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Lewes AC Quartet Earn Sussex Grand Prix Points at 2026 Hastings 5-Mile Race
Four members of Lewes Athletic Club participated in the 2026 Hastings 5-Mile race on Sunday 31st May, the fifth of 12 fixtures in the 2026 Sussex Road Racing Grand Prix series.
Held along Hastings seafront, the popular race features a fast, largely flat out-and-back course offering runners scenic sea views throughout. The route follows paved roads and promenade paths close to the shoreline, making it ideal for steady pacing and strong performances. Competitors also benefited from cooler temperatures after the recent heatwave.
The Sussex Road Racing Grand Prix is a long-running series of road races held across East and West Sussex. The competition runs annually from March to November and includes a range of distances and terrains, with both individual and team contests.
Lewes AC’s first finisher was Gary Loughlin, who completed the course in 39 minutes 40 seconds, placing well in the men’s V55-59 category.
Karin Divall produced an excellent run, finishing in 42:09 and claiming second place in the women’s V65-69 age category.
Bob Hughes also secured a podium position in his age group, recording 43:39 to finish second in the men’s V75-79 category.
Kate Seymour crossed the line in 51:10 in the women’s V55-59 category while helping pace her sister through her very first race. Reflecting on the experience, Seymour said: “My sister took five minutes off her 5km time. Hopefully I’ve got her hooked!”
Lewes AC Chair Philip Westbury said: “These were excellent performances from our runners, with Karin and Bob both achieving well-deserved second-place age-category finishes. It’s also wonderful to see new people introduced to racing. Kate’s support for her sister perfectly reflects the welcoming atmosphere at Lewes AC. We look forward to the remaining Sussex Grand Prix races.”
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.