James Kirby/Lakeland Trails
We at Run247 need very little encouragement to head up to the Lake District, so when we were invited up to Staveley for the launch of a very special Lake District running partnership we got straight on the M6.
Many of us know about the fantastic races that the good people at
Lakeland Trails put on. They attracted 12,500 trail runners to their events in 2016, and 2017 looks like it’s going to be an even bigger year for them. Ahead of this new season they’ve teamed up with running brand
inov-8.
Both have their roots firmly etched in the Lake District trails, so it was only right that this official announcement was made at the Hawkshead Brewery, Staveley, just a stone’s throw from inov-8’s head office and close to where the first-ever Lakeland Trails event was staged in 2004.
Graham Patten, event director for Lakeland Trails, which each year draws competitors from all over the world and brings a £5m boost to the regional economy, said: “We are delighted to welcome the inov-8 team to the Lakeland Trails family. Having a local business who are passionate about trail running to work with on developing the events, will help us showcase what a spectacular location the Lake District is for world class events like the Lakeland Trails.”
Guests at the announcement listened to a live performance by singer/songwriter Pete Lashley before changing into inov-8 kit and running the new 5km Kentmere Sport Trail route. This will be staged alongside the 10km and 17km events at Staveley in May. Similar 5km courses will also be new at Cartmel, Keswick and Glenridding in 2017.
Michael Price, director of product and marketing for inov-8, said: “Our products are developed in the Lake District, in the toughest of conditions. We engineer them from the ground up, ensuring we deliver the best grip for any trail. We are the specialist brand and have a big dream - to be the best and most inspiring trailing running brand in the world.
“To achieve our dream, we believe in investing in running in the Lake District. It's our home, it's one of the best places to run in the world and has an unrivalled running history. The Lakeland Trails are a perfect fit for us. There's an event for every runner, from a 5km all the way up to the Lakes Ultra.”
We can confirm that if you like your races muddy and hilly you won’t be disappointed with the new 5k Kentmere route, or in fact any of the Lakeland Trails races! What we absolutely love about Lakeland Trails is that there’s a choice of distances to suit everybody, from 5k to 110k! And you can work your way up those distances as the series of races progresses.
Here’s a list of their forthcoming races. Get in there soon and book a lovely weekend in the Lake District!
