Once again, the intrepid runner of St Nicholas Lodge No.1676, which meets at Corbridge Road, Byker, is going out on his travels in isolation.
W.Bro. Ian Richardson has already completed over 260 marathons, which he does for both fun and fitness.
Previously we reported that in 2019 he set himself the challenge of running 20 Marathons by the following May, asking Brethren to guess how long this phenomenal feat would take. Unfortunately the undertaking was curtailed due to the now well documented Covid-19 outbreak, however, he still managed to raise around £1000 for the Festival funds
Ian has continued running throughout 2020/21, but mainly in isolation, where he, and members from the club he runs with, go out and pound the streets, byways and countryside in various directions at the same time. They only get to meet with video and online calls the same as we do. One of his club outings, prior to lockdown, managed to raise £2500 for the TLC, which he donated through the Lodge.
During lockdown he also organised another fund raiser through his club, the North East Marathon Club, which provided £1500 to the MCF’s COVID-19 support fund, which was fund matched by the MCF to give a total donation of £3000.
Ian has decided to add some interest to his running pastime by looking for some new views and alternative routes. With this in mind he has decided to visit some of the Masonic Halls around Newcastle and out to the coast. He is hoping to extend this to a wider circle to the Northumberland Province but requires the restrictions to be lifted to do the latter.
Ian has planned two initial marathons that will encompass the following Masonic Buildings on each, starting from his home in Gosforth. Each run will be at least 26.2 miles long, the official marathon distance.
Route 1. Shiremoor, Seaton Delaval, Cramlington and Ponteland.
Route 2. Maple Terrace, Hood Street, Byker, Wallsend, North Shields (both of them), Whitley Bay, Shiremoor (again!), and Fern Avenue and the RGS (his old school) in Jesmond.
While Ian still considers this fun, the lodges Charity Steward, W.Bro. Alan Tait, considers it an opportunity. If your lodge meets in any of the buildings that Ian is to visit on either run, and if you would like to make a donation to his Just Giving page, as a lodge or an individual, you can find it at Ian Richardson is fundraising for Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution (justgiving.com) . If you are speaking to members of your own Lodge or people you know in the Craft please make them aware of Ian’s undertaking to spread the word of his endeavour.
Any monies raised or donated will be going to the 2020/21 festival.
Ian will inform us, in due course, of the prospective dates he plans to complete the runs so that if you happen to be out on the day and see him give him a wave and cheer him on his way
Once again, the intrepid runner of St Nicholas Lodge No.1676, which meets at Corbridge Road, Byker, is going out on his travels in isolation.
W.Bro. Ian Richardson has already completed over 260 marathons, which he does for both fun and fitness.
Previously we reported that in 2019 he set himself the challenge of running 20 Marathons by the following May, asking Brethren to guess how long this phenomenal feat would take. Unfortunately the undertaking was curtailed due to the now well documented Covid-19 outbreak, however, he still managed to raise around £1000 for the Festival funds
Ian has continued running throughout 2020/21, but mainly in isolation, where he, and members from the club he runs with, go out and pound the streets, byways and countryside in various directions at the same time. They only get to meet with video and online calls the same as we do. One of his club outings, prior to lockdown, managed to raise £2500 for the TLC, which he donated through the Lodge.
During lockdown he also organised another fund raiser through his club, the North East Marathon Club, which provided £1500 to the MCF’s COVID-19 support fund, which was fund matched by the MCF to give a total donation of £3000.
Ian has decided to add some interest to his running pastime by looking for some new views and alternative routes. With this in mind he has decided to visit some of the Masonic Halls around Newcastle and out to the coast. He is hoping to extend this to a wider circle to the Northumberland Province but requires the restrictions to be lifted to do the latter.
Ian has planned two initial marathons that will encompass the following Masonic Buildings on each, starting from his home in Gosforth. Each run will be at least 26.2 miles long, the official marathon distance.
Route 1. Shiremoor, Seaton Delaval, Cramlington and Ponteland.
Route 2. Maple Terrace, Hood Street, Byker, Wallsend, North Shields (both of them), Whitley Bay, Shiremoor (again!), and Fern Avenue and the RGS (his old school) in Jesmond.
While Ian still considers this fun, the lodges Charity Steward, W.Bro. Alan Tait, considers it an opportunity. If your lodge meets in any of the buildings that Ian is to visit on either run, and if you would like to make a donation to his Just Giving page, as a lodge or an individual, you can find it at Ian Richardson is fundraising for Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution (justgiving.com) . If you are speaking to members of your own Lodge or people you know in the Craft please make them aware of Ian’s undertaking to spread the word of his endeavour.
Any monies raised or donated will be going to the 2020/21 festival.
Ian will inform us, in due course, of the prospective dates he plans to complete the runs so that if you happen to be out on the day and see him give him a wave and cheer him on his way.
Many thanks to W.Bros. Ian Richardson, Trevor McBean and Alan Tait for this article.
If you have a story, event or news item you would like to have published on the Provincial website, please get in touch with the Provincial Communications Team at news@northumberlandmasons.org.uk