A wander along the Seafront

The annual moving the shale around to help reclaim the beach at St Leonards, OK, not as nice weather as this actually, I took this photograph 4 years ago, but...

It still needs to be done, the result of storms throughout the year, particularly during the winter just ended, so, this weekend's effort, and what a difference blue sky makes!

And where the Azur/St Leonards beach huts return to every year has been cleared too, so I'm guessing they will be returning soon from their winter rest at Bulverhythe...

Last Sunday, and the Pipe Band who played before the start of the Hastings Half Marathon, with the 5 of 6 caravans I've previously mentioned shifted to the corner of the car parking in the background of the photograph.

And they're still there, very cosy!

Elsie-Rose & Friends Foundation Fundraising Update.

Following Natasha Kelly's successful completion of the Hastings Half Marathon on Sunday and raising nearly £1,500 for the Elsie-Rose & Friends Foundation (blog), this is an update on how the fundraising is going for Mark Little and the 3 other volunteers in his team, who will be kayaking across the English Channel from Dungeness to Boulogne in August (blog). They will also be fundraising in support of the local 4 year-old with Type I SMA (Spinal Muscular Atrophy), Elsie-Rose, whose grandfather and other family members work in the local fishing industry, and the Elsie-Rose & Friends Foundation. 

Young Elsie-Rose was diagnosed with Type I SMA in September 2014, a condition that causes severe muscle weakness, and results in problems moving, eating, breathing and swallowing. Without intervention, most children with Type I SMA die within the first 2 years of life, however, the resilient Elsie-Rose strives to carry on and enjoy life just like all other 4 year olds, or more so! 

Because many of the expenses involved in supporting children with Type I SMA are not provided by the Department of Health or NHS, the Elsie-Rose & Friends Foundation was set up to help provide help and financial support to families with disabled, sick, and terminally ill children. After meeting Elsie-Rose and her family, Mark and his team decided to kayak across the English Channel with the aim of raising money for Elsie-Rose and the Foundation.  

Donations are being sought via Crowdfunding which will go towards necessary equipment for Elsie-Rose and her carers, and to contribute funds towards the Foundation so that it may support other families in need. So far £440 has been donated via Crowdfunding, many thanks! There is also a collection box for donations and sponsorship forms in the Dolphin Inn at 11-12 Rock-a-Nore Road, Hastings TN34 3DW. 

If you wish to know more about Elsie-Rose, the Elsie-Rose & Friends Foundation and their campaign, you can go to their facebook page or twitter page. If you would like more details about SMA Type 1, go to the Spinal Muscular Atrophy website. 

To make a contribution towards supporting this brave 4 year-old and other children with similar problems, please make a donation via Crowdfunding or go and visit the Dolphin Inn and make a pledge to support the team's kayaking challenge, or add to the collection box, indeed, all contributions are very gratefully received, many thanks!

Hastings Half Marathon 2018, Today's The Day!

Well, today's the day for the 34th Hastings Half Marathon (website), starting at 10.30 at Sea Road, by Grosvenor Gardens, St Leonards, and finishing there some time later, and the weather doesn't look to be this inviting...

Many runners will be raising money for various charitable causes, including Natasha Kelly (Elsie-Rose & Friends facebook page), who is running to raise money for the Elsie-Rose & Friends Foundation: see my recent blog about the kayaking event across the English Channel to raise money for Elsie-Rose and the Foundation, and which also gives information about Elsie-Rose and Type 1 SMA (Spinal Muscular Atrophy). I am supporting this event too, and here is a link to the Crowdfunding Page which has raised £420 so far towards the Foundation, many thanks to all who have contributed. All donations to either Natasha and her run, or Mark and his team and their channel crossing will be deeply appreciated, cheers!

For more details of the route and map and warm up advice go to the website.

My best wishes to Natasha, the Hastings Lifeboat runners raising money for many charities, and everyone else who bravely runs the Hastings Half Marathon today, and make sure you wrap up warm if you're a spectator!

Hastings Half Marathon... and Ale & Arty this weekend.

Today, if you feel up to walking along the seafront to Bexhill (or catching a bus or train, or driving for that matter) is the Ale & Arty Beer Festival at the De La Warr Pavilion. In addition, between 11am and 3pm, is the Battle of the Bands, for young musicians, later the AYU Funk Band and The Cavaliers will be playing; see their website for full programme. The nearby award winning Albatross (RAFA) Club will also be open all day to non-members, should you wish to have a drink or eat in there.

Tomorrow, Sunday 19th, sees the 33rd Hastings Half Marathon start off from Sea Road, by Marina Gardens, opposite the Bo Peep pub at 10.30am, and finishes there too, an hour plus later... See website for more details, and details of how to enter for next year!

Yesterday, I noticed temporary toilets already being placed... Good luck to the runners and the charities that many are sponsoring!

PS. Check for closed roads in Hastsings during the event...

The 32nd Hastings Half Marathon Results

The first to finish the race was Kenyan Robert Mbithi (1:04:43), with fellow Kenyan Jonas Cheruiyot more than 6 minutes behind (1:10:54), and with highest placed Brit, from our very own Hastings AC, Rhys Boorman further back in 3rd place (1:12:40). 

The first woman to finish was Kenyan Lenah Jerotich (1:16:43), then Maria Heslop from Paddock Wood AC (1:20:43), and yet another Kenyan in third, Lucy Liavoga (1:22:43).  

For the full results.   

Lifeboat Training Exercise now!

Just heard that there is a training exercise on until about 11.00 hours, should you be near to the Stade, plus, of course, the Half Marathon today, busy busy!

The 32nd Hastings Half Marathon tomorrow.

The 32nd Hastings Half Marathon starts tomorrow, Sunday 20th March, at 10.30 from West Marina Gardens (and finishes there too). For more information about the race, parking and fundraising for charities, go to their website.

The start of the 2015 Half Marathon

As most will be aware, for a few hours, there will be traffic delays here and there, so, have a look at the map if you wish to drive in Hastings tomorrow, and be prepared to alter your route, or get out of your cars and support the runners, best wishes to them all! 

Half Marathon Results

Men's Results 

1st Sammy Nyokaye 

2nd Tom Payn 

3rd Jeff Pyrah 

Women's Results 

1st Mercyline Ondieki 

2nd Maria Heslop 

3rd Alice Heather-Hayes 

Congratulations to all who undertook the half marathon, I could never run that far, as I've said before, "respect!" All results are at the website. 

The 31st Hastings Half Marathon

This is my 100th blog for 'Steve on Hastings', hurrah for moi, but nowhere near as impressive as these folk who ran the Half Marathon! My apologies for the not so brilliant photographs either, but I'm not a photographer, and certainly not without good light! 'twas cloudy all morning, anyway, these are from today... 

As usual, the 1066 Pipes and Drums played at the start, a wee bit of Scotland in Hastings!

 

Half an hour before the start... the start at West Marina Gardens.

Milling around with less than half an hour to go, quite busy with 5000 runners due to start. I cheered on a few friends later, and found out a distant cousin and his wife ran too!

And they're off!

The slower runners start in a later tranche, including those in fancy dress, pushing wheelchairs, pulling barrows, etc... 

I walked down to the old town to catch the runners with just a couple of miles to go, he says, after they've already run 11 miles! Anyway, a few minutes ahead of everyone else was the Kenyan runner, Sammy Nyokaye, here quickly going past; Kenyan runners have won the previous 4 Hastings Half Marathons, mens and womens, which shows how important the event has become, with runners of such quality regularly competing here.    

Looking up All Saints Street, and down runs the lad in second place...

The leader of the women's race, Kenyan, Mercyline Ondeki, passes the Stag Inn.

The Round Table team down near Pelham Beach.

Less than 2 miles to go, well done everyone who took part, respect!

Best wishes to all runners...

My best wishes go to all the runners taking part in the Hastings Half Marathon today!  

This map is a wee bit small, but if you go to the website, you can see this map larger, or to this page and you can get to a race information leaflet which has more details and a simpler map. Enjoy the day! 

Traffic on Sunday, early warning!

If you weren't already aware (surely not!), it's the 31st Hastings Half Marathon on Sunday, so expect a wee bit of traffic disruption (see website), or, better still, go and support the runners, fingers crossed the weather is perfect for them!

Macmillan Nurses, Debbie, Paul & the FILO

The first of the acknowledgements from Macmillan Nurses for monies collected by Paul Denny, in the sum of £144.53, and in honour of Debbie McSweeney, was presented by Paul to Mike Bigg, the landlord of the First In Last Out (FILO),  nice one!   

To help build up for the big event, Paul is entered in the Hastings Half Marathon next month, and will be running again, for the charity, ie Macmillan Nurses, on the 26th April in the London Marathon, brave man! Watch out for details of how he may be sponsored... 

Don't forget, in respect of Paul's endeavours, there are still charity boxes for Macmillan Nurses at the FILO, where another batch of his spicy pickled onions are now available (and I've bought another very large jar myself/donated to Macmillan Nurses, that the tingling sensation in my mouth will attest to) and Jenny Lind pubs!