Link Road race ‘touched town’s imagination’

Bexhill-Hastings Link Road 10K race director Eric Hardwick with the 1 kilometre and 10 kilometre marker signs SUS-150829-114310002

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The Bexhill-Hastings Link Road 10K (BHLR) has ‘touched everyone’s imagination’, according to the race director.

Eric Hardwick believes the race has been so popular because of the ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ opportunity to be the first people to use the road.

As well as the historical interest of the route which will take the runners through a different era every kilometre.

More than 1,000 people have signed up so far and Eric cannot wait for the race to start on Sunday (September 20).

“The impression I get is that people are very much looking forward to it – as am I,” he said.

“I am taking part myself too as I want to gain the experience like everyone else.”

The event is organised by Bexhill Lions Club and that means all the money raised will go back into the communities of Bexhill and Hastings.

“It’s a win-win for everyone – for the community with its charitable nature and it’s something which will be a once-in-a-lifetime thing for the runners who will be able to say, ‘I did that’.

“It has touched everyone’s imagination.”

The Combe Valley, where the BHLR has been built, has been extensively excavated by archaeologists from Oxford University.

They have found a myriad of historical artefacts from the bronze age to the medieval period, including a large flint-knapping site.

To mark this, every kilometre marker will be details on a different historical era with information on what archaeologists have found in the valley.

Eric believes this gives the race a particularly unique feel.

“The team from Oxford University have been working for the last few years and have uncovered 10,000 years of history, going back as far as the bronze age,” he said.

“Each kilometre is a new piece of history.”

Eric estimates the race could raise anything from 10 to 15,000 pounds and as it is organised by the Lions Club, that’s a significant donation to charities in 1066 country.

The road is still not completed leading to concerns the runners would be dodging diggers and cement mixers.

But Eric has been assured by the developers, Hochtief Taylor Woodrow Joint Venture, the road will ready and he said around 90 per cent of the final surface is done, and the other 10 per cent will be a temporary surface.