Parkrun, point-to-point, gallops and more – Hailsham and Hastings athletes keep busy

Hailsham's club treasurer, Darren Gillett, celebrated his 100th run at Seaford Beach Parkrun. Darren was joined by fellow team members plus friends from Heathfield Road Runners, Seaford Striders and Uckfield Runners. Darren chose to celebrate his milestone by asking everyone to attend in the something orange.

On Sunday 11 Harriers took part in the Tempo 10K. Organised by ‘Tempo specialist run shop' located in Eastbourne, the morning saw a sold out race with 200 runners gathering at Holywell for a breezy but dry race.

The 10K route is predominantly run along Eastbourne’s beautiful promenade with the undulating course involving two laps starting from Holywell. Runners head along the seafront prom towards Eastbourne pier before turning and heading up and along King Edwards Parade, down Holywell hill and then racing it all again. The course ends with a flat, fast finish back on the lower prom and back towards the Holywell Tea Chalet.

Hailsham's Ross Brocklehurst flew across the finish line to take an impressive race win in 35:39, followed by Los Burrett in 42:42, Tina Macenhill in 48:09, winning first in age and Leeland Pavey 48:13. Katy Reed had a storming performance, racing to a new 10K personal best in 48:18 with Tracy Erridge 48:55, Cathy Gilling 1:01:49, Kirstie Groves 1:04:10 and Darren Gillett 1:05:38.

Claire Hope raced magnificently to a new personal best time of 1:05:44 with Jayne Faben completing the Harriers team to finish in 1:07:16, after taking part in a 15K 'Tough Mudder' obstacle event just 24 hours before.

In London, four Harriers joined 15,000 runners in the 2023 Vitality 10k. On a warm, autumnal day Adam Davies, Sam Neame, Maria Stanford and Mick Husarz were joined by Helen Blewitt from Polegate Plodders, to take on the London course that takes runners past many of the city's iconic landmarks to a spectacular finish by Buckingham Palace.

Further afield in Germany, Hailsham's Jenny Katsoni took to the streets of Berlin to the run the BMW Berlin Marathon, one of the Abbotts World Marathon Majors. Jenny joined an enormous crowd of 45,000 runners to finish strong with a new marathon personal best in 3:30:17. Jenny has worked extremely hard over the past few months and crossed the finish line near the iconic Brandenburg Gate with huge smiles, knowing her training, determination and commitment had paid off.

Club chairman, Andy Ruffell, said he would like to say 'a huge well done to all athletes that raced over the weekend. Everyone's goals are different: big or small, we are proud of you all.

If you would like to know more about joining Hailsham Harriers, please visit their website hailsham-harriers.org.uk or email [email protected]

HELEN O’SULLIVAN

HASTINGS RUNNERS

Sunday dawned warm and sunny, but for a bumper field of 59 Hastings Runners, the headline on the weather report was the 20-30mph south-westerly set to assault them throughout the first half of the club’s annual Rye To Hastings race.

The 11.6 mile (18.66k) point-to-point Club Championship route goes from the Rye Harbour Nature Reserve car park to the foot of Cliff End – which meant well over five miles of strength-sapping headwind taking the edge off the sea views.

Most had boarded a double-decker bus to make the journey from Hastings & St Leonards Angling Association – clubhouse for the day – committed to making the return journey on foot. Their reward for surviving the trial-by-wind on the seafront was the subsequent three-mile uphill section through Fairlight and into the Country Park before a blissful two-mile downhill via Barley Lane and Harold Road to the Hastings seafront.

It felt like three races in one – and, for many, was completed in times close to the Hastings Half Marathon, despite the shorter distance.

First man home was Ashley Vora, in 1.22.01, to retain the trophy he won last year. First woman was new member Claire Read, in a superb ninth place in 1:34:10.

Behind Vora were Dave Turner (1:23:46), then Paul Lambert and Stuart Johnstone (crossing together in 1:27:37). An age-defying run by MV60 Martin Noakes saw him fifth in 1:28:44. Amy Rodway (1:41:08), Sally Grainger (1:44:51) and Sarah Stewart (1:53:01) were other female runners in the top 30.

The club thanked to the 11.6-mile-long string of volunteer marshalls who saw the field home safely.

Meanwhile, a number of Hastings Runners are battling away in the Sussex Grand Prix. Eleven did the Hellingly 10k, leading to age category wins for Erica Wilson (FV75) and second-claim Amy Rodway (FV40), first HR woman home in 45:23. Paul Lambert was first HR man in 40:52, followed by Kevin Blowers (44:09) and Andy Knight (47:49).

HR’s second and third female runners were Heidi Rossetter (55:37) and Sarah Marzaioli (63:52).

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

NEI JEFFRIES

HEART & SOLE RUNNERS

Heart & Sole were at the Bates Green Gallop for the challenge of running 200 miles between 15 people (pictured on the back page).

They managed 234 miles and raised over £1100 for The Judy Beard Day Unit. Matron Hayley Bird, a Heart & Sole runner, said: “What an amazing achievement to run such a distance.

"The money raised will go towards equipment that will support patients receiving Systemic Anti-Cancer Treatments and help to provide some assistance in relieving anxiety around the administration of treatments for our patients.

"Thank you so very much Heart and Sole Runners for supporting the Judy Beard Unit and our patients."

HY RUNNERS

As we head into the autumn, there is no let-up from HY Runners.

Saturday saw a team of U13 girls take on the South of England road relays in Aldershot.

Antalia Cole, Florence Tewkesbury and Isabella Buchanan competed in the 3k course. A solid performance from them meant HY finish eighth.

Isabella bagged a joint fastest leg with an athlete from Chiltern. It was a great baseline test for the incoming cross country season.

Also on Saturday, Sonnii Pine and Kitty Morgan competed in the Westminster mile. Strong running from both meant overall, Kitty bagged 3rd place with 6:01 and Sonnii took 9th place with 6:34.

On Sunday, a contingent of HY Runners descended on the Folkestone Rotary Half Marathon.

A dozen runners in total battled the wind on this mostly-beachside run with a tough hill to finish the course.

Benji Symes was first home for HY in 1:28:37. Aaron Bourner was next in 1:34:12. The first HY female back was Ivy Buckland in 1:38:10.

Jimmy Sladden was next in at 1:42:18, Nicky Stiles 1:45:06, Ben Jones 1:48:35, Matthew Harmer 1:48:48, Sonnii Pine 1:50:13, Chris Castleman 1:53:55, Susan Dunn 2:01:05, Lisa Buchanan 2:24:04 and Jenna Harmer 2:24:05.

Additional medals were also received by Ivy Buckland for being 2nd v35, Sonnii Pine 1st v45 and Susan Dunn 3rd V50, from the British Masters Athletics Federation.Honorary HY member David Weir finished third in the Berlin Marathon completing the race in 01:30:17, after a crash and damaging a push rim in the warm up.

It was a fantastic performance from a great friend of the club.Nicky Stiles entered Nice Works’ Virtual World Cup challenge, which ran throughout August.

Nicky blitzed it with 155km covered and received a lovely medal and nice trophy for his troubles.

Meanwhile Mark Tewkesbury and Quintin Askes competed in a fully-subscribed London Vitality 10k.

Quintin finished in 49:30 and Mark ran in 59:26.

JIMMY SLADDEN