Weekend Round Up 28th-30th December
It may have been the quieter post Christmas period, but there was still plenty of Tuff activity including the Saturday morning run plus the following:-
DARKLINK HEADTORCH 10K
The now traditional Darklink run starting from the toll bridge at Shoreham. Runners followed the Downslink, then over the South Downs Way Bridge towards Bramber with a loop back to the bridge and back down the Downslink back to accept the medal. With a 6pm start for the 10k run headtorches were a necessity. Brilliantly organised by the three event directors at Sussex Trail Events including our very own Danny Cunnett & Jay McCardle, the run is highly recommended between Christmas and the New Year to start the push back against the Christmas excesses.
There was a strong Tuff presence with Jon Babbage being our first Tuff home completing the course in 48:51. With the current changeable weather, conditions underfoot were surprisingly good with few puddles and Jon was followed home by Hazel Tuppen finishing as 10th female. Then the Tuff floodgates opened as Tiff Orton crossed the line with Karl Halom 16 seconds behind, then Debbie Boxall and Clive Harvey – just 58 seconds between the four of them. Strong running from Adam Stringer, then we had Debbie Birch with Nina Tully the next finisher with Shelley Babbage completing the Tuff ten. Sue Pinky ran with her dog Kylo but decided to follow a shorter route due to injury.
l to r – Hazel, Clive. Adam, Karl, Jon & Nina
Post run Jon Babbage likes to claim a record for himself as the first runner from the entire field back having a drink in the Amsterdam Pub! Not a record he wished to relinquish, he maintained his goal for a third successive year as the above photo shows, joined by more of the Tuff squad.
Upon completion the runners received a unique Darklink medal, mentioned here as the same route will (provisionally subject to consent) be undertaken on the longest day 20th June to gain a ‘Lightlink’ medal to link the two together. Whilst Darklink runners get priority entry, Lightlink will be a recommended event to do.
TUFF FITTY’S DARK SWIM
In keeping with the ‘dark’ theme, to keep the activity going, Arundel Lido was booked during the period when they heat the pool between Christmas and the New Year. To hire the whole pool a booking was made after the public hours which created an atmospheric dark swim surrounded by festive lights. The weather was rather nippy with the backdrop of the Castle obscured from view, but, with a water temperature of 28 degrees being in the water was definitely the place to be.
The hour’s swim received very positive reviews with some pictures contained in the gallery below:-
Marc (Left) post ultra
YEAR END TIME TURNER 2024
A Saturn running event comprising one of their ‘informal turn up and run’ events starting when you like, provided you finish before 3:30pm. It is still a timed event finishing with an impressive piece of bling, so a ‘proper event’. An out and back riverside lapped run along the Thames, entrants can choose any distance from 5k, 10k, half, marathon and ultra. Our Tuff representative taking advantage of the well stocked aid station every lap was Marc Flinders.
Marc ran with a friend who completed the 50k ultra (31.1 miles) but Marc pushed on further to complete an impressive 34.4 mile ultra – the day’s third longest distance covered – impressive work in just 6 hours.
HERITAGE TRAIL SERIES – WINTER
The heritage trail series at Leonardslee Gardens stage their Spring, Summer and Winter series of 5 & 10k runs around the beautiful, if very undulating, gardens and some of its seven lakes. Kate Evans has run here before and in tackling the 5k route, reports the course gained an added atmosphere as all the features for ‘Leonardslee Illuminated’ were in situ (above). Anyone interested, the runs gain free access to the gardens, Spring, the next event is being held on the 23rd March.
PARKRUN ROUND UP – CHRISTMAS DAY 25th DECEMBER
With no Worthing or Lancing parkrun on Christmas day, Littlehampton parkrun attracted 534 runners, it’s largest number of finishers, more than double the Christmas day total in 2023. In amongst these were Nathan Cooper in his Christmas jumper, who was our first Tuff home in just 19:05. closely followed by Simon Grundy in 19:24. Kev Pearson was our third runner finishing by the coastguard tower. Spencer Scott was just a couple of seconds ahead of Emma Hinton. Our next Tuff lady was Wendy Frost. Alistair Evans kept up his rich vein of parkruns and earnt a credit for volunteering as well as running. Sue and Colin Simpson ran the course together along with Susan Douglas and as Christmas, their dogs Diggs and Stig went along for a run as well. Sue Pinky also travelled across to run. With Chris Evans also on the volunteer team that was a very impressive 12 Tuffs on the promenade with the above photo snapped to show the festive wear.
Bognor parkrun was another venue operational on Christmas Day and here we had Cameron Coe as first Tuff home and Sheila Bailey
Maidenhead parkrun was another venue to see their highest number of runners in 2024 with Trevor Harvey amongst the throng.
Netley Abbey parkrun also recorded the highest attendees in 2024 with James Mapley on the start line. Despite the high numbers James ran home 9th overall in just 19:47.
Well done to all 16
PARK RUN ROUND UP SATURDAY 28th DECEMBER
At Littlehampton parkrun; Emma Hinton was our first runner home accredited a one second faster time ahead of Spencer Scott as they ran round together. Wendy Frost was next and in crossing the line for the seventh time here smashed 1 minute 13 seconds off her previous PB. Alistair Evans wasn’t to be left out as he also attained a PB. Alistair has had a phenomenal year of parkruns gaining three new PB’s in two months, improving this time by 22 seconds this time and completing over 50 runs this year. Bob Rogers was next completing his 111th parkrun. Chris Evans ran and Debbie BIrch who does so much for parkrun volunteering, this week gaining a credit for volunteering and running
Worthing parkrun saw Simon Grundy as our first runner home in a swift 19:01. Alice Gatland was next doing rather well as she crossed as the 5th female overall. Ross Court delivered a new PB beating his time from 2017!. As if Jay McCardle doesn’t do enough running, here he was again ahead of another marathon. Les Pearce was next on his 223rd parkrun.
Across at Bognor parkrun, there was a Tuff duo undertaking the four laps around Hotham Park; Clive Harvey & Will King.
Up at Cranleigh parkrun, Susan Douglas ran the two lap course for the third time during December.
Lancing Green parkrun was the choice of Paul Fielder who was just one second out in matching his time here from November.
Colin & Sue Simpson must be running out of new venues to try, but they found another one to tick off at Malling Rec parkrun. where they both ran. This was Colin’s 87th different parkrun location with Sue not far behind
In terms of parkrun tourism, Trevor Harvey visited Kingston parkrun where the course largely follows the river Thames to Teddington Lock.
The furthest tourism this week was at Simmons Park parkrun situated at Okehampton in Devon. Steve Fryer was present at this one notching up a strong 70% age grade.
