2023 Rob Mason Memorial Run

Rob Mason was a running staple in the Lakeland and Central Florida area. He passed away on June 8 due to complications with pancreatic cancer.

Please join us on July 15, 2023 at 7:15 am as we toast and Run for Rob at Swan Brewing located at ​115 W. Pine St. Lakeland, FL 33815.

Rob was a long time participant of the Pub Run held every Tuesday and Swan Brewing, so in honor of Rob, you can run or walk the 3.5 mile Pub run course or take a smaller .75 mile walk around Lake Wire, then we will take a toast to Rob when everyone gets back from the distance of their choice. The roads will not be closed. Please pay attention to traffic signs and run or walk on sidewalks where available. There will be no water stop on the course, so please bring your water with you if needed.

This will be an untimed memorial run/walk to honor and pay tribute to a friend and advocate of the local running community and when you get back from either your run or walk, you will be able to choose a finisher medal of your choice from Rob Mason’s collection of finisher medals of races he has completed. (First come, first serve)

Due to Rob’s battle pancreatic cancer, the proceeds from this event will be donated to Moffitt Cancer Research Center – designated to Pancreatic Cancer Research.

Tri-Blend Shirts will be ordered on July 7 and sizes will be guaranteed if pre-registered before before this date. After, Sizes will be available while supplies last. (Please note that some shirt sizes will not be available close to and on event date).

At this time shirts can be picked up the morning of the event starting at 6am. Come out and start your distance at 7:15am and then we will meet back at Swan Brewing at Approx 8:30 am for a toast to Rob!

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Rob started running in July 1977, and targeted the inaugural Lake to Lake 10K, scheduled for October that year as his first race. In 1977, the Lakeland Runners Club was in its infancy, having been founded in 1974 by race walker John Scimone. The inaugural Lake to Lake 10k was a collaboration between Scimone, Harold Walker, the manager of the Athletic Attic, and Beverly Hill from the United Way.

That first race led to a remarkable achievement that epitomizes Rob’s commitment to running: a 46-year streak as the only runner to finish every Lake to Lake 10K race, with a personal best time of 39:56 in 1980. Rob was also part of a small group of runners that has competed in all 46 Gasparilla Distance Classics, running in varied distances over the years.

Rob served as club co-president alongside Norm Strand in 1978, and he served alone from 1979 to 1982 and again in 2009. LRC founder John Scimone passed away from colon cancer in December 1978, and Rob’s leadership was instrumental in preserving Scimone’s vision and ensuring the club continued to thrive.

Rob’s contributions extended beyond his tenure as board president. He had a role in founding three of the club’s iconic events. The Mayfaire 5K, established in 1982, has become a celebrated tradition in our community, coinciding with the Mayfaire by-the-Lake art festival. In 1996, the Summer Sunrise Watermelon Race Series replaced the Sun Screemers Biathlon and has also since become a cherished summer tradition. In 2006, Rob introduced the Aching Quad Challenge, a remarkable test of endurance that involved completing four races in 24 hours. The race shirts for the initial six years showcased Rob’s own “aching quads”.

Rob was a correspondent for the Lakeland Ledger, submitting race results and running columns, and many in our community were featured in his stories. Rob loved running wherever he traveled and relished racing in Europe. He enjoyed drinking beer with his buddies and had over 300 runs at the weekly Pub Run. He ran his last 5K at the end of April, just weeks before being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Rob leaves behind a legacy of determination, leadership, and camaraderie that will continue to shape our organization. Though he may no longer run alongside us, his spirit will forever be present, urging us on.