On a crisp and sunny Monday morning, the revived Boxing Day road races in Preston Park attracted nearly one hundred athletes and fundraised £330 for the Clock Tower Sanctuary in Brighton.
This was not a bad result, as confirmation that the races would go ahead for the first time in three years came just a few weeks before Christmas. This was after the "Lockdown" break, and it will take a few years for the numbers to build up to the usual two hundred competitors.
Originally, in 1932, the races were confined to race walkers, and it was not until 1952 that runners were involved. The walkers' 5-mile race was first off the mark, and it produced a fine three-way battle for the 4-lap race with penalties, an occupation for race walkers, actually deciding the final positions.
Sixty-five-year-old Trevor Jones from Steyning, who has recently returned to racing after a long period of injury, proved the winner by escaping penalties in 52:56. Birchfield Harriers Ian Torode, was second clocking 53:06, after losing 30 seconds and David Kemp (70), was also deducted half a minute came third in 53:24.
Former British women's 10,000m record holder Julie Drake (Brighton & Hove) returned to race walking but only completed three of the four laps. She is now in her fifties, and race walking is a pretty tough discipline that needs constant training. However, she has lost little of her technique and style. Unfortunately, a heavy cold prevented Ron Penfold from Steyning, who had made fifty appearances, from participating in the race this year.
All the runners set off at the same time, so there were under-13s mixed with over-sixties, and everyone decided how many laps they would cover. The senior winner was a regular competitor over the years, Sussex over-40 cross-country champion, and Brighton & Hove team manager Howard Bristow, who managed to keep Vegan Runners Dan Stent at bay. Bristow was timed at 25:36, well clear of Stent, who clocked 25:55, with Paul Wishart (Brighton Phoenix) taking the bronze medal position in 26:27.
Maia Hardman, another Phoenix athlete, who is still in the U23 group, in fourth place was the first woman to finish in 27:16. Club-mate Millie Dickinson (U20) was the next woman across the line in 27:36 and Brighton & Hove's Jade Elphick was third home in 28:56.
None of this would have been possible but for Paula Blackledge, Melanie Anning, Judith Carder, and the many helpers and officials that made the event happen at such short notice.
See the full results HERE. View the race photos HERE.
