There were 2,023 finishers in the 2023 Brighton 10K – the 39th running of an event that was inaugurated in 1984 by the host club Brighton & Hove AC which took place on Sunday 19 November in very windy conditions.

The flat, fast route along the famously stylish Brighton Promenade from Hove Lawns usually produces a plethora of PBs but there were no revisions of the event records held by Rob Denmark (28:59 in 1993) and Louise Damen (33:14 in 2010).

The men's race was won by James McMurray (30:59) – two minutes outside the record and 1:22 behind the St Albans Striders' own previous best of 29:37 achieved in the Leeds Abbey Dash 10K in 2021, which gives a fair reflection of the conditions. The men's podium was completed by Alex Teuten (Southampton AC, 31:02) and Ross Skelton (HY Runners, 31:06). 

With England Masters team selection for the Masters International 10K incorporated within the AJ Bell Great Birmingham Run 10K on 5 May 2024 on offer, there were some impressive age group results, including Adrian Mussett (Colchester Harriers, 32:28) who holds the best UK M50 ranking time for 2023 at 31:47.

The leading woman's pace was much closer to the course record as W35 Helen Hall (Winchester RC, 33:38) missed out by just 24 seconds – commendable running in the brisk breeze on the Sussex seafront and fast enough to go third on the UK W35 ranking list for this year.

The runners-up were also W35 England Masters qualifiers: Sarah Winstone (Southampton AC, 35:33) and Cassie Thorp (City of Portsmouth AC, 35:44). The first of the higher age group finishers was W45 Aine Halton-Hanley (Chippenham Harriers, 37:19) who missed her PB by just five seconds.

The Xempo Pace Squad did their best to keep runners on schedule despite wind gusts of 45kph and those huge flags strapped to their backs (see image above). There were 260 runners inside 40 minutes; 840 under 50 minutes and more than 1,500 beat the hour.

Full results and previous reports are at the runABC South race listing here.

For race details and entries for 2024 click here.

Photo courtesy Brighton 10K website gallery