Saturday 1st June 2024

100 miles, 18 legs.  The route – Eastbourne to Winchester, almost all off road, along the hilly, South Downs Way – It is of course the South Downs Relays 🖤❤️

51 teams competed this year with each runner in the team taking on three non-consecutive legs, (on average around six miles each leg), handing over a baton to the next runner, jumping in a mini-bus 🚌 before heading off to the next leg in an attempt to beat a challenging cut-off time and a race against the clock to finish in Winchester ⏰

Starting at the Beachy Head Pub, our amazing teams this year consisted of Wendy 🦵🏻 , Tina ⚽️ , The Leeks 🐫, Alice 🐾, Tracy 🐶, Julie D 🍌, Darren 🚨 and Tinks 🧚🏻 in the ladies team with Ruffs 👑, Tom Price 🎨, Los 👶🏼, Woolley 🧶, Linford Crusty 🏃🏻‍♂️ Bartz 👨🏻‍✈️, DG 💂🏻‍♀️and Matt Southam 🙌 making up The Men’s A Team (1x Driver, 1x Co-Pilot and 6x runners in each team 🚌)

Heading off into the morning sun to tackle Leg 1 over the seven sisters were Wendy 🦵🏻 and Linford Crusty (Rob) heralding the beginning of what was and always is the start of a truly fabulous day 🖤❤️

Everyone knows what it’s like to run, flat out, in a 10k race.  Our runners did that not once but three times over the course of 12+ hours.  There are no marshals en-route, no one to pace you, no one to yell encouragement, no race directions, no distance markers, and no water stations.  But what you do have is your own amazing team support 🖤❤️at the beginning and end of each leg, plenty of banter 🤡 along the way, beautiful scenery 🌴 , singing 🎵, more food than a Waitrose store 🛒 great camaraderie between all clubs, and the experience of a day like no other.

Big thanks to Julie LC 🐝 , Lisa PH 🧡 and Jayne 🦸🏻‍♀️ who did a sterling job marshalling the leg 1/2 changeover at Exceat.  They had the wonderful pleasure of signing in and out teams, ensuring safe road crossings and setting off runners at the start of leg 2 safely (as it crosses a very busy road).  Hailsham Harriers have always had the honour of marshalling the leg 1/2 changeover and it is always a fantastic morning.  Who doesn’t like a Hi Viz, a clipboard and a pair of binoculars? 😂

With the race to Winchester well underway  three mighty folk gave up most of their day to cheer and support throughout the day.  With a quick pit-stop parkrun at Brighton & Hove, thank you Aislinn 🐾, Fluffy 🐌 and Graham Pundye 😂

Our mighty fabulous teams reached Winchester in a rapid times.  The Men’s 🏃🏻‍♂️ A team finished in 12:10:06 placing 10th out of 23 teams in their category with our ladies 🏃🏻‍♀️ team finishing with a time of 14:01:52 and placing 6th out of 10 ladies teams.

The overall team with the winning time of 18:59:19 were Brighton and Hove AC 🏆 men’s team for the second consecutive year who started at 9am from Beachy Head! (they even got a lie 🛌 😂)

Racing is mostly a selfish activity.  We race to improve our PB’s, win prizes, or add to our medal collections 🏅. In the SDR, you’re running for YOUR team, not yourself.  The day is about sticking together, helping each other and above all, simply doing your best.  That’s the magic of the SDR 🪄 For Dave Garratt 💂🏻‍♀️, Los 👶🏼 and Alice 🐾 this represented their first taste of this event and we can safely say they’ve popped their SDR cherries 🍒

The heroes of the day for me personally go to our drivers and navigators, that’s a tough job looking after us all, keeping an eye on the stop watches and navigating those little country lanes 🚌 🙌 and to our two runners that took on the beast of leg 17, the longest leg of the day and one that takes the most grit and determination.  Tracy Erridge 🐶and Dave Garratt take a bow 🙇🏾 you smashed it 💥

A huge shout out and a BIG thank you to everyone who put themselves forward to run, reserve, practised legs, gave up their day, marshalled and supported.

Huge thanks to Matt Southam 🙌 who stepped in to run at the last minute 💪🏼 he saved the day and the men’s A team 🌟

We gave it our best and we hope we did you all proud🥰