Just over 100 runners lined up in the car park at Jempson’s Peasmarsh for the start of the 2018 Rye 10 Mile Race last Sunday, May 25. Although thunderstorms had been forecast, it proved to be a dry but very hot morning for this challenging run.
One of the few 10-mile races in Sussex, it is organised by local event planners Nice Work in conjunction with the Peasmarsh Memorial Hall Committee to help raise funds for the village hall. Despite the name, this hilly race takes place along the scenic and largely traffic-free lanes around Peasmarsh and is now in its seventh year.
This year’s entrants included teams of runners from clubs across Sussex such as Hastings, Wadhurst, Haywards Heath and Eastbourne and, for the first time, Vegan Runners. Nearly half the field was made up of individuals unaffiliated to any club.
Although the number of entrants was down on the figure for 2017 there was a friendly welcome from the race organisers and marshals. A small but enthusiastic crowd of supporters cheered the runners as they defied the heat and humidity to cross the line after a testing 10 miles.
The overall winner was Neil Smith, running in the Male Vet 45 category for those between 45 and 49 years of age. Wearing number 79 he came home in 59 minutes and 54 seconds. Second across the line was Ben Jones, number 108, of Trent Park Running Club in Barnet, North London running in the Male Vet 40 category, who achieved a time of 1hr 3 minutes 26 seconds. The first lady across the line was Claire Lippiatt, number 123 and in the Female Vet 40 category, in a time of 1 hr 27 minutes and 56 seconds, closely followed by Jane Coles of Hastings Runners, number 59 and in the Female Vet 50 category, in 1 hour 28 minutes and 11 seconds. Prizes were awarded to the first three male and female runners and also to the winners or runners-up in each age category.
Photo: Andrew Hitchings