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Lewes AC runners battle Storm Boelo at Beachy Head
Lewes Athletic Club members rose to the challenge as fierce winds and driving rain battered the 2026 Beachy Head Marathon Weekend races.
Twenty members of Lewes Athletic Club took on the spectacular but demanding Beachy Head Ultra, Marathon, Half Marathon and 10k events on 24th and 25th October, with Saturday’s runners facing a particularly tough test from Storm Boelo.
Winds exceeding 50 mph, heavy rain and sudden squalls swept across the Sussex coast during Saturday’s marathon, ultramarathon and 10k races. The conditions turned the chalk paths and steep descents of the Seven Sisters into muddy, treacherous terrain, making an already challenging course even harder.
Despite the weather, Lewes AC celebrated some outstanding performances, including two top-level results in the marathon and 10k.
Ben Peters finished second overall in the marathon, clocking an impressive 3:07:16. He also took first place in the Vet Men 35–39 category. Telmo Ferreira finished ninth in Vet Men 50–54 in 4:07:01, followed by Steve Dampney-Jay in 4:28:35 and Pete Richardson in 4:47:22.
Anne Hagan marked a special milestone by completing the marathon as a birthday run for her 70th birthday, finishing in 6:57:16. Colin Hartland also crossed the finish line in 6:57:53, competing in Vet Men 65–69.
Anne said, “I tackled the Beachy Head Marathon just days shy of my 70th birthday. Having run it for my 50th and 60th, I simply had to keep the tradition alive. Sharing the course with my niece, Julie, and clubmate Colin, we had to lean on one another across the Seven Sisters as the storm set in. Though the faster runners escaped the brunt of the wind and rain, the rest of us survived being literally blown along the cliffs. It proved to be some of the most challenging weather of my running life, and a deeply rewarding adventure alongside loved ones.”
In the ultra, Tara Twyman put in a strong performance, finishing sixth in Vet Women 45–49 with a time of 6:44:06.
The club also enjoyed an excellent set of results in Saturday’s 10k. Aaron O’Shaughnessy took first place overall, winning the Vet Men 35–39 category in 41:04. Charlie Phipps finished fourth in Senior Men in 44:14, and Nathan Gower completed the course in 54:04.
Among the other Lewes AC 10k runners, Jacqui Shepherd secured second place in Vet Women 65–69 in 1:14:41. Claire Raitt and Elizabeth Long both finished in Vet Women 60–64, recording 1:13:22 and 1:14:41 respectively. Dominic Tansley (1:01:30), Adrian Thompson (1:20:59), Andrea M Uphus (1:23:07) and Jane Holford (1:23:08) also completed the challenging course.
Saturday’s challenging weather gave way to significantly improved conditions for Sunday’s half marathon. Lewes AC’s runners made the most of the change, with Katherine McCorry finishing sixth in Vet Women 40–44 in 1:58:20. Rachel Titheradge placed tenth in Senior Women in 2:03:37, while Stephanie Crespin secured third place in Vet Women 50–54 in 2:14:25.
“Our congratulations go to all 20 Lewes AC members who took on the Beachy Head races, particularly those who battled the atrocious conditions on Saturday,” said Lewes Athletic Club Chair Philip Westbury. “Finishing these challenging courses is an achievement in itself. A special mention to Anne Hagan, who celebrated her 70th birthday by running the marathon. A wonderful example of the determination and love of running that make our club so special. Well done to everyone who took part.”
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.