Hastings Half Marathon is back - big day just over a month away

Everyone is looking forward to this year’s Hastings Half after seeing the two previous years’ races cancelled in the Covid pandemic.

Demand for entries has increased dramatically since Christmas, with over 3,000 entries now received, and organisers heading towards a 4,000-strong entry.

The Hastings race has been unique over the years, organised by The Lions Club of Hastings for the community, with all profits going to deserving local causes.

Entrants are encouraged to raise funds for their own special charities or needy causes.

With charities being so hard hit from a lack of fundraising during the pandemic, it has never been so vital to see money raised.

The half marathon has proved so popular over the years for many reasons.

Many volunteers help to stage the event and the public of Hastings turn out in their thousands to support the runners on route, creating a very spectator atmosphere.

Entertainment is provided around the route.

Since the event started in 1985 it has been voted the Best Half Marathon in the UK three times, and has been many times in the top ten .

It is open to all over the age of 17, whether you are a good club athlete, international athlete, fun runner, charity runner or you just want to prove fitness and achieve something.

Remembering how the Hastings Half began - 37 years ago.

There is a training schedule at www.hastings-half.co.uk, devised by London Marathon and Hastings winner Eamonn Martin, plus information on the route.

The race starts at 10.30am from Sea Road on St Leonards seafront and follows a route towards Battle going up Queensway to The Ridge.

It then goes along the top of Hastings and then drops down towards the Old Town via All Saints Street. Although demanding for the first five miles, the route has a flat three-mile finish along The seafront back to where it started.

There are four water station on the route. There will be a carnival atmosphere, with many runners in fancy dress.

Top Athletes would expect to finish within 70 minutes, with the last participants coming home in three hours or a little more.

There is a finishing award for everyone who completes the race. Every year it is a minted brass, featuring a local event or person, and this year it is Alan Turing, the father of modern computer science famous for his code-breaking work in the Second World War. He spent his childhood in St Leonards.

If you are new to running, please check out that you will be okay for the challenge and steadily go about your training.

A Saturday parkrun (5k) is a good start, or why not join a a running club?

You can enter online now at www.hastings-half.co.uk and you will be sent your race number, which has a computer chip attached to it, three weeks before race day, with full information.

There is parking close to the event, while West St Leonards Station is just five minutes away.

Organisers are grateful to their commercial sponsors who help maximise the amount raised for charity.

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