Bright sunshine and spring-like conditions greeted the 26 Seaford Striders taking part in The Grand Brighton Half Marathon.
In contrast to last year’s race, which was run in the chilling grip of the Beast from the East, this year’s 13.1 mile race was run in unseasonably warm temperatures.
The race, which was this year attended by 12,000 runners, starts on Madeira Drive before a short uphill run along the cliff tops to Ovingdean before turning back into Brighton at Mile 3. Runners then head off for a circuit of the Old Steine, before heading back onto the seafront.
Runners turn just before mile 10 for the final 3 mile stretch from Hove Lagoon back to Madeira Drive. The last couple of miles are made easier by the enthusiastic spectators who line the route, cheering, high fiving runners and waving motivational placards along the way.
Two Striders took top five places in the MV50 category, Simon Fletcher taking the top spot with his run of 01:20:06 and Dave Dunstall placed in 5th place in 01:24:16.44 The Striders were joined by an eyecatching addition to the team, with Alan Browne running the whole race dressed as an inflatable T-Rex in 02:20:08.
Striders completing the Brighton Half were:
Joe Plant (01:23:06), Simon Coppard (01:24:46), Josh Rudd (01:29:00), Nick Farley (01:29:27), Jamie Pearson (01:34:40), Jeff Young (01:36:53), Scott Hitchcock (01:42:17), Adam Cook (01:44:29), Anneka Redley (01:49:22), Adam Haverly (01:50:14), Chris Wilmot (01:56:47), Michael Pickering (02:15:15), Julie Taylor (02:15: 21), Trevor Jones (02:15:21), Steph Woodward (02:16:18), Helen Cox (02:24:44), Lauren Morgan (02:26:06), Stacey Jones (02:29:30), Sarah Simcock (02:29:31), Victoria Maleski 02:34:54), Wendy Woodford (02:33:42), Becky Souissi (02:36:54) and Lisa John (02:56:03).