Perhaps unsurprisingly, the closer event won the lion’s share of the competitors with 20 running in the club’s green-and-black colours. Remarkably, the fastest of those – Luke Day, who officially completed the course in a personal best time of one hour 27 minutes and 57 seconds – actually ran the distance in 1:24:15 but ran an extra 1k loop due to an error by the marshals.
Behind him in HR colours were Lewis Parsons (1:28:52), Sam Davies – in another PB time of 1:29:47 – and Andy Knight (1:47:44). Next home was the club’s first woman finisher, Lindsey Jones who also recorded a PB of 1:49:52. Second, third and fourth HR women were Kelly Da Rosa (2:15:50), Deanne Smith (2:19:13) and Kirstie Carlton-Blake (2:20:57). Well done, also, to Nick Attwood who was the fourth member to record a PB in 1:54:51.
Meanwhile, at the Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon, there were nine in green-and-black – and two more personal best times, too. The first of those was by the quickest Hastings Runner to finish – Danny Firth in an impressive 1:27:44 – and the other by Pete Heasman in 1:56:09. Between his two clubmates, Simon Newstead clocked 1:31:24.
In the women’s side of the race, Denise White was the quickest HR in 1:48:03 with Maria Newstead finishing in 2:29:37.
• This Sunday, 2nd March, at 10am, the Hastings Runners’ Mental Health Champions invite all-comers to their monthly walk/talk/run event in and around Alexandra Park. Meet at the bandstand cafe. It’s a great opportunity to lift your spirits in beautiful surroundings – whether you’re coming back from injury, trying to regain your running mojo, or just fancy getting out for fresh air and company. Free tea/coffee in the cafe at the end.
Hastings Runners welcomes new members of all abilities aged 12 and over for fun, training and competitive running. Visit https://hastingsrunners.co.uk
