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Eight Lewes AC Athletes Conquer the Centurion 2026 SDW 50 Ultra Run
Eight members of Lewes Athletic Club (LAC) delivered an outstanding set of performances at the Centurion Running 2026 South Downs Way 50 on Saturday, 11th April 2026. They tackled one of the UK’s most scenic and challenging ultra-distance events.
The 50-mile point-to-point race, now in its 14th year, runs from Worthing to Eastbourne along the South Downs Way. It features approximately 5,700 feet of climbing and a demanding 13-hour cut-off time.
Runners began with six miles of chalk footpaths and bridleways before climbing to Chanctonbury Ring, then followed the ridge all the way to Eastbourne. Here, they finished with a lap of the Eastbourne Sports Club athletics track.
Conditions on the day were favourable, with a strong tailwind aiding competitors for much of the route. Organisers described it as “near perfect conditions on top of the ridge,” helping runners make the most of the challenging course.
Leading the way for Lewes AC was Robert Gerardo who was the 25th runner home and competed strongly in the Male 40–49 category, clocking 7:40:05.
A standout performance came from David Prince-Iles, who, in his first outing in the Male 70+ category, finished in 8:58:43 and set a new course record for his age group. Jenna French also impressed, pacing herself expertly through her first 50-mile race to finish as 10th female overall.
There were personal bests and strong category performances across the team. Tony Deacon achieved a personal best of 9:00:02 in the Male 60–69 category, while Jamie Goodhead (Male 50–59) finished in 9:06:14 and David Fisher Barham (Male 40–49) in 9:06:39.
For some, the race marked a significant milestone. Kate Seymour (Female 50–59) completed her first 50-miler in 11:37:16, closely followed by Amar Saggar (Female 50–59), who also made her 50-miler debut with a time of 11:51:40.
Reflecting on her achievement, Kate Seymour said, “Lewes AC has a lot to answer for. If I hadn’t started running with the club every Tuesday since lockdown… friendly, social runs with people around my pace… I would never have met or been inspired by the incredible female leaders who had already completed several ultras.
Three years ago, I ran my first 50k. Last weekend, I completed my first 50 miles.
Over the past six months, I’ve had an incredible amount of support and encouragement from the club. From David, who paced me at the Beachy Head Marathon and gave me a huge confidence boost, to the advice from experienced ultra runners; from Libby, who was training for her first marathon and happily joined me for long runs, to the friends who turned up out on the course on Saturday to cheer me on. It’s meant everything.
I’ve learned so much, and I’m so excited for the running adventures ahead.
And now, as a run leader myself, I can’t help but think: how amazing would it be if someone in my group had the same experience I did, and thought, “Well, if Kate can do it, maybe I can too?”
Fellow finisher David Prince-Iles, who also coaches and leads a popular LAC trail running group, added: “It was a truly exhausting and exhilarating experience at the same time, with plenty of time to wonder why you are doing this.
The South Downs is our playground and a regular training ground for LAC members. We
always encourage each other, and the club runs training groups for those who want to take that step into racing, regardless of ability. My own success is solely a result of this.
The Centurion Race is such a great event to run with others, all trying to achieve a goal, be it just to finish or outrun our peers.”
Lewes AC Chair Philip Westbury added: “The strong showing highlights Lewes Athletic Club’s growing enthusiasm for ultra-distance trail running, underpinned by a supportive community and regular training on the South Downs.”
Want to Improve Your Running Performance with Lewes AC?
Lewes AC offers various training sessions to help boost your performance at road and trail running events:
- Strength and Conditioning: Join our coaches on Monday nights to improve core strength and stability. Sign up here.
- Track Sessions: Fine-tune your technique, pacing, and endurance on with distance based track sessions Thursday evenings, or time based track sessions on Saturday mornings. Sign up here.