inside Race HQ I was immediately drawn to the Cayke, as regular visitors to these pages would expect, and it was appropriate that there were plenty of Hot Cross Buns to be found amongst them . .

the Lovely Ladies on the Late Entry desk were ready to exchange numbers for notes

there were was plenty of space to hang out inside and discuss what impact the wind would have on the race along the sea front . .

and there was a Nice Lady there to sell lots of useful kit . .

outside, work was being carried out to prepare the start and finish area

and there were marshals to be briefed and dispatched to their respective locations . .

the team of cyclists, who were to escort the leaders along the sea front were zooming round getting some extra miles in before the race began . .

and whilst some runners warmed up with a place in the queue for a loo, or jogged gently up and down Hythe Green . .

others warmed up with some strides . .

whilst others prepared with some pre-race meditation . .

as 11 am approached, runners started to make their way towards the start area . .

and a few last minute arrivals squeezed through the parked cars . .

whilst the Race Director made his way to the start line . . and after the pre-race briefing, the race started and we were under way . .