It’s not just about results for Hastings Runners – HY Runners ready to celebrate league triumph

The men’s race was won by Matt Draper in an impressive 35:07, and the women’s by newcomer Laura Gill with a time of 44:08.

The male vet prize went to Kieran Price who finished in 38:58, the women’s to Sally Grainger in 49:44.

But the real winner was the club itself as the runners and a couple of dozen HR volunteers, expertly coordinated by chief marshal Alan Croucher, came together in an evening characterised more by mutual support, maximum effort and personal achievements, than actual times.

Several members selflessly ran alongside club-mates who were returning from injury; others paced those targeting personal best times, while at the end the entire green-and-black topped field remained on the seafront to cheer home the final finisher Catherine Cattaway and tail-runner Terry Kitson.

At the start, the almost flat seafront course – from the foot of Galley Hill to the Cooden Beach Hotel and back – coupled with the cooling evening air and a gentle cooling breeze, looked ideal for running… and so it proved.

The conditions, alongside maximum efforts, heralded a number of great times – including at least 12 PBs.

As well as the aforementioned Kieran Price, who finished fourth, there were PBs for second-placed Colin White with 37:16 and Paul Lambert in fifth with 39:00.

Further down the field were equally credit-worthy best ever-times for Stuart Johnstone (40:16), Simon Linklater (40:52), Fleur Record-Smith (second woman finisher in 44:23), Matthew Miller (45:56), Andy Alabaster (50:08), Sean Dwyer (51:36), Heidi Rossetter (55:45), Christopher White (63:27) and Catherine Jones (66:29).

Hastings Runners pride themselves in welcoming members of all vintages – and the evening saw huge efforts from runners in age groups ranging from junior (a category topped by Lewis Betts in 48:04) to men and women in their 70s.

Among them the evergreen Irene Kitson clipped five minutes off her 2022 time, while the 60-something Hayley Ranson was among a host running season’s best times.

Credit is also due to first-time race directors Darren Barzee and Simon Weatherley.

Congratulations also to the Hastings Runners team of Finlay Goodman, Matt Draper, Jack Madden and Will Withecombe who won the Hailsham Harriers-organised Herstmonceux Relays the previous night, as featured in the Observer last week.

Each runner completed a lap of the one-and-half-mile course for a superbly speedy combined time of 30:14!

Hastings Runners welcome new members of all abilities aged 12 and over for fun, training and competitive running. Visit hastingsrunners.co.uk to find out more.

NICK BROWN

HY RUNNERS

HY were out in force for the final Southern Athletics League Track and Field Meeting of the season at K2 stadium in Crawley. Official results are awaited but provisionally HY has won the league, which in the club's first year of entering is an impressive achievement and testament to talent of all ages and ability, team work and family ethos the club has grown to be well known for.

Competing for the team were Ziggy Henry and Glenn Cooper in the 100m and Ziggy and Liam Checksfield in the 200m. In the 400m David Ervine was once again joined by Ziggy followed by Adam Morrissy, Liam and Spencer Bushell in the 800m. Once again David stepped up for the 1500m alongside Carl Adams. Carl and Stuart Piper ran the 5000m with Nicky Stiles and Chris Wigmore non scoring in the event.

Danny Cornford took on the 110m hurdles with John Badrock with Danny competing alongside Glenn in the 400m Hurdles. David and Stuart represented in the 2k steeplechase with John and Liam in the High Jump. John and Matthew Harmer competed in the Long Jump with Matthew and Spencer in the Triple Jump. Stewart Ide and Chris thew the shotput with Matthew Harmer and Chris throwing the hammer. Mark Parry and Matthew Isden competed in the discus and javelin.

Competing for the men’s 4 x 100m relay was Nicky, Liam, Spencer and Chris.

For the ladies, Sarah Peters and Deb Read ran the 100m with Shannon Hopkins-Parry and Rachel Wigmore in the 200m. Ivy Buckland and Sonnii Pine took on the 400m with Sonnii and Rachel running again in the 800m. Ivy and Becky Mabon both ran the 1500m and 5000m with Shannon and Sarah taking on the 100m hurdles and 400m hurdles. Shannon was joined by Sonnii for the 1500m steeplechase.

Sonnii and Jenna Harmer represented in the High Jump with Jenna and Rachel in the Long Jump. Sarah and Jenna took on the triple jump with Jemma O'Gorman and Michelle Harrod competing in the Shotput and Discus. Michelle and Jenna threw the hammer with Jemma and Jenna throwing the javelin.

Deb, Becky, Jenna and Sarah formed the womens 4 x 100m relay team.

The day drew to a conclusion with the 4 x 400m mixed relay formed of David, Carly Hopkins, Shannon and Stuart for the A string and Nicky, Ivy, Rachel and Carl in the B string.

JENNA FRENCH