Claire Hawes

Lewes Athletic Club junior athletes produced a series of strong performances at the 2026 Sussex Schools Cross Country Championships at Waterhall, Brighton, on Tuesday 20th January. Competing against hundreds of runners from across the county, pupils from years 8 to 13 raced in ideal cross-country conditions, with good weather and a course that was relatively firm underfoot. The standout result of the day came in…

Veteran runners from Lewes Athletic Club produced a string of strong performances at the 2026 Sussex Masters Cross Country Championships, held on Saturday, 17th January at Coombe Farm, Lancing. The event was contested over a challenging 8km course, comprising two 2.5-mile laps of sweeping Downland terrain with approximately 400 feet of ascent, testing both strength and stamina. The Sussex Master’s Cross Country competition is open…

Thirty-seven members of Lewes Athletic Club braved cold, windy and wet conditions to compete in the fourth fixture of the 2025/26 East Sussex Sunday Cross Country League, held on a tough new course at Seaford Head on Sunday 11th January. The relentlessly hilly route featured an anticlockwise lap of Martello East Field before heading onto the Esplanade and climbing Seaford Head. Runners tackled exposed, muddy…

Lewes Athletic Club enjoyed an excellent start to 2026 at the Sussex AA Cross Country Championships in Bexhill, with strong performances and podium finishes across several age groups. The standout result of the day came from the U20 Men, who secured an impressive 2nd place in the team competition over 5 miles (8km). Isaac Tarafder led the team home in 7th place, supported by George…

More than 200 Santas and around 20 elves brought festive cheer to the Lewes Downs on Sunday 21st December as they took part in the 4th Annual Lewes Downland Santa Run, organised by Lewes Athletic Club.  Better still, the event raised £2,750 for the Friends of Lewes Victoria Hospital. The Santa Run was joyfully started by Deputy Mayor Adrian Ross and Father Christmas himself, Michael…

2025 will be remembered as the year when members across age groups said, Yes, I can! From muddy cross-country courses in the depths of winter to beginners’ group graduates taking on hilly half-marathons for the first time. Also, international honours, record-breaking performances, and fun-filled, community events (remember the summer sack race?). Lewes AC embraced team spirit and a sense of fun and enjoyment across every…

Thirty-two members of Lewes Athletic Club took to the trails on a mild and sunny December morning to contest the third fixture of the East Sussex Sunday Cross Country League (ESSCCL), hosted by Eastbourne Rovers at Abbotts Wood near Polegate. Conditions were near-perfect for the 4.5-mile cross-country challenge. Runners started with a gentle downhill through a wide, tree-lined avenue, negotiating leafy paths and mud before…

Fifty-one athletes from Lewes Athletic Club turned out for the third fixture of the 2025/2026 Sussex Cross Country League, held at Ardingly Showground on Saturday, 6th December. Described by competitors as a “gruesome mudfest”, the testing conditions made for tough racing across all age groups. However, Lewes AC rose to the challenge with several standout individual and team performances. In the junior races, Lewes AC…

Race Walkers from Lewes Athletic Club delivered outstanding performances despite exceptionally unpleasant weather at the Surrey Walking Club Open Track Walks, which incorporated both the Southern Area Championships and the SWC Christmas Cup. The event took place at the Tonbridge School Centre on Saturday 29th November, where athletes battled a severe midday deluge that made for some of the toughest racing conditions of the year….

Lewes Athletic Club is delighted to host She Runs Lewes, a friendly and social women’s 5k running group based in the heart of our beautiful town. The initiative reflects our commitment to making running accessible, supportive, and enjoyable for women of all paces and experience levels. She Runs Lewes provides a safe, confidence-building environment where runners can meet new people, explore scenic routes, and enjoy…