Seaford Striders ladies showed they were a force to be reckoned with at the Haywards Heath 10 Mile on May 6, winning the team prize for their race performance.
The Striders team of 18 runners included a strong field of 12 ladies. The course, which takes in some of the town’s parks and residential roads, forms part of the Mid Sussex Marathon Weekend.
The Haywards Heath 10 Mile started in the town’s main shopping street, South Road, before heading into Victoria Park for the first of two repeated loops of just under five miles. The route combined scorching road run stretches with the welcome shade of Ashenground and Bolnore Woods. Runners gained welcome relief from temperatures well above the mid 20s in Bolnore Village, where young spectators used water pistols, super soakers and even a garden hose to help cool them down.
Natasha Swan (01:22:30), Emily Eaton (1:23:44) and Anneka Redley (01:27:15) were awarded the team prize for the first three ladies home. The ladies also showed their strength in the individual categories – Natasha was first in the Female V40 category, Emily Tearle, who joined the club just two weeks ago, made a flying start in her debut race for the Striders, winning the Junior Female category in 01:29:16. Hilary Humphreys was first in the veteran female 65 category, finishing in 01:42:18.
Joe Plant ensured the Striders came home with the double in both Junior categories – he achieved first place in the Junior Male category, finishing in 01:16:17.
Josh Nisbett was the first Strider home in 01:11:07 (13th overall) – his PB performance at last month’s London Marathon leaving him well prepared for the sweltering temperatures. Josh competed in all three Mid Sussex Marathon events over the weekend and his combined marathon total – made up of his race time at Haywards Heath plus East Grinstead 10 mile result (01:17:06) and Burgess Hill 10K (00:45:08) – was 03:13:21. He is also the winner of the Seaford Striders Jo-Jo Gunn Award for entering all three races.
Josh was followed by Nick Farley in 01:13:36 (28th overall). Andy Farley (01:23:49) finished just ahead of Couch to 5k graduate Adam Haverly in 01:23:51, who was running his first race over this distance.
Next for the Striders was Peter Weeks, who was second in the Male V65 category, finishing the race in 01:25:37 ahead of Kristiane Sherry in 01:28:04. Katherine Elton (1:38:04) was another new Strider running this distance for the first time. Amanda Feast completed the course in 01:42:21.
Lindsay Tearle, who joined just two weeks earlier along with daughter Emily, was also running her first race for the club, finishing in 01:46:48. Seaford Striders’ 2017 Couch to 5k graduates are continuing to push their distances even further – Debbie Plant finished in 01:58:10, Stacey Jones in 02:00:27 and Becky Souissi in 02:19:06.