Where Henfield, West Sussex
When February 10, 2008
First Man James Baker 52:03
First Woman Pippa Major 1:02:05
Last Finisher 2:03:56
No. of Finishers 160
Run on part of the course that the popular Henfield Half-Marathon takes, the first staging of this shorter nine-mile race dispensed with the ‘boring bits’ of the half-marathon course and made the most
of the varied terrain and attractive countryside of this part of the South Downs.
The race started on the gravel of a disused railway line that has been turned into the 37-mile Downs Link. With bright wintery sun shining down on runners, the firm ground soon thawed, and gave way to soggy and rough terrain as the route hugged a tranquil riverbank for several miles.
In the absence of much of a path, this grassy, uneven section proved challenging, although not as tough as the last half-mile, which really tested runners’ resolve as they slipped and stumbled across a particularly muddy field towards the finish.
This first Henfield 9 may have attracted a modest number of runners, but it was everything a low-key race should be. The organisation was smooth and free of fuss with marshals at all the crucial turns on the course.
There were a couple of water stations, well-placed mile markers, a medal for every finisher, good facilities before and after at Henfield Leisure Centre, and results posted just minutes after the finish.
