Harriers happy at Heathfield – Hastings race remembers Alan – Eastbourne excel at Withdean

Hailsham Harriers were out in full force at this year’s Heathfield Midsummer 10k, held last Sunday.

It’s a race that forms part of the Sussex Grand Prix, a series of 12 running events from March to November in which Sussex clubs compete against each other for team and individual running awards.

The Heathfield 10k follows a scenic, rural, undulating route around the quiet country lanes of Cross In Hand and Waldron in East Sussex.

Some 225 runners braved the warm temperatures and the challenging hills with Hailsham fielding the biggest club turnout of 27 members.

First Harrier across the line saw Rob Chrystie in 41:41 followed by Adam Davies 41:33, Graham Woolley 43:12, Sam Unwin 46:21, Helen O’Sullivan 46:41, Audrey Haddon 47:09, Mark Bassett 48:18, Robin Warwick 49:12, Leeland Pavey 50:02, Tina Macenhill 50:18, Graham Purdye 51:44, Gary Smith 53:27, Steph Bassett 56:06, Victoria Little 56:15, Hannah Deubert-Chapman 56:46, Katy Reed 58:14, Frances Delves 58:30, Katie Manley 1:01:09, Samantha Neame 1:02:01, Michelle Hollands 1:02:29, Lisa Phillips 1:04:43, Julie Deakin 1:07:58, Louise Williams 1:08:44, Claire Hope 1:09:40, Darren Gillett 1:12:05, Roberto Proietti 1:18:31, Maria Stanford 1:20:25 and Norman Harris 1:27:30

Audrey Haddon, Tina Macenhill and Frances Delves were first in their age categories with Hailsham winning the award for the biggest team turnout. Longest serving Harrier Norman Harris and club treasurer Darren Gillett lifted the trophy.

Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve is a great place for a stroll – but a hot June evening transformed it into a brutal test of stamina for the 66 entrants in Hastings Runners’ annual Alan Corke Memorial championship race.

Over 6.4 miles (10.3k) the mixed-terrain course offered little respite as it clocked over 225m (740 feet) of climbs – meaning participants ascended two-thirds of the Hastings Half Marathon total in less than half that distance.

Both the male and female winners were recent HR recruits, tackling the course for the first time.

Matt Draper collected the men’s trophy in a time of 41.04, a minute and 15 seconds ahead of Ashley Vora, finishing second for a third consecutive year.

Fleur Record-Smith finished strongly to overtake second-placed Claire Thomas a quarter-of-a-mile from the finish and cross the line in 51.21.

There were trophies, too, for the first male veteran Darren Barzee and female vet Sally Grainger; fourth in 46.43 and 30th with a time of 58.56, respectively.

Beginning in Coastguard Lane behind the northern car park, runners headed down into the woods above Firehills, before turning to begin the long climb towards Fairlight Coastguard Station, then dipping down past the old quarry and up through fields to Fairlight Road and back to Coastguard Lane.

Having completed two of these taxing laps in the heat, the reward was a shorter final circuit ending with a final (though still uphill!) leg from the Coastguard to the finish line, 200m past Bale House.

The club also presented belated trophies to Lewis Betts for finishing as the club’s leading male junior at the Hastings Runners 5 Mile race (for the second consecutive year); to Tracy Ratnarajah Weatherley Harris for her year-on-year most improved time at the same event; and Christopher White who had earned the Improvers Award at the club’s Spring 5k.

Many thanks went to the 40 volunteer marshals in the Country Park and to Piers Brunning for the photo.

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

The following Hastings Runners all completed the race: Matt Draper 41:06; Ashley Vora 42:21; Stuart Johnstone 46:26; Darren Barzee 46:43; Martin Noakes 47:10; Patrick Bermingham 47:43; Simon Linklater 47:44; Sam Evans 48:03 16; Chris Brandt 48:13; Dave Turner 48:19; Martin Snape 50:28; Graeme Grass 50:55; Fleur Record-Smith 51.21; George Marshall:51:24; Lewis Betts 51:31; Claire Thomas 51:43; Steven Stanley 52:01; Neil Jeffries 52:16; Matthew Miller 52:44; Kevin Blowers 53:32; Amanda Link 54:29; Oli Kellett 54:43; Kevin Davis 54:59; Ben Sallows 55:02; Mark Storey 55:10; Dan Hall 55:19; Simon Trevena 55:49; Malcolm Smith 57:37; Jo Lambourne 57:46; Sally Grainger 58:56; Lawrence Bell 59:32; Sarah Bendle 59:49; Dean Betts 59.51; Simon Weatherley 60.15; Sean Dwyer 60.32; Rob Thomas 60.42; Jessica Cull 61.16; Adrian Barratt 61:54; Bill Edmondson 62:13; David Witcombe 62:38; Dave Morrow 62:54; Scott Thirkettle 63:34; Annette Fry 64:17; Ruth Spiller 65:01; Keith Goodsell 65:04; Kate Lewis 65:59; Nigel Thornely 66:02; Susan Wilkinson 68:27; Deanne Smith 70:00; Danny Ratnarajah 70.00; Mark Rodrigues 70:44; Sarah Marzaioli 71:43; Sarah Loring 71:50; Tony Skinner 72:49; Tracy Ratnarajah 73:00; Chris White 73:41; Jackie Scott 74:34; Louise Cavill 74:34; Lauren Coleman 75:33; Sue Palmer 75:41; Samantha Welfare 78:32; Krista Barzee 78:32; Peter Harding 82:12; Susan Mann 85:30; Davinia Hill 89:01; Erica Wilson 92:10; Corrina Skinner (sweep) 92.11.

HY Runners were represented in multiple events across the south east – and internationally.

In the Masters track and field league, athletes travelled to Eastbourne.

HY put in great performances across the evening, with Joseph O’Gorman, Jason Johnstone, Jonathan Hatch, Terry Puxty, Matthew Harmer, John Bridger, Richard Benn, John Badrock, Jenna Harmer, Michelle Harrod, Sonnii Pine, Becky Mabon, Carly Hopkins, Melanie Irwin and Deb Read taking part.

HY supported the Out of the Blue event at Ashburnham Place. In the 5k, Nicky Stiles was first HY runner home in 22:48. Chris Castleman finished in 23:56 with Nathan Thompson in 24:26.

Other results: Stewart Ide 24:48, Sonnii Pine 25:48, Sharon Mayhew 27:20, Lisa Buchanan 29:01, Susan Dunn 30:11, Steve Cornford 31:36, Joanne Smith 31:39, Sarah Peters 37:20.

Three athletes from HY took on the 10k with Paul Matthews finishing in 49:20, David Mayes 43:53 and Jason Wright 58:27.

The HY kids competed in the U15 league at Withdean, Brighton.

In the HY squad were Zion Okojie, Ollie Stanbridge-Jones and Harvey Jones, Daisy Welch, Lilly Peachman, Beth Wilson, Fallyn Shields, Megan Hopkins-Parry, Jessica Harmer, Sophia Collins, Sophie Sims, Grace Tewkesbury and Layla Harmer.

Dirty Rotten Scramble saw Barry Buchanan, Jason Wright, Sophie McGoldrick, Danny Cornford Steve Gates and Steve Cornford take on a 10k course at Hole Park, Cranbrook. Steve Gates, in 54:57, was first overall, with Barry Buchanan second, first in his age category in 56:36. Jason Wright was ninth, first in age, in 1:09:51 and Sophie McGoldrick was first lady in 1:10:05.

Danny Cornford finished in 1:14:33 and Steve Cornford 1:34:32. Oliver Garsed-Bennet took on the 30k event, completing it in 3:39:38.

Luke Grenfell Shaw went to Austria and won a 100k race in 10:23:50.

HY put in some great performances in the Southern League fixture at Lewes last Sunday. Squads as follows: Men - John Badrock, Joseph O’Gorman, David Ervine, Oliver Carey, William Carey, Matthew Harmer, Adam Morrissy, Mark Parry, Liam Checksfield and Danny Cornford. Women - Becky Mabon, Deb Read, Carly Hopkins, Sonnii Pine, Jemma O’Gorman, Shannon Hopkins-Parry, Fiona Norman-Brown, Jenna Harmer, Leanne Badrock, Laura Dearsley, Michelle Harrod, Donna Foster, Hayley Foster and Sarah Peters.

EASTBOURNE ROVERS

Some of Eastbourne Rovers AC’s newer team members helped to boost the under-15 team’s Sussex league performance even higher at Brighton’s Withdean Stadium.

The team spirit, helped by a large group of supporting parents, coaches and friends, was at an all time high.

And following on from an excellent third place at the first match, the team improved to second place.

Many personal bests helped them to an all-time high score of 326 points which saw them beat Crawley (283 points) for the first time – leaving them less than 70 points behind winning team Brighton.

Martha Simmons (Shot and Discus), Hannah Jones (Hammer and Discus), Grace Culshaw (300m, 800m and A team relay) and Grace Allitt (800m and B team relay) enabled the girls’ team to fill every event for the first time.

More established athletes competing in events that are new to them also made a big contribution.

These included Jemima Scott in the Shot Putt, Milla and Fisher Winslett in the Long Jump, Ben Wright in the Discus and Fin Lumber-Fry in the 800m.

Boys with the highest points scores on the night were Oscar Mizen (300m A 41.1sec 1st, Javelin A 32.39m 1st), Nathan Burge (100m A 12sec 1st, 200m A 24.5sec 1st) and Ethan Howcroft (100m B 12.5sec 1st, 200m B 25.2sec 2nd, High Jump A 1.45m 3rd), who, along with Jonah Messer (300m B 44.2sec 3rd, 80m Hurdles A 15.7s 3rd, 800m B 2 min 19.7sec) formed part of the winning boys’ 4x100m relay team.

Josie Usher was top girls’ points winner with second places in the 100m A and 200m A races (13.4sec and 27.6sec) and High Jump (1.35m).

First places were also achieved by Freda Pearce with a brave front run in the 1500m (4min 55sec), Evie Lennard, in the same race, winning the B competition (5min 00.2sec) and Tom Petherick in the boys’ B 1500m (4min 46.3sec) following hot on the heels of team-mate Ben Wright who finished third in the A string in 4 min 42.3sec).

Significant points were also won by the rest of the team: Raya Petrova (300m and 800m), Pearl Winslett (80m Hurdles and Javelin), Lexie McLean (800m), Katy Brown (Hammer, Javelin and Discus), George Armstrong Smith (Long Jump and 1500m), Teddy Jones (Javelin, Discus and 800m) and the girls’ 4 x 100m relay team (Grace Culshaw, Milla Winslett, Jemima Scott and Josie Usher, 3rd).

With more training over the next month, the team are looking forward to the third match of the league on July 14, when they hope to edge even closer to the strong Brighton team.

Runners from Run Wednesdays have successfully competed in several recent events.

Johnathon Andrews and Richard Gardiner raced the Centurion South Downs Way 100-mile event.Andrews said: “Any 100 mile race is a big challenge but to do it on the South Downs on the hottest day of the year was doubly hard!

"The long weeks and miles of training paid off in the end. We set off from Winchester at 6am on Saturday to run through the day and into the warm, muggy night.

"I was made up to finish 81st out of just under 400 starters. I could not have done it without the support of my wife, Fenella and Chris Lamour and Simon Davie from Run Wednesdays.

"Coming into Eastbourne Sports Park, it was amazing to see so many club members cheer me home for the last ap of the track to finish at 7:21am on Sunday – especially as so many were on their way to compete themselves in the Weald Challenge races. That’s the joy of being part of such a diverse and inclusive running club.”Thirteen runners completed the Weald Ultra and Half Marathon. The race contains some of the most varied and stunning landscapes in Sussex, from open chalk grassland to ancient woodlands and river valleys.

Lee Burns completed his first ultra race and Fiona Williams and Sarah Morris completed their first trail half marathons.Other competitors over the weekend included Sarah Case, James Griffiths and Jenny Griffiths in the Tribourne Eastbourne Triathlon events and Scott O’Rourke competing as part of a team at the Endurance 24 event.

Seven runners completed the Out of the Blue 5k and 10k event at Ashburnham Place, Battle. Out of the Blue is a fundraising body established in memory of Will Beckett, who took his own life at Beachy Head in 2013.

The event aims to raise funds for four charities that supported Will’s family and friends – Winston’s Wish, Dragonflies, CALM, and the Beachy Head Chaplaincy Team.

If you are interested in starting to run as part of your daily exercise and would like some friendly support and advice check out Run Wednesdays’ Facebook page.