The Brighton 9km may be one of the smaller APSOC events but it’s one of my favourites for two reasons. Firstly, it’s probably about the most scenic APSOC race with the beach, the yachts, the kite surfers and the final kilometer on the sand in front of the iconic Brighton bathing boxes. Secondly the Brighton afternoon is almost certainly the most spectacular year after year, and this year was no exception.
It can be a bit cold on the seashore at this time of year, but the 2019 edition was just about perfect – overcast, even temperature and little wind. Of the 73 runners, we had a strong contingent of 12. The 7 men included club legends Eamon O’Callaghan and Christopher Worsnop, along with 2019 regulars Pierre, Bob, Alex O’Callaghan and Richard, with Daniel Vogelpoel putting in a celebrity appearance. The 6 ladies included race debutante Georgia Bunker, season debutantes Jacqui and Harriette, and the more seasoned Julie and Jen. Margaret, Hannah and John were also there to either officiate or cheer the team on.