Haywards Heath runner completes ‘world’s hardest marathon’

Her effort in Peru, raising funds for Meningitis Now, came 12 years after completing her first marathon for the same charity.

She said: “This was the race I’ve always wanted to do. The toughest time I’ve spent on my feet. The most incredible views and people.

"We started at 4am from our beautiful camp. The first 10 miles were runnable even though it was up to Chakrachay at 3,650m and down again (ascent in the dark) to Wayllabamba at 2,940m – then it was the four-mile hard slog up to Dead Woman’s Pass at 4,210m elevation.

"My heart was beating so hard in the altitude. The descents and rises to Winay Wayna at 2,680m after that were very technical after the rain that then came.

"Thankfully I had poles to use. Some of the cliff drop-offs were really scary. I made the time cut-off easily to allow me to continue up to the Sun Gate and finally finish at the tear inducing MachuPiccu at 2,470m. It was 11 hours, 45 minutes on my feet, the longest for any race and my personal worst for a full marathon. But what a marathon!

"I finished first female in our ‘race’ and joint seventh jointl but it wasn’t about racing - it was about finishing and experiencing a trail, that most people take at least three to four days to hike, in one run.”

Kim’s Bucket list tick included a post marathon hike up Rainbow Mountain and Wayna Picchu.

#Runandtalk

Haywards Heath Harriers hosted a number of #RunandTalk events over the course of a week in September to coincide with mental health awareness week.

Two took place in Lewes and one in Haywards Heath. The Lewes events were led by Michael Parish and those in Haywards Heath by Michael and Marion Hemsworth.

The aim was to run at least one mile to support good mental and physical health at a conversational pace. This gave participants the opportunity to talk, with the option of coffee and a chat at the end of the event.

Lewes saw a 5k run which was set up for emergency services and took place along the River Ouse. There were a number of people that attended and this was followed by a #WalkandTalk for those who wanted to attend but didn’t want to run.

Haywards Heath was a 5k run from Beechurst to Cuckfield and back. There was also a #WalkandTalk opportunity for anybody who didn’t want to run. Special thanks went to Andy Hind who helped lead to the run.

#RunandTalk is led by England Athletics to promote good mental health by encouraging people to run one mile. It is sponsored by Mind, the mental health charity. Michael and Marion, mental health champions with Haywards Heath Harriers, thanked everybody who turned up and made it a great event.

Elsewhere, the Barns Green 10k and Half Marathon took place and Jamie Topping was first home in the half marathon for the Harriers in sixth place overall with a superb time of 1.17.24.

Next home was Paul Cousins in 1.25.41 followed by Carl Bicknell in 1.53.20.

In the 10k, Harrier finishers were Eric Hepburn in 51.51 with Caroline Gumm in 1.08.52 ,

Oliver Farr completed his 85th marathon on October 2. Running in the ‘Nearly-But-Not-Quite-London-Marathon-2022’, which was held at Staines along the banks of the River Thames, he finished in a time of 4.49.

The day before the funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Reigate respectfully opened its doors to the 9th Run Reigate event making up a children’s race, 5km, 10km and half marathon.

The organisers, Run Series, manage the Run Gatwick half marathon as well as successfully starting a 10km trails race at Gatton Point this year with a winter and summer run.

Reigate is a market town in Surrey and sits just below the North Downs with spectacular views.

The race starts and finishes in The Prior, a beautiful park just off the High Street, packed with coffee shops.

There were three Haywards Heath Harriers in attendance at the run with Michael Burke finishing in 1:24:01; Oliver Farr in 1:56:29 and Michael Parish in 2:24:11.

Oliver Farr has completed all of the nine half marathons and Michael Parish has run them since 2017.

Both have completed both of the Run Reigate 10km Trails runs.

Well done to all Haywards Heath Harriers who have been out and about for race action in recent weeks.

BURGESS HILL RUNNERS

The Burgess Hill Runners autumn race calendar is officially in full swing.

In the 2022 London Marathon there were seven club members taking part in this historic race.

Mark Nicholls zoomed round first for BHR in 3:08:57, followed by Paul Prosser (319:07), Emma Leeson McManus (3:25:46), Jonathan Herbert (3:26:17), Toby Murray-Smith (3:37:39), Nigel Cruttenden (4:27:44), Viv Smith (5:15:00) and Rich Neale (5:17:36).

Oliver Day travelled to Salisbury to run along the ancient Clarendon Way for the Clarendon marathon which he finished in 3:43:10. Annette Maynard also travelled for a marathon, the Chester Marathon, which she finished in 3:37:56.

Travelling further were a group of BHRs who went to Glasgow for the Great Scottish Run, a popular half marathon based in the city centre.

First for BHR was Keith Brown who finished in 2:04:07. He was followed by Scarlett MacDonald (2:41:16), Malcolm Slater (3:03:26) and Wendy White (3:03:28). Also in Scotland was Nicky Callus, who took on the Loch Ness Marathon, finishing in 4:37:22.

Flo Wolfe and Rhian Davis completed the Lewes 10 Mile Downland Trail Run in 1:24:18 and 1:37:11 respectively.

In the Sussex Cross Country Relays at Goodwood, BHR women’s team Rhian Davies, Kath Wallek and Susan Wintle finished in 16:59, 19:12 and 20:01 respectively. BHR’s men – Phil Wallek, Andrew Bishop, Kevin Cross and John Palmer – crossed in 15:11, 17:35, 18:21 and 19:39.