The day started off reasonably sunny and quite jolly as runners gathered in Wallands School Hall to register for the Lewes Downland Santa Fun Run 2023 at 9 am on Sunday morning 10th December. Friends of Lewes Victoria Hospital volunteers were there working to provide runners with bibs and Santa hats. These Santa’s (of sorts) made their way to the starting line at Landport Bottom where Santa and the Lewes mayor wished everyone well before starting the race with a loud Ho, Ho, Go!. The runners were off up the fields on the well signposted course with marshals alongside cheering them on. The course split at Mount Harry with the 10k and 15 k runners heading onto Blackcap and beyond and the 5k looping back down through the sheep field, past the woods and back down the field. We had in total 38 runners doing the 5k. We had 58 Santa’s running past Blackcap to a turn around at the half way point on the South Downs Way and down back to Lewes completing 10k. The 15k run took 69 runners to the dewpond near Ditchling before they turned round and headed back. The weather was rather dreich by now and marshals were brilliantly steadfast in cheering our wonderful runners on in the cold rain. Free teas and coffees and mince pies in the school hall were much appreciated by the cold but still jolly runners who were all still full of positivity despite the weather. Here are the results of their magnificent effort.