I was the sole SOC representative at the Brighton City Race this year, hoping to redeem my mispunching error from last year (too keen to get to the finish I missed the last checkpoint). Running Course 2, we were told it was a linear start leading to a Spanish Score then back to a linear course to the finish, plus it was slippery out there.
Pre-race prep was trying to work out how many layers to wear (was it going to rain? was the temperature going to drop?) and wondering if road shoes were the right choice as the rumour was we were heading into Preston Park (not that I had any options with me).
Soon enough, maps were handed out (rolled up with a rubber band - not to be opened until the start hooter) and it was time to make our way to the start, clearing our dibbers as we left the event venue.
This year we were starting up near the Railway Station (to the north), where a holding pen was to be found (checking your dibber on the way in). After a few brief words from the organisers “we were on small kites” and “have fun”, the hooter went and we were off - mass start.
Felt like everybody was starting in the same direction: northwards, round the corner, under a walkway and up a massive flight of steps. Time to remind yourself people are on different courses and not to follow others blindly! Plus check the box number before you dib, turns out two of the lead runners on Course 1 made that error on CP2 (one of whom was Allan from Wessex). We zig-zagged our way up to Preston where the Spanish score started, which was more of a formality than a game changer as the CP layout left few options for route choice so it was more a procession around the park, nav made easy buy the trail of lights ahead of you (I’m sure it would have been harder if you were faster?!). Turns out the park wasn’t too slippery so the road shoes worked fine, just managed to find a few holes to through my foot down (ankle feels a bit tweeky now). So it was back out of the park at nearly the same point we entered and a return to a linear course heading generally south.
Stage 2 of the linear course offered many route choices as streets were switched, alleyways found and stairways chosen or discarded in your decisions. As we headed towards the finish, the streets got busier with shoppers and revellers as we got down into the Laines, avoiding the road full of blue flashing lights, not to go that way through the Pavilion as it was a dead end and to use those sneaky alleyways that were easy to miss.
Soon it was the last corner to the finish, where I was nipped to the finish box by some stronger legs and into 7th (both in MV & on Course 2) by 1 second!
Time for download, a mince pie and a drink. Single-layer short sleeves was perfect.
Wessex had a few successes and Mike from BADO won his class.
No race in 2024, but back in 2025 at a new venue. There we some mutterings around the Wessex table about stepping in to run a City event next December.
