A NEW 5k race will give novice runners chance to share a finish line with top class athletes competing in the ASICS Windermere Marathon and Brathay 10in10 endurance event.

The charity race will be run in conjunction with those two more established events on Sunday, May 19 in Ambleside, with all three starting and finishing on the front lawn of Brathay Hall.

Organisers Brathay Trust are expecting a total of around 1,300 runners to take part in the three events and hope the scenic route will inspire a host of entrants to sign up and help raise more than £100,000 to improve the life chances of young people.

“Our first 5k event is aimed at those who have never run a timed race before or people who don’t believe they can run, but are up for a challenge," said Brathay’s head of fundraising Scott Umpleby.

"Running is great for the body, and for the mind, boosting mood and self-esteem. It’s also free and it should be easy to find a route from home or work.

“Many of our Brathay 10in10 runners started out as ‘Couch to 5k’ runners so you may even find yourself running much longer distances.”

For more information about the Brathay 5k, visit the running section of the Trust's challenge events website.