Ricky Lightfoot

Ricky William Lightfoot (born 31 March 1985^[1]) is a British runner who has been a world champion in trail running and a medallist in the World Long Distance Mountain Running Challenge.

Lightfoot began competing in fell races at the age of fourteen after being inspired by his school caretaker Brian Taylor^[2] and was encouraged by his parents Robert and Kathleen.^[3] He has been sponsored by Salomon since 2008.^[4]

He has won several of the most prestigious fell races, including the Three Peaks Race,^[5] Wasdale,^[6] Borrowdale,^[7] Ennerdale,^[8] the Three Shires^[9] and Skiddaw.^[10] He won the Lakeland Classics Trophy series in 2007^[11] and 2015.^[12]

He has also competed domestically on other surfaces, winning the Brampton to Carlisle and Derwentwater 10 road races and the Cumbria Cross Country Championships.^[13]

Internationally, Lightfoot won the Zegama-Aizkorri race in 2009^[14] and finished third in that season’s Skyrunner World Series.^[15] He was also third in the World Long Distance Mountain Running Challenge that year when the event was incorporated into the Kaisermarathon in Söll.^[16]

He won the Hammer Trail in Denmark, his first ultramarathon, in 2012.^[17] In 2013, he won the IAU Trail World Championships when the competition was held in Llanrwst.^[18] Also that year, he won the Trail du Colorado in Réunion^[19] and the Otter Trail Run in South Africa.^[20]

In 2014, he was victorious at the Dodo Trail in Mauritius^[21] and the following year he won the Ultra Skymarathon Madeira.^[22]

Lightfoot works as a firefighter, based at Workington Fire Station.^[23]

References