minutes off his personal best, Anita Girvan improving by eight minutes and Tony Hucklesby and Sam Brown also improving their bests.

Joel Brand is another who is improving on a regular basis and the Eye Community Runner finished 15th, while Thorney Running Club's Eamonn Dorling was second Over 50.

There shorter race, just under 10 miles, saw Nene Valley Harrier Nick Grimer in third place as he prepares for next month's Inter-Counties Cross-Country Championships. That event will see Grimer and wife Laura become the first husband and wife to represent Lincolnshire in the event.

The pair have previously competed together for Lincolnshire in a triathlon but this will be Laura's first county vest as a runner. She was originally named as reserve but has now been promoted.

Galpin's record in the Frostbite League at BRJ, Huntingdon:
Year Position Beaten by
1996 3rd Alan Turnbull, Andy Wray
1997 2nd Ian Roylance
1998 3rd Alan Turnbull, Ian Lewis
1999 1st
2000 1st
2001 1st
2002 1st
2003 1st
2004 2nd David Connell
2005 2nd Ashley Allen
2006 1st
2007 1st

Local results

Bury 20: 3 Pete Galpin (BRJ) 1.57.01; 15 Joel Brand (Eye) 2.10.35; 23 Ian Marshall (Hunts AC) 2.15.06; 37 Eamonn Dorling (Thorney, MV50) 2.18.48; 38 Peter Kirwin (Eye) 2.18.59; 52 John Wright (BRJ, MV40) 2.21.28; 62 Tony Hucklesby (BRJ, MV40) 2.23.54; 73 John Smith (Hunts AC) 2.26.54; 74 Barry Warne (Nene V, MV40) 2.27.13; 92 Gary Masters (Eye) 2.30.44; 109 Mark Glover (Yaxley, MV40) 2.34.50; 124 Keith Douglas (BRJ, MV40) 2.38.16; 131 Richard Heyes (Hunts AC, MV40) 2.39.04; 188 Steve Dockerill (BRJ, MV40) 2.47.11; 207 Nick Abbey (Hunts AC, MV50) 2.49.58; 219 Gillian Peck (BRJ, LV40) 2.50.59; 227 Frances Cooke (March, LV50) 2.52.30; 231 Phil Pearson (BRJ, MV400 2.53.00; 239 Keith Borkett (Hunts AC, MV40) 2.54.55; 256 Paul Beland (Bourne, MV50) 2.59.14; 257 Shaun Towell (Bourne, MV40) 2.59.14; 264 Lucy Moore (BRJ, SL) 3.01.37; 266 Anita Girvan (BRJ, SL) 3.01.45; 278 David Maris (Fenland, MV40) 3.03.45; 282 Andrew Wright (Yaxley, MV40) 3.04.31; 287 Sharron Toms (Yaxley, SL) 3.05.55; 288 Andrew Matson (BRJ, MV40) 3.05.57; 294 Sam Brown (BRJ) 3.07.08; 296 Elaine Palmer (Werrington, SL) 3.07.20; 297 Ron Cave (Werrington, MV50) 3.07.20; 298 Menchu Hernandez (Werrington, SL) 3.07.31; 301 Mike Russell (Yaxley, MV70) 3.08.34; 325 Nicki Buttris (Fenland, SL) 3.16.31; 344 Maureen Wickson (BRJ, LV40) 3.22.05; 345 Nicola Webber (BRJ, SL) 3.22.05; 350 Peter West (March) 3.24.25; 368 Jane Greenwood (Fenland, LV50) 3.27.40; 385 Teresa Stiner (PACTRAC, SL) 3.49.46.
Bury Nearly 10 (9.3 miles): 3 Nick Grimer (Nene V) 53.29; 28 Laura Grimer (Nene V, SL) 66.10; 33 David Bell (Yaxley) 67.48; 46 Eddie Barrett (Ramsey) 71.07; 48 Desmond Owens (Yaxley, MV40) 71.20; 141 Jane Masters (Eye, SL) 85.53; 166 Michelle Gilbert (Fenland, SL) 89.27.