The City’s dastardly villains and cretinous crooks were quaking in their boots on Sunday 14th May, as 480 super heroes descended upon Hove Lawns in aid of RISE.
The 2018 HEROES RUN consisted of 5 and 10 kilometre adult races, a youth mile and a 500 metre Mini HEROES dash.
With a prize for the best costume, the standard was high. Among the sea of Power-Rangers, Hulks, Wonderwomen and Batmen was Shaun of the Dead, Wolverine, She-Ra, Scooby Doo and the less well known Ginger Man, whose nemesis is sunlight.
There was even an appearance by celebrity DJ Norman Cook, AKA Fatboy Slim, who ran the 10K race dressed as a muscle-bound Superman.
Fatboy Slim with some of the RISE staff who took part in the race.
All the money raised from the run will go directly to the RISE Therapy Team to help fund our much-needed children’s counselling service, to help children affected by domestic abuse to build self-confidence and work through their experiences in a safe and nurturing environment.
The ecstatic winner of the 10K was Mark Walker, a HEROES RUN veteran who has taken part in the event 10 times previously but had never won!
I’ve done 11 of the Heroes Runs since the very first one in 2005 and have always found them friendly, fun and entertaining. In the beginning I pushed my kids in a double buggy, and now my son is running in the race himself. It was an honour to finally win!HEROES RUN 10K winner Mark Walker
First place in the 5K was Cllr Robert Nemeth. The Youth Mile was won by Sidney Stevenson and the 500 Mini Dash by Leon.
History blogger Neil Cozzi marched the 5K dressed in a full replica legionary kit weighing 18kg, which took him an hour. “RISE is a fantastic local charity and it’s great to be a quite literal knight in shining armour for them,” said Neil.
“The charity helps more than 2,500 women and children in Brighton & Hove every year, so they’re the real heroes. I decided to march in my armour because I’m passionate about ancient history, I want to measure the distance and time of a strong marching pace.”
Our heroic Roman soldier, history blogger Neil Cozzi.
The Sussex Swallows (the cheer-squad from the University of Sussex) took time out from dissertation-writing and revising for exams to run the 10K. Society president and cheer leader Emma Gilbert said “We collectively chose to support RISE at the beginning of the year as it's a local charity with a cause close to our hearts.
"Having already raised money through a bake sale held on campus, I wanted to set a new challenge! I like to push the girls out of their comfort zone and I thought getting us all to run 10K would certainly be a push (as well as a great break from revision)!”
And the event would not have been such a success without the help of our crack team of volunteers who helped with registration, stewarding, staffing the bag-drop and water station, not to mention cheering our heroes along at every step of the way!
Registration for next year’s event will be open soon! Email fundraising@riseuk.org.uk to be notified.
Check out some of our race day photos below! If you can't spot yourself you can head over to Facebook for more pictures, courtesy of David Matthews Photography.
