Bexhill Runners and Triathletes ask themselves ‘what on earth am I doing this for?’!

Seven club members had followed the suggestion of Dan Marshman that doing a virtual 24 hour event was a good way to enter a ‘race’ during the Lockdown period.

Organised by Phoenix Running, the Phoenix 24 saw entrants running a minimum of one mile each hour, on the hour, for a full 24 hours. Several runners ran more than 50 miles but one managed a full 100.

With over 1,000 runners competing nationwide, and some even entering overseas, this was more than just a few runners out for a jog. And so it was that six club members met at 8am on Saturday at the De La Warr Colonade to run their first mile.

Pacita Williams was the seventh member competing but she was doing the event with her family, allowing full compliance with government guidelines. To give him his due, Dan Marshman had led by example and was the first runner away, followed by Alex Mandryko and John Brooker.

Carol Crathern, Helen Goddard and Paula Chase followed on. Then it was back home to run the next twenty-two, one mile legs as individuals. Saturday was a glorious day, if somewhat hot for running, but each hour saw the club members heading out the door for their run. Marshman ran the same out and back route 22 times but was running impressive times, often under six minutes. Mandryko, after more than two years away from serious training following injury, was almost back to top form running sub seven minute miles. Like John Brooker, he was adding a little bit each mile, to make up the full marathon distance of 26.2 miles during the 24 hour event.

However, as this was a primarily a fun event, Phoenix Running added a few ‘fun’ miles en route. At 2pm you could run with your family; 7pm was a quick mile where you had to put in a hard effort; 8pm suggested a beer or similar after your run as it was Saturday night afterall; and at Midnight, a fancy dress mile. So if you saw Agnetha from Abba running down your street, it was actually Helen Goddard in a long blond wig and bright pink Catsuit; Little Red Riding Hood was Paula Chase!

Being part of the Marshman family allowed Helen to run overnight with Dan, although definitely not at the same pace, as Dan was pushing on through the night with his fast times. Carol had company on all her runs being ably supported by her teenage children on their bikes, while Paula, the only regular Ultra Runner in this group of intrepid Bexhillians, had her Daughter Jess join her for the Family Mile at 2pm.

John Brooker was accompanied by his wife and Son, James, not forgetting the unofficial club mascot, Lola the Cockerpoo.

Then slowly, day turned into night and the going began to get tough. Perhaps going out and running 24 miles in one go is hard enough, but to stop and then have to get moving again every hour throughout the night makes this a uniquely challenging event, run more in the mind than on the legs. However, a dedicated Whatsapp Chat group allowed our intrepid bunch to pass on their times and encouragement to each other as well as swapping Fancy Dress photos for a much needed boost. Alex was even startled by a badger during the night in Collington.

It was with some relief that night turned back into day on what is the shortest night of the year. Head torches were put away and you could start to see where your feet were going again.

But of course, tired legs and tired minds meant that times were dropping off, not helped by the wind increasing.

So finally it was back to the seafront at 7am on Sunday for the 24th and final effort as a team. Setting off from the Fishermans Club at Galley Hill, it was much the same as Saturday with Dan showing his class followed by Alex and then John. The added incentive was the lure of an egg and bacon roll cooked by club Chairman, Alison Brooker in her Motorhome. Again this allowed the first formal meeting of Bexhill Runners and Triathletes since mid-March while still complying with Covid-19 guidelines, while giving runners a chance to share their experiences first hand.

This was slightly cut short when the rain decided to arrive at 7:30, but by then it was bed time and runners were happy to depart for home, exhausted but exhilarated by their shared overnight experiences.

With most results having been declared, it was clearly a great weekend for the running club of a small South Coast town. Carol Crathern (24.3 miles in exactly 3 hours) was the first woman to finish the minimum distance of 24 miles and Dan Marshman ( 24.2 miles in 2 hrs 34 mins) was 2nd male. Alex Mandryko (3hrs 1min) and John Brooker (3hrs 10mins) were fourth and fifth men respectively over the marathon distance.

Pacita Williams finished her 24 miles in under three and a half hours: Paula Chase and Helen Goddard both finished the full marathon distance easily under four hours placing them all well up the results table. A tough but rewarding weekend for all but obviously not one to be repeated without trepidation.

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