St George’s Quay was the venue for the start line of the Riverside Half Marathon and 10k race as part of the Lancaster Race Series.

Racing began at 11am on Sunday morning near the George and Dragon pub and the course wound along the banks of the River Lune.

Known for its flat terrain and water views, the course attracted both experienced athletes seeking their personal bests and casual runners seeking a unique challenge.

A total of 288 runners took part in the event, including 191 half marathon runners. This is an unexpectedly higher number than the organizers had hoped for.

The half marathon was particularly hotly contested, with elite runners from various running clubs vying for the top spots.

The men’s half marathon was won by Lee Parrington from Garstang, a member of Lancaster and Morecambe Athletics Club, who finished in an impressive time of 1:17:03, narrowly beating Hedley Quinn from Penrith (with a finishing time of 1:17:20) by 17 seconds.

In the women’s category, Sarah Cole from Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire, led the field and crossed the finish line in 1:32:03, securing her first win at the Riverside Half Marathon.

The 10km race was also fiercely competitive, with Natalie Swarbrick taking the women’s title with a time of 41:04 and Callum Queen from Southport securing the men’s title with a time of 35:21.

Both runners expressed their joy at their victory and praised the organization of the event and the cheers of the spectators.

The next local race is the Morecambe 2024 race, which includes a full marathon, half marathon and 10k, taking place at Bare Methodist Church, St Margaret’s Road, Morecambe on 29 September from 11am.

For more information about these events and how you can participate or help as a steward, visit HERE.