Sunday 21st May – 2023

The town of Hailsham played host to the inaugural Hailsham Active run on Sunday 21st May, with close to 500 runners taking part in a variety of distances from 1 mile to 10K.

Organisers, Hailsham Active, partnered with the Town Council and Sports Systems, a specialist race management company, to put on the event, which after two years in the planning proved to be a huge success.  Inspired by the Olympics and a mission ‘to create a healthier Hailsham community’, this inclusive event encouraged runners of all ages and abilities to take part, with a focus on encouraging Hailsham residents with any form of disability or special need to participate in the 1-mile run, using any form of support they required. 

Our awesome club legend, Lord Norman Harris 🤴🏻, took part in the very first Hailsham Fun Run, as it was known back in 1993.  He remembers the event well and this year had the great honour of starting the 5K and 10K distance before running the 10K himself.

As a club we certainly wanted to showcase our fabulous spirit and offer our support to the event.  We did just this by fielding a huge turnout of over 50 senior and junior runners across the four distances, with many crossing the line in podium and age category positions.  Club coaches Annette, Graham and Julie work incredibly hard at weekly training sessions with our juniors and should feel extremely proud of all their mighty impressive performances on Sunday.  For many of our junior runners this represented their first experience taking part in an official race and wearing our club colours.  It was certainly a proud moment.  Our junior runners were accompanied in the race by Ruffs, Ads, Hannah, Wendy, Mick and Graham with plenty of club support and cheers from the side lines, making for a spectacular black and red atmosphere 🖤❤️

Many Harriers also took part in the 3K and 1 mile events running with their own children (Big Si, Tom Price, Vinny, Bartz, Audrey and Chris Shoult) making it even more of a family affair with many future Harriers in the making 😁

In the 3K distance our Juniors collected plenty of silverware 🏆 with Oliver Husarz finishing third place overall in 12:20, 🏆Beth Stutt first place female in 14:33, 🏆Daisy Bowles second place female in 16:33🏆and Chloe Henderson third place female in 17:24 🏆Other special mentions go to Joshua O’Kelly who ran a superb race to finish fourth in 12:53, Elijah Haddon 14:37, Beau Burrett 17:50, Ziva Thrower 19:25, Amelia Shoult 19:34, Olivia Barton 20:38 and Bette Davies 20:43.  In the 1 mile race Harley Jeffery gave ruffs a run for his money crossing the line in 7:36 to finish in third place overall with McKenzie Haddon running with Harriers mum, Audrey 💕 

In the 5K distance, Tinks raced across the line to take first place female 🏆, with Amie Coppins the only junior Harrier to take part in the 5K finishing with a sensational time of 29:10 🤩 and placing second junior female 🏆.  In the 10K, Mumma Roo 🐶 finished second female overall🏆 with Wendy 🦵🏻 third female🏆 whilst Ads and Graham Pundye were the winners of their respective age categories🏆

Full results for a magnificent Harriers team  in the 5K were, Chris Doherty 19:02, Tinks 🧚🏻‍♂️ 21:33, Gary Pope 🚗 23:08, Fluffs 🐌 23:59, club legend Bill Fraser 25:42, Steph 25:43, Amie Coppins 29:10, Track & Field Hannah 29:10 and Katy Reed 😍

In the 10K were, Ads 40:24, Mick 44:31, Sam Unwin 44:48, Captain Bartz 👨🏻‍✈️ 45:21, Bilts ⚽️ 45:53, Graham Pundye 48:11, Mumma Roo 48:24, Wendy 48:39, Marcos 💛 48:47, Tom Price 👨‍💼 49:42, Shaun 🐘 54:36, Vinny 54:36, 3 poos 54:41, Katie Manley 🌼 57:44, Michelle Hollands 57:50, Becky Holland 💕 59:59, Julie Deakin 1:00:10, Lou Lou 1:00:28, Claire 1:05:39, Maria Stanford 👧🏼 1:12:36 and club legend, Lord Norman Harris 👑 1:20:48.

For two of Hailsham’s newest senior Harriers, Sam Unwin and Julie Deakin, this represented their first race in Harriers colours 🖤❤️as they crossed the line to rapturous cheers from their team mates 👏🏻 

Julie Lewis-Clements 🐝 and Felicity 🐞 added to the family, fun atmosphere by dressing up as a unicorn 🦄 and a ladybird 🐞 to cheer the children over the line before gaining their picture with the towns Mayor, Cllr Paul Holbrook, whilst club treasurer Darren lead the public relations role handing out club flyers alongside supporting the chief organisers, and even handing out medals 🏅 

A truly memorable day with so much support across our Harriers family, from runners, to marshals, to unicorns 🦄 to plenty of cheers around the route and at the finish line.

We look forward to taking part again next year 🖤❤️and showing the folk of the sham how being a part of a running club can change your life, how it can welcome new friends into your life and new opportunities.

Special thanks to Mel and Nemo for the awesome pictures 📸 and to Mary Laxton, Hailsham Town Council, Sports Systems, Hailsham Active and the entire team of organisers, marshals, and sponsors for hosting a well organised, inspiring event.