Sunday 26th April 2026 🌍 💿

The streets of the capital were alive with noise, music 🎶, drums 🪘 and roaring crowds as seven of our incredible Hailsham Harriers took on the iconic London Marathon on Sunday 26th April, one of the world’s most celebrated and unforgettable races.

From the famous start lines in Greenwich, across the electric ⚡️ atmosphere of Tower Bridge and through the historic streets of London, every mile delivered emotion, inspiration and memories that will last a lifetime.

For several of our Harriers, this was an especially emotional occasion as Adam Davies 🦈, Joe Le Borgne 💂🏻‍♀️, Sarah Day 🌷 and Darren Grice 🏃🏽 all took on their very first London Marathon, a moment they will treasure forever after months of dedication, sacrifices, winter miles and commitment.

Sarah 🌷 produced one of the standout performances of the day, storming to a sensational personal best of 3:21:37 after earning our club’s coveted London Marathon ballot place.   To see Sarah grasp the opportunity with both hands and deliver such an outstanding run was incredibly special and a proud moment for us all 🙌

Joe also celebrated a brilliant personal best of 3:22:50 on his London debut just two weeks after running the Paris marathon, whilst Coach Ads 🦈 led our Harriers home in a superb 3:07:39.   Darren Grice 🏃🏽 completed his first London Marathon in a hugely impressive 4:04:45, soaking up every moment of the unforgettable atmosphere.

Every Harrier wore our famous black and red vest with pride, carrying not only personal goals and ambitions, but the support of the entire club with them every single step of the way.

One of the most special stories of the day belonged to our club legend, Lady Frances Delves 👸🏼, who completed her incredible 20th London Marathon, a truly remarkable milestone that deserves enormous admiration and celebration throughout our Harriers family.

Twenty London Marathons represents far more than a number.   It reflects decades of commitment, friendship and love for the sport.  It tells the story of countless training nights, nervous start lines and the determination to keep showing up year after year.

As one of our founding members since 1984, Lady Delves 👸🏼 represents so much of what our club stands for, loyalty, humility, encouragement and the pure joy of running. Her contribution to the black and red stretches far beyond race results, inspiring generations of Harriers both old and new.

To reach twenty London Marathons is simply extraordinary 🤩 and a moment we celebrate and recognise with immense pride 🖤❤️

Another outstanding performance came from Graham P(uns), whose determined and hardy run earned him a superb finish time of 4:38:34 in what was a sensational performance on the famous London streets.

The day was made even more special by Darren Gillett 🚘, who completed his first ever road marathon, battling all the emotions, nerves and challenges that come with stepping up to the iconic 26.2-mile distance.   Darren’s determination paid off with a brilliant personal best of 6:00:18 and a finish line moment he will never forget.

The 2026 race also produced thrilling world record 🌍 breaking elite performances, adding even more excitement to an already unforgettable day for runners and our Harriers spectators alike.

Whether chasing personal bests, running for charity, ticking off a lifelong dream or simply soaking up the once-in-a-lifetime experience that London delivers, everyone of our Harriers on that start line was an inspiration to us all.

And not forgetting we also had three runners take part virtually through the London Marathon ‘MyWay’ initiative, where participants choose their own route while still earning the famous London Marathon medal and t-shirt.

Kirstie Groves 🥰 headed onto the beautiful South Downs for her marathon adventure, finishing in 7:10:58, whilst Maria Stanford 👧🏼 and Roberto 🇮🇹 stayed local to Hailsham, making use of the Cuckoo Trail to complete their challenges.  Maria finished in 7:09:50 and Roberto 7:37:52 🙌

A huge congratulations to every single one of our London Marathon runners. To reach that finish line, whether in London itself, on the South Downs or along the Cuckoo Trail is something truly special.

You did yourselves, and your black and red family, incredibly proud 👏🏻 🖤❤️