Hastings Half Marathon

Race Description

Few half marathons in the South East carry as much history as the Hastings Half, a fixture on the East Sussex calendar since 1985 and organised for decades through the Hastings Lions Club. The course loops out from the seafront at West Marina Gardens and traces a route that nods to the town's Norman past, climbing away from the coast towards Battle in the spirit of William the Conqueror's march, before dropping back through the narrow lanes of Hastings Old Town and its historic fishing quarter. With around 293 metres of cumulative climbing, it is a genuinely hilly half - a course that rewards strong legs on the ascents rather than pure flat-road speed - before the final miles ease back along three miles of seafront promenade to the finish, giving tired runners a fast, crowd-lined run home.

The race has built a loyal following over its long run, drawing club runners, charity fundraisers and first-time half marathoners in large numbers, and it's often cited by regulars as one of the best-supported and best-organised races of its size in the region. It suits someone looking for a proper hilly challenge with a strong sense of occasion and local tradition, rather than a guaranteed personal best - though the flat coastal finish does give quick runners a chance to empty the tank. Between the Old Town's timber-framed streets, the cliffs above the Country Park, and the wide Sussex coastline, there's plenty to look at along the way, and decades of continuity mean the marshalling and crowd support are well practised.