Poppy Half Marathon: More than 1,000 runners tackle Bexhill races

Runners set off at the start of the 2018 Poppy Half Marathon on Bexhill seafront. Pictures by Simon Newstead

Well over 1,000 people took part in a fabulous sold-out day of distance running along Bexhill seafront on Saturday.

There were 489 finishers in the Poppy Half Marathon, 359 in the Poppy 10K, 187 in the Poppy 5K and 50 in the Poppy Youth Mile.

All of these races started and finished from the lawns outside the De La Warr Pavilion, and followed a seafront course in between.

The sun was shining but the wind was still strong by the start of the Poppy Half Marathon on Saturday

* Anticipation building ahead of Bexhill races* Beckley 10K: Jeff Pyrah powers to dominant victoryThe heavy rain of Friday night thankfully cleared in time, although the strong winds did remain with a headwind on part of the seafront making the course very challenging indeed.

The Poppy 5K kicked things off at 10K and Richard Harper (Run Wednesdays), who went from the gun, was the winner in 17 minutes and 57 seconds. Craig Hardwick (Hardwick 100) came second in 18:08 and Martyn Reynolds (Bexhill Runners & Triathletes) third in 18:48.

Lucy Hall (Bracknell AC) was first lady in 21:28, Nicola Morris (Tunbridge Wells Harriers) second in 21:39 and Maddie Brandt third in 23:01.

The Poppy 10K followed at 11am and young Oliver Hall (Bracknell AC) led home a large field in 36:21. Ed Plager was second in 36:57 and Ross Brocklehurst (Eastbourne Rovers AC) third in 37:51.

Some more of the half marathon competitors set off on their 13.1-mile challenge

Aislinn Darvell (Eastbourne Rovers AC) was first lady in 42:26, Amy Moore (Hastings AC) was second in 43:17 and Amy Skelcey third in 44:14.

Soon afterwards came the Poppy Youth Mile, which was won by Benjamin Beckley in a very respectable 5:57. Claudia Evett was the first girl - and third overall - in 7:10.

All involved then paid their respects by playing the National Anthem, followed by The Last Post and a two-minute silence. At 12.30pm, Bexhill Mayor, Cllr Azad, fired the horn to start the 2018 Poppy Half Marathon.

Thomas Stevens (Cambridge & Coleridge AC) was the clear winner in a decent time of one hour, 12 minutes and 46 seconds. Matt Edmonds (Hastings Runners) was second in 1:16.30 and Andrew Green (Dartford Road Runners) completed the top three in 1:20.17.

Thomas Stevens on his way to victory in the 2018 Poppy Half Marathon

Rachel Hillman (Hailsham Harriers) produced a great run to finish first lady - and 10th overall - in 1:26.59. Emma Hollands (Paddock Wood AC) was second lady in 1:33.27 and Susan Aldridge (Crawley AC) was third in 1:34.18.

For the first time, the event also featured a 100k team challenge, in which 10 teams of three runners each ran the 5K, 10K and Half Marathon consecutively, each athlete running 36k in total. There were some fine performances and the winners were Team Hardwick in a total time of 8:41.49.

This year’s event - the 11th running of the annual Poppy Half Marathon - marked 100 years since the signing of the Armistice which ended World War I.