Hastings Half Marathon 2019 and Results

I reached the start/finish point of the 35th Hastings Half Marathon by East Marina Gardens thirty minutes early, so only some of the runners can be seen warming up in this image, and I'd beaten most of the spectators here too. I had walked from the town centre, so passed the forever (it seems) closed Hastings Pier; what a shame as there were many people wandering around the seafront, not just runners and spectators, it being such a lovely day weather-wise, though the Goat Ledge cafe looked to have done well yesterday, and good for them too! There are whispers going round that the Pier may be open for Easter now, but don't hold your collective breath, I still don't trust anything that comes from the present owner and his chums, we'll see...

1066 Pipes and Drums (website) arrive, as they do each year, giving stirring renditions of traditional music, I loved them playing Flower of Scotland, but it is a favourite of mine anyway, so I was easily pleased. I was a little disconcerted, following the closed Pier comment above, that the fake wee Lord Billy Liar McLean (website) was wandering into the mix of the band with the Mayor (who actually is an elected councillor) to be photographed with them! Does anyone know if he's managed to worm his way into some sort of 1066 Caledonian Society role?

And they're off! The lead car coming towards me...

And the leading runners from the start zoom past me too!

I walked down to All Saints Street in the old town, where I like to watch runners as they still have over 2 miles to run, but I can soon find a watering hole when my hands get overworked, and here comes the lead car a little under an hour from the start.

Josseli Polini & Gary Foster

These two finished first and second, though Josseli Polini finished 21 seconds ahead, so I'm guessing he pulled away late on. First 3 finishers: 1) Josseli Polini 1:10:56, 2) Gary Foster (Hastings AC and who finished third last year) 1:11:17, 3) Rhys Boorman (Hastings AC and who has finished second and third in other recent Hastings Half Marathons) 1:13:45.

Heather Noone

Rachael Mulvey passed me first of the women runners, however, Heather Noone came first by 32 seconds ahead, so she must have put on one heck of a spurt along the seafront, as she was quite a way behind Rachael at this stage of the race. The first 3 women finishers were: 1) Heather Noone 1:21:42, 2) Rachael Mulvey (Hastings AC) 1:22:14. 3) Megan Taylor (Lewes AC) 1:27:07.

My congratulations to all who took part, my hands were aching with all my clapping, indeed. my respect to everyone involved, excellent!

For a full list of the 2,598 finishers go to this website.

Hastings Half Marathon 2018 Results

It was cold, and with a strong wind racing in from the East, presumably Putin's response to Boris's bluster, only made it feel colder, but luckily it didn't start snowing until the half marathon was over... Anyway, here they are starting, I didn't see whether that photographer to the left got knocked over in the rush, he deserved to, leaving it so late!

The early leaders race by me, some blurred in their flight, or it could just be I'm not a proper photographer with an expensive camera, but you do get the feeling of speed...

Here was my final (regarding the race) resting place, my hands got so cold that my clapping made no noise, I hadn't realised that was what happened before! Anyway, here, the car that led them around the course passes by me, and it's 56 minutes and 11 seconds after the first photograph above...

Swiftly behind the car came the man who would finish first, Adam Clarke of Hastings AC, who finished in 1 hour 8 minutes and 35 seconds, CONGRATULATIONS!

Second, and a wee bit blurred, sorry, was to be this man, Charlie Joslin-Allen of Tonbridge AC, finishing in 1 hour 8 minutes and 52 seconds, a close finish!

Third was another Hastings AC runner, Gary Foster, the first of these 2 men, who finished in 1 hour 10 minutes and 59 seconds, 2 seconds ahead of the man behind him!

The first woman to cross the finishing line was Maria Heslop of Tonbridge AC in 1 hour 21 minutes and 28 seconds, CONGRATULATIONS for winning the women's race!

The second woman to cross the finishing line was another Hastings AC runner, Stacey Clusker, in a time of 1 hour 23 minutes and 37 seconds.

And the third woman to cross the finishing line in 1 hour 25 minutes and 52 seconds was yet another Hastings AC runner, Rachael Grass, nice one!

For the results, go to the website, apologies if I've made any errors, though I sincerely hope I haven't, but it appears 2,469 courageous runners finished the half marathon in bitterly cold conditions, which I believe may be a record number, if I heard the speaker correctly at the beginning. Natasha Kelly, who ran in support of the Elsie-Rose & Friends Foundation, finished in a very creditable time of 2 hours 27 minutes and 41 seconds, well done to her, and many thanks for her support of the Foundation, for which she raised nearly £1,500!

Indeed, my warm congratulations to all those who took part, softy me had to nip into the Cinque Ports Arms opposite to warm up my hands!