Hastings Half Marathon: Course, Elevation & Route Profile

Course & Elevation

Start and finish are on Sea Road in St Leonards, right on the promenade. The opening kilometres are restless: short undulations, including a sharp pitch at kilometre 2 averaging almost seven percent, before the course briefly returns to the sea. From kilometre 4.8 comes the climb that defines the race: 2.7 kilometres at around 4 percent and just over 100 metres of ascent up into the higher parts of town.

Between kilometres 8 and 14 the course stays on the high ground above Hastings, mostly between 110 and 140 metres, with short rises that cost more after the long climb than their length suggests. It then drops to the sea in about three kilometres, and the last four kilometres run flat along the coast road back to Sea Road.

The race belongs to the Hastings Lions, who have run it as a charity event for decades; 2027 is the 41st edition, with Nice Work managing the race. Roads close on a rolling basis while the field passes, and the town is known for lining the course; in 2025 the race won Midsized Event of the Year at the Running Industry Awards. It is held in March, so on the coast expect wind off the sea.

Pacing Strategy

The watch lies in both directions here. On the climb from kilometre 4.8 your pace drops sharply; on the way down to the sea and along the coast it rises again. Run the first part on effort rather than target pace per kilometre, and accept that the first half will be slower than the second.

The trap is the high ground between kilometres 8 and 14. After the long climb the short rises there feel harmless, but pushing back to race pace on them sends you into the descent empty. Keep it steady and relaxed there so your legs are fresh for the downhill.

The race is decided over the last seven kilometres: about 130 metres of descent, then four flat kilometres on the promenade, often into or with the wind. With reserves left from the top you can gain minutes here; spend them on the hill and you give them back on the straight.

Training plan for Hastings Half Marathon: 12-week build

For most age-group runners the half takes between 1:45 and 2:30 hours. The load is unevenly spread: a long, steady climb in the first third, an undulating middle and a fast, flat finish. Aerobic endurance carries the race, but the kilometres on the hill and the final coastal stretch demand strength and the ability to hold pace when tired.

Build climbing in deliberately: long runs on hilly ground and sessions with 2 to 3 kilometre climbs at half-marathon effort, so the section from kilometre 4.8 is no shock. Downhill running matters just as much, because the descent from kilometre 14 loads the quads hard before the course flattens.

Train the finish with progression runs that start hilly and end flat, for example a long run with the last 4 kilometres at goal pace straight after a climb. That teaches you to find a flat rhythm again after running up and down.

A March date puts the build-up in winter. Include runs in wind if you live near a coast or on open ground, and test your race kit in cool conditions.