Seaford Striders’ Mince Pie 10 Mile race added some festive cheer to the running calendar on December 8.
This year’s event marked the first change of route in 31 years of the race. A new section of the course was introduced near Hoddern Farm to take into account increased housing development within Peacehaven. The new section has removed a stretch of the course from the road section, helping organisers to create a safer race for both runners and marshals.
This year’s top three runners, the first to run the new course, were Jake Forrest of Brighton & Hove City AC in 01:04:45, Jamie Signy of Brighton Phoenix AC in 01:05:25 and Ziad Watter of Brighton & Hove City AC in 01:07:31. Fourth place went to Graeme McIntosh of Wadhurst Runners in 01:07:54 with Ben Peters of Burgess Hill Runners fifth in 01:18:16.
Victoria Alikhan was the top placed female, running the race in 01:14:27, followed by Claire Lockwood of Meads Runners in 01:16:44 and Geraldine Moffatt of Portslade Hedgehoppers in 01:17:25. In fourth place was Magdalena Schoerner of Eastbourne Rovers AC in 01:18:11 with Soulla Wright of Brighton Phoenix AC just behind in 01:16:16.
The Mince Pie 10 starts and finishes at Peacehaven Leisure Centre and is hosted and marshalled by the very merry Seaford Striders. The undulating route is run on road and trail using farm tracks and bridleways which, due to the wet autumn, was muddy and slippery in places. The race is a Christmas favourite, attracting many repeat runners, and is frequently sold out by October.
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The race is known for its festive atmosphere with many runners sporting everything from subtle Santa hats to full on Rudolf and turkey costumes. The Mince Pie 10’s base in the sports hall of Peacehaven Leisure Centre also had a cake sale, festive tunes, plus Mince Pies for runners who complete the course.
This year’s event was sponsored by Intersport and David Jordan Estate Agents and supported two local charities – The Youth Counselling Project which provides professional counselling services at no cost to students suffering from mental health difficulties in the Seaford area and East Sussex Vision Support, which aims to promote independence, provide support, prevent feelings of social isolation and maximise opportunities for people with sight loss in East Sussex, Brighton and Hove.
As well as supporting the charities, the Mince Pie 10 also hosted a popular kit swap managed by the Green Runners. In the Kit Swap Shops’s 3rd year, club members and runners donated an impressive array of trainers, clothing, and gear, filling tables with high-quality items that deserved a second chance.
Approximately three-quarters of the donated kit found new homes, with runners eagerly swapping items and giving them a new lease of life. The initiative continues to highlight an important message about the environmental impact of overconsumption in the running world but helps to reduce this impact by embracing the principles of reduce, reuse, repair, and recycle.
