Lancaster and Morecambe athletes run in Tolkien's footsteps

Runners from a local athletics club took part in a race in the footsteps of Lord of the Rings creator J.R.R Tolkien.

Seven Lancaster and Morecambe Athletics Club (LMAC)

runners took part in the Tolkien Trail Race on July 20.

This takes runners along a scenic route in and around Hurst Green, which was partly Tolkien’s inspiration for the ‘Lord of the Rings’ adventures.

They were:

Rob Clayton 52.51

Andy Firkins 54.33

Darren Francis 1.02.22

Faith Firkins 1.24.56

Stephen Perry 1.28.05

Georgina Briffett 1.31.47

Nicola Barnes 1.32.09

The Brassington family are often mentioned in these reports after getting themselves towards the top of many local race results tables in recent months, and they did so again on two occasions in July.

In the Bentham Beagles Running Club’s 10K race on July 14, James Brassington finished first with a time of 34.55.

Another club member, Arthur Glaves, finished second in 37.16.

The two other LMAC runners in that event were Jemma Henderson and Miriam Maher who finished with times of 48.51 and 50.47.

In the Scorton Supper Run just three days later, there was more success for James and the Brassington family.

James finished first again with a time of 26.15 while Ben Brassington came second with 26.57.

Mark Holgate, also from LMAC, finished third with a time of 27.33, meaning that the top three of the race were all from our local club.

The other results from that race, including two more members of the Brassington family, are as follows:

John Brassington 28.59

Graham Dent 30.59

Ben Ransome 36.49

Sally Brassington 37.12

Miriam Maher 37.43

Christina Mcguire 37.50

David Wilkinson 39.29

Claire Waite 40.57

Carole Wilkinson 41.19

Steve Perry 42.33

On July 7, Grzegorz Niewiadomski ran the Pilling 10K in a very impressive 35.32, putting himself first in the standings and out-running second place by three minutes and three seconds.

Moving back to the start of July, two LMAC runners took part in the 20 Barriers run in Carnforth on July 2. Lee Parrington ran the course in 34.08 and Georgina Briffett finished in 1.08.10.

In the Caldervale 3.8K Supper Run on the same day, Joe Maguire recorded a time of 26.46 while Mark and Elaine Simmill finished in 30.54 and 35.56 respectively.

All five LMAC runners who took part in a Summer 10K run in the Cheshire town of Wilmslow recorded very strong times.

Lee Parrington 33.34

David Brown 34.36

Mark Leadbeatter 34.45

Mark Holgate 36.35

Mikes Roy 41.01

Lancaster Race Series’ ‘Coffee and Cake’ 10K on July 24 started at LMAC’s clubhouse at Salt Ayre and attracted dozens of keen local runners.

All funds raised from the race were donated to local charity CancerCare.

Here’s how five of the club’s runners got on that evening.

Mark Holgate 36.08

Mathew Guilder 36.57

Chris O’Neil 42.17

Darren Francis 45.11

Simon Marsden 48.49

Claire Waite ran the Docklands Marina 5K on July 28 which takes runners around the Preston Docks, recording a time of 25.04.