TWO members of Bentham Beagles running club are organising a marathon on home turf to celebrate reaching their 100th lifetime marathon.

Husband and wife team Diane and Nick Armstrong, from the High Bentham-based club, have organised for the race to start and finish at Bentham Golf Club on May 18 this year.

The route has been officially measured and affiliated by UK Athletics and all profits raised from the event will be donated to the Leonard Cheshire Holehird Nursing home, in Windermere, in memory of Nick's mum and fellow marathon runner, Valerie Harrold.

Valerie was founder member of the Bentham Beagles running club alongside Diane and Nick and was a keen marathon runner herself.

Some of her greatest achievements were walking John O’Groats to Lands End, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and going to Everest base camp.

Her running achievements included completing some of the marathon world majors in New York, Boston, Berlin and London. She just had Chicago and Tokyo to do.

In total she completed 25 marathons as well as several halves, 10ks and 5ks.

Mrs Armstrong said: "She was an inspiration to so many and always encouraged and supported others to reach their goals."

Mr Armstrong first started running marathons in 2009 with his first one being with his mum at Snowdonia and Mrs Armstrong followed in 2012 with her first marathon also being with Valerie at Disney World to celebrate Valerie turning 65 years old.

Mrs Armstrong said: "Sadly on September 3, 2013 Valerie had a life changing accident whilst on a walking holiday in Austria, which resulted in her having a severe head injury. She was paralysed from the neck down, partially sighted and she lost the ability to swallow.

"Following her accident Valerie spent over six months in hospital before moving into Holehird Nursing Home where she received 24-hour nursing care. Sadly on September 25 last year Valerie died.

"We had both started running marathons before Valerie had her accident and at the beginning of 2013 we ran Malta, London and Edinburgh with Valerie. Prior to her accident we had both only ran a few marathons. Valerie had a passion for running and we know she would be so proud of us both for working towards our 100th."

Mrs Armstrong added that she and her husband still have a few more marathons to run before the big one on May 18.

The race the Armstrongs have organised starts at 9am and is limited to 100 places, with almost half of the places already sold.

It is run over a single lap on country roads offering the athletes stunning views of the Forest of Bowland, Stocks Reservoir and on their return to Bentham, the Yorkshire Three Peaks.

The course is undulating so runners should be be prepared that this may not be a PB course - unless it is their first marathon.

It is chip timed with an eight-hour cut off. All runners will receive a medal and t-shirt.

Partners for the event are Time2Run Events, Bentham Golf Club, 1922 Bar and Kitchen and Wenningdale Escapes.

More information can be found at www.benthambeagles.co.uk or on the Bentham Marthon Facebook page.

The couple have set a target of £1,350 to reach in their fundraising quest.

To sponsor them go to: " https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/diane-armstrong7