TOM Southward, a member of the Glaxo Hoad Hill Harriers, the running club based in Ulverston, is the 1000th entrant in Sunday's Brathay Windermere Marathon.

The runners will enjoy stunning scenery throughout the challenging 26.2 miles circuit that will take them around Windermere, England’s largest lake.

The Brathay Windermere Marathon starts from Brathay Hall, Ambleside at 10.30am and will follow a route through Hawkshead, Newby Bridge and the lakeside towns of Bowness, Windermere and finally back to finish at Brathay Hall.

Penny Moreton, a keen member of the Glaxo Hoad Hill Harriers, said:“The Brathay Windermere Marathon is located in one of the most beautiful landscapes I know.

"However, due to the terrain it is one of the most unforgiving and challenging courses.

"Running such a course is a journey of personal invigoration achieved through perseverance and dedication of reaching the finishing line.”

Penny continued:"To all who are taking part in the Brathay Windermere Marathon, respect the distance, don’t go off too fast and savour every moment.

"It will be a journey that at times you will think you can never complete, but these are the times that you discover what you are really capable of. Dig deep, there will always be an immense and life-time satisfaction of knowing that you did it."

The Glaxo Hill Harriers have over 50 members who regularly run numerous distances, entering races internationally and nationally. This year the team has entered 15 to 20 marathons, including the London Marathon.

In addition, Alyson Knowles, who has been running with the club for a year, will set a regional club standard of ultra-distance running as she attempts to run the Brathay Ten Marathons in Ten Days Challenge, which started on May 8.

Alyson, and 15 other runners, will run the Brathay Marathon circuit for 10 consecutive days and will be joined, for their tenth and final marathon, by over 1,000 other runners. who will be taking part in the marathon on May 17.