Running in Sussex - East Meets West

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The area of West Sussex and East Sussex is dominated by its geography. The Area of Out- standing Natural Beauty that is the South Downs cuts a swathe from the Rother Valley in the west to the white chalk cliffs of Beachy Head, near Eastbourne. Bringing us neatly to the other dominant feature - the sea, in the shape of the English Channel.

The South Downs is a firm favourite for runners who like to do their training on scenic trails and there is a popular marathon and relay race, which takes place on the South Downs Way in June. Down on the coast the new kid in town - the Brighton Marathon - made a big impact with its 2010 launch. Local running hero Tim Hutchings is the man behind the race, which has quickly become established as a major event.

Certainly at the performance end of the sport Sussex is an area with a pedigree - producing possibly the finest middle distance runner the UK has ever scene, one Steve Ovett. And local rivalries are sustained with the Sussex Road Racing Grand Prix, which involves around 20 local clubs including Bexhill Runners, Hastings AC, Haywards Heath Harriers, Lewes AC and Seaford Striders.

Not that running in this lovely corner of Eng- land is all about the 'elites'; your 'common or garden' runner has a very well established parkrun based at Hove Park which attracts 250 plus runners each week for the free 5k time trial. Run in England is also starting to take root here with a presence at Burgess Hill and a cluster of groups around Brighton.

Here, SOUTHERN RUNNING GUIDE focuses on West & East Sussex and its diverse running scene - its clubs, running groups, facilities and services.