Levelling up the 5k field brings glory for racing heroes

Designed to give everyone a chance of winning, it sees the slowest likely runner set off first at 7pm, while behind them the entrants line up waiting to be released with progressively larger time handicaps – meaning that the likely fastest 5k runner began around 30 minutes after the first.

The race, run along the town’s winter Parkrun route, is a logistical challenge happily undertaken by Simon Linklater – who makes no apology that it didn’t culminate in a dead-heat between the 76 entrants! A relief, then, for the time-keepers and funnel managers who were nonetheless kept super busy in a two-and-a-half minute period when 57 runners crossed the finish line.

The proof of the concept was that the 5k Handicap was won by the 11th starter, Mark Dunn, in a time of 38 minutes and 25 seconds. Tony Skinner finished as runner-up (38:44), just ahead of the rapidly approaching Ashley Vora who had started last and overtook almost the entire field to finish third in a gun time of 38:50.

The event brought smiles all round, not least from Dunn: “That’s a new PB for me by one minute and 42 seconds” – and a beaming Skinner who said: “It’s a pleasure to be part of such a fantastic running club. This was my first ever trophy – I feel like I've won a Gold medal at the Olympics!”

Veteran HR member Darren Barzee was part of the organising team who afterwards said: “Fantastic Handicap race tonight! Well done to Simon Linklater for his hard work organising the event. Well done, also, to all the marshals, time-keepers, race director Louise Weatherley – and anyone else I may have forgotten!”

Adding to the joy in the warm evening sunshine after the 5k, six members were presented with medals to commemorate their first ever race in club colours.

Hastings Runners welcomes new members of all abilities aged 12 and over for fun, training and competitive running. Visit https://hastingsrunners.co.uk