23rd March saw Hastings’ 30th Half Marathon and nearly three and a half thousand finishers. Ion Castro was there with his camera. Ion would have brought Happy Harold, Hastings’ own 1928 former trolleybus to enhance the spectacle and provide a viewing platform but unfortunately the extensive repairs to his engine (the ‘bus, not Ion) are taking longer that had been hoped for and HH remained in the depot.
The instant of the start was captured with runners checking their watches as the tape fell, eventual winner, Boniface Kongin from Kenya bearing number 3911 can be seen on the right. Second man home, Ben Fish of Blackburn Harriers AC, No 2010 is checking his watch on the left. Richard Muritthi, No 3913 also from Kenya came third and is right of the centre of the picture with the first Lady home, Gladys Kwambai from Kenya wearing No 3914 taking a last look at her watch to the right of him.
While the main race was under way a ‘mini run’ for younger runners started from Hastings Pier and was won by Casey Keates in 00:06:33 closely followed in 00:06:34 by Sophie Markwick. The family tradition was carried on by Isabelle Price 6238, seen here with her grandfather, Race Director Eric Hardwick. Eric can also be seen running just behind Derek Stevens who is wearing no 1066.
Boniface stormed home in 01:04:18, a clear winner ahead of Ben whose time was 01:07:36 followed by Richard in 01:09:04 – note the empty road behind each of them!
Also immortalised on film (well, digitally to be pedantic) are some examples of runners who sacrificed speed for fancy dress etc.
There are more pictures on Ion’s unofficial half marathon website, www.1066.net/hastingshalfmarathon .
Rye’s Own May 2014
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