Cheer on Mark and Izzy
Watch out for Mark Mitchell on Sunday - he wants all the cheers of support he can get.
He shouldn't be too hard to spot either - Mark is planning to run dressed as a horse and will pull his daughter Izzy in a trailer with loud music blaring out.
This will be the twelfth time the super-fit rower has run the Hastings half-marathon but rather than go for glory he chooses to raise money for his chosen charity.
He has run the event as a Pantomime Dame and even a piglet, and last year he pushed his younger girl, four year old Hannah, around the course with both of them dressed as spotty Dalmatians.
Pushing that pram around didn't hold him up too much either - Mark still ran a respectable time, finishing in 1:51 whereas his best time has been 1:31.
Mark said: "I always do it in fancy dress, and have a music stereo blasting out 'up-beat' tunes as we go along. It always causes a smile from other runners - especially up the long and silent Queensway.
"I have to say, I get some funny looks from some people - as they see a man dressed up as a dog, pushing a pram with a child in it - overtake them whilst singing a song. "But they are full of smiles, jokes and good wishes. It makes the event so much fun.
"One year, I overheard a lady say to her husband - I bet he only pushed that along the seafront, to which he replied - no he didn't, he overtook me pushing it along the Ridge!".
"He then gave me a 5 donation!
"This year however, I plan to go 1 step further. In 2002 my wife Sallyann, gave birth to our oldest Daughter - Isobel. The birth was an emergency following pre-eclamsia.
"At the time Isobel was given a small chance of survival, with major organ failure.
"However, after two weeks of care in the Special Care Baby Unit, she was okay to come home. Today, she is a fit and healthy 7 year old, and as such I will be pulling her around the course in a carriage to raise some money for the Special Care Baby Unit. .
"It will be harder than last year - as Izzy weighs more than Hannah. I have also not pulled a carriage before, so if I get anywhere near the two hour mark I will be very happy.
"I am not a runner, but a keen rower - and this seems to keep me fit enough to compete in this event. That, accompanied by the cheers from the crowd, which are exceptional every year, I hope will enable us to finish the course.
If anyone would like to sponsor Izzy and I, they can contact me at mark_mad20@yahoo.co.uk.
If anyone is out there watching the half-marathon, supporting the runners, and they see a man dressed as a horse, pulling a trailer with a young girl in it, and music blasting out - then please give Izzy and Mark a big cheer - it really does help.
For any runners we happen to overtake, we apologise in advance...but we won't be picking up any hitch hikers."
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Weather for St Leonards-on-Sea
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 22 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: East
