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 Lakeland Runners Club Inc. Mission Statement: To promote running and fitness for
runners of all ages and abilities in the community through fellowship,
education and formal & informal running events. Monthly meetings
are open to all Lakeland Runners Club members and guests. Our
meetings are held on the second Thursday evening of each month
at 7:00 p.m. at the Youth and Family Center of the Lakeland YMCA,
Cleveland Heights Blvd., Lakeland. Informative speakers provide
excellent information on an enhancing your running. Food and
beverages are provided.
History of The Lakeland Runners
Club
as told by LRC President, Rob Mason
John Scimone founded the Lakeland Runners
Club in 1974. He was an avid walker, like his dad, Chico, from
Taormina, Sicily. Born in Medford, Mass. in 1935, John moved
his family from Mobile, Ala. to Lakeland in 1967. He was a postman
and got plenty of walking in on the job.
In November ’74, he measured the
course and helped the Lakeland Recreation Department put on the
first Civic Center Runs, a 2.5 and 5 miler. They were the first
organized road races in Lakeland in recent history and one of
the first races in all of central Florida. From the beginning,
John included a competitive walk event with the races and he
participated in them with great vigor.
The start of LRC is charted from that
first Civic Center Race. He was also responsible for the Lake
Parker 20K, the Saddle Creek Park 4 mile, the Joker Marchant
Stadium 4 mile (later named the Flag Day 4 mile), the Denison
Stadium 1-hour run, the Lakeland High 10K, and, along with Harold
Walker from the old Athletic Attic store and the former Lakeland
Mall on Memorial Blvd., the Lake to Lake 10K. John was also a
board member of the Polk County Youth Soccer League and he coached
the Celtics Youth Soccer Team.
Scimone’s leadership of LRC ended
in 1978, when his failing health prompted him to request Norm
Strand and I to take over the duties. John died a year later,
at the young age of 44.
In ’79, I took the reins of president,
race director, and newsletter writer until ’87. Then Bob
English guided the club into the nineties. |