I’m always excited to go to Brighton, especially as I spent 3 years there as a student in the (ahem!) early 80’s (think the Hungry Years, the Pink Flamingo, Depeche Mode, Wham! etc) and at a time when I did a lot more squash (with a wooden Dunlop MaxPly!) than running. Anyway, I digress…
I ran Brighton 10k last year and really enjoyed it so this year I persuaded my favourite pacer (my son, Alex, of Clapham Chasers) to pace me to get a better time. Without the gale of last year and with a balmy 8 DegC, the going looked really good. Having bumped into some Harriers before the race, we dropped our bags off at the very efficient (compared to last year) bag drop and I made my way to a slightly hopeful 45 min starting position whilst in my head I was thinking “just finish” (my mantra ever since I only completed one loop of Larkfield 10k this year, having to drop out, my first DNF, ever!).
I managed to keep Clifford in view for the first 500m and kept sensing Rose was very close behind. I didn’t even see Ali (maybe something to do with her VaporFlys?), Tara or Richard. The route headed west first along the promenade and then north to meet the main coast road and then east to Kemptown and along Marina Drive. At about 5.5k we turned round to come back, with the chance to then “encourage” fellow runners. A very flat course with a slight undulation near the east pier (a mere “bump in the road” compared to our Tunbridge Wells hills!) and then a fast flat 3k back into the finish, the last 1k or so being along the promenade. My pacer earned his keep, last year my time was 48:10 and this year it was 47:00, a full 70 seconds faster! Post race refreshments were very enjoyable with my fellow Harriers as we found a lovely coffee shop on Western Road, sitting outside in the sun, opposite a Farrow & Ball shop; oh how the area has gentrified in the past 40 years!
So if you want a fast flat 10k, Brighton should be on your list. See you next year?
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Kind regards,
Geoff Hurrell