James North recorded the club’s fastest time, breaking the three-hour barrier to cross the line in two hours 54 minutes and 50 seconds, with the second fastest, 3:16:07, accredited to Zoe Habgood. Both competing the 26.2 miles strongly despite the race-day weather being much warmer than the week preceding it.
A little further down the road was 64-year-old ace Conal Tracey (3:33:28) – and HR’s second female finisher, the rapidly improving Lindsey Jones (3:54:09).
Ultra specialist Peter Heasman, running in the MV50 category, ran an excellent 4:23:44. The club’s serial marathon runner FV75-79 Sarah Marzaioli completed her 20th London event – and her 123rd official race at the distance – in style by clocking a symmetric 5:05:05.
The male/female split was exhibited throughout the club’s entry with strong runs for Chris Piper, Nick Attwood, Luke Evans and Dave King being mirrored by those for Jess Hayward, Kayla Quinnell and Caz Hall – rewarding many of hard training with a warm glow as well as a big finisher’s medal.
Most of those had wisely elected to marshall at the club’s annual Spring 5k dash, the seafront event which this year adopted an out-and-back route along Bexhill seafront, beginning west from the foot of Galley Hill. The event attracted a bumper field of 113 club members and was won by Stephen Gates in an eye-wateringly quick 16 minutes and 39 seconds, with Nicki Steed winning the women’s race in 22:53. The first male veteran trophy – veterans being any runners over the age of 35 – went to Kieran Price, who ran an impressive 19:30) with Manami Chieves picking up the women’s veteran prize with her time of 23:11.
Competing further afield in non-club events last week were Heidi Rossetter, who completed the Rathfinny 10k in Alfriston in 1:18:47, and Sue Hull, who finished the Stena Drilling 10k at Balmoral 53:21. Sarah Bendle ran the Dubrovnik Half Marathon in Croatia in a time of 1:57:12, and Leigh Yates did the Cannes International Triathlon – completing the swim in 25 minutes 04, the 24 mile cycle route in one hour 33 mins, and the 10k run in 60 minutes.
• Places are still available for this year’s prestigious Hastings Five Mile race, organised by Hastings Runners and run from the Town Hall out and back along the seafront on Sunday 1 June. The flagship event, which raises funds for St Michael’s Hospice, can be entered online via register.enthuse.com
Hastings Runners welcomes new members of all abilities aged 12 and over for fun, training and competitive running. Visit https://hastingsrunners.co.uk
