There was another huge day for distance running on the Sussex coast as just under 9,000 runners took part in the 34th Rubix VT Brighton Half Marathon on Sunday 25 February 2024.

The race was started at 9:30am by Welsh rugby legend Gareth Thomas CBE and just over four hours later the final runner crossed the finish line in 8,168th place. The route took runners past the stunning seafront cliff tops of east Brighton, the Royal Pavilion, Hilton Brighton Metropole Hotel, the i360, the colourful beach huts of Hove seafront, and the iconic Brighton Palace Pier.

Conditions were described by organisers The Sussex Beacon as 'fresh' and it certainly was Brighton breezy with a strong headwind coming into the finish. That didn't stop Cassie Thorp (W35 City of Portsmouth AC) from setting a superb new course record (1:15:34 PB) in the women's race. The runners-up to the flying Thorp were Molly Smith (South London Harriers, 1:15:49 PB) and W40 Henrietta Tarasewicz (Bodyworks, 1:20:42 PB).

The Brighton Half Marathon men's champion was last year's second-placer Marshall Smith (Ashford AC, 1:07:17) from Matthew Merrick (Belgrave Harriers, 1:07:28) and the defending champion Cal Mills (Leeds City AC, 1:07:29) – some finish that must have been!

Thousands of charity runners took to the streets of the city, raising money for local causes such as The Sussex Beacon and Rockinghorse as well as national charities including Alzheimer’s Society and Macmillan Cancer Support.

Charity runners included Chloe Neilson-Hopkins (1:45:33) from Bognor Regis, who is running 40 races in her 40th year to raise money for the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust, and Naomi Garrick (2:02:32) from Sidmouth who was easy to spot as she ran the race dressed as a dalmatian to raise money for International Animal Rescue!

Brighton Half Marathon is the main fundraising event for The Sussex Beacon, a Brighton-based charity that provides a range of services for men, women, and families living with or affected by HIV across Sussex. The event typically raises over £1 million for a wide range of charities large and small.

Matt Denby, Trustee at The Sussex Beacon said: "What a wonderful day, such an incredible atmosphere! Thank you to all the runners, our sponsors, the charities, the supporters, and the fantastic volunteers who make the event possible! See you all next year!”

Rubix VT is the headline sponsor of the Brighton Half Marathon and in addition to sponsoring the race the team at Rubix VT placed three Golden Tickets in the race goody bags which means that three lucky runners won either a PS5, £250.00 cash or dinner and a night’s stay at Hotel du Vin.

Full race details are at the Rubix VT Brighton Half Marathon website here. 

Previous results and event reports are at the runABC South race listing here.

Photos courtesy Jeff Mood for Brighton Half Marathon press pack