Schedule

Sunday 26th May 2024, University of Brighton, Falmer, BN1 9PH.

7.15am: Registration opens
7.45am: Registration closes
8.30am: Race start

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Race start/finish location

Race registration and start will take place in the university campus at this what3words location https://w3w.co/spray.plenty.press There will be signs to direct you from the main road.

The race will finish at Helen Garden, Royal Parade, Eastbourne, BN20 7XL.

There will be free parking available in the university carpark however, this is only valid for 10 hours, and you must register your car at the reception on arrival.If you are not sure if you can finish the race and get back to the start within this timeframe, then please don't leave your vehicle there. This carpark is owned by an outside company and you will be fined £100 if you leave it there after the 10 hours is up (we have experienced this ourselves, so please do not leave it there).

Falmer Train Station is literally a 2 minute walk from the start line if you need to use public transport, as is the nearest bus stop. We will also put on our own bus service from Eastbourne to the start line on race morning. If you would like to park your car, or are staying, in Eastbourne near the finish then this is a good option to use (please see bottom of page for bus info).

There will be plenty of parking at the finish line in the nearby streets. Eastbourne Train Station is a 1.5 mile walk from the finish line however, there will be free regular shuttles to take runners from the finish line if you so choose. This service will be provided by local company Lynns Travel and there will be a sign at the finish line directing you to the bus (see bottom of page for bus info). There will also be toilets available, along with a large marquee, seating, food, drink and music.

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Aid Stations

There will be 4 very well stocked aid stations along the route which are listed below. Aid stations will carry a wide range of food and drink. They will cater for everyone’s needs including vegan, vegetarian and gluten free.

• Bananas
• Watermelon
• Crisps
• High 5 energy drink and gels
• PB, jam, cheese, ham, marmite sandwiches
• Homemade vegan/gluten free lemon drizzle cake
• Skittles and jelly babies
• Coke
• Soreen
• Chocolate
• Salted nuts
• Homemade flapjack
• Sausage rolls
• Water

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Cut Offs

All runners must be finished by 10pm. There are no cut off times for this race along the route other than at the last aid station in East Dean where everyone must have left by 7pm.

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Crews

There will be no crews at this event. We have decided to go with this option in order to keep landowners and the general public along the route happy. We did have the option to allow crews, but in terms of putting the future of the race in jeopardy we decided against it. With regular aid stations along the route, having a crew is not necessary for this event. Please contact us if you have any dietary needs on the day and, we will do our best to make sure they are available for you throughout.

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Pacers

No pacers will be allowed to accompany runners at any time during the race other than for any runners leaving the last aid station in East Dean after 7pm. This is purely for safety reasons of running in the dark.

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Spectators

Spectators are very welcome to come along and support their runners throughout the day. It is however very important for the future of the race that they behave in a sensible manner throughout. There are privately owned car parks along the route that can become overcrowded very quickly, and spectators must take it upon themselves to follow the rules of any certain car park. Not following these rules by parking on grass verges and in places that are not official parking spaces etc just because they are there to watch the race will not go down well, and could put the future of the race in jeopardy. If a certain car park is full, then please just move on to the next one. Spectators must not attend at any of the aid station locations.

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Finish Line Bags

Runners will also have the option of leaving a finish line bag at registration. This is limited to one bag per runner. The bag will be transported to the finish line area safe and ready for your collection. Please ensure the bag is clearly marked with your name and bib number. We will not post or hold any bags that are not collected by the end of the event.

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Mandatory Kit

The course is predominantly on easy going trails with small road sections as well. At the time of year the race takes place, the ground should be dry and hard, we therefore suggest that both road running and trail shoes are suitable. Runners must carry the following equipment with them at all-times and will be disqualified for failing kit checks. Inspections will take place before, during, and after the race.

• Fully charged mobile phone including the numbers for the Race Medic, Race Director and Event Control which will be printed on your race number..
• Emergency survival blanket/Foil blanket.
• Hydration system capable of holding one litre of liquid.
• Whistle
• Waterproof jacket with taped seams and a hood
• Cash/Bank Card
• The route downloaded to a GPS device or mobile (While this is not mandatory, it is strongly recommended, and ideally, runners should always have this on them during a race of this nature)

It is not mandatory, but we do suggest you bring a foldable cup to drink from as the race will be cup less.

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Route Markers and Navigation

A large part of the route will be on the South Downs Way and on these sections, there will be South Downs Way marker posts showing the acorn sign symbolising a National Trail. We will mark the route mainly with UK Ultra arrows and UK Ultra ribbons. A map and compass are not necessary at this event although, it is never a bad idea, and it is always recommended.

Even though the course will be thoroughly marked, it is the runner’s responsibility to navigate it successfully. We do however suggest you try and recce the route as much as possible, and STRONGLY suggest you download the GPX file onto your GPS, handheld or mobile device. Unfortunately, sometimes markers do get removed by members of the public or turned in the opposite direction.

Even though we will mark the route as thoroughly as possible, please don't rely on this. Having the GPX downloaded will save you a lot of hassle in this situation as it is very accurate, and you can easily navigate the route with this alone if markers are tampered with. This doesn't happen very often however, all it takes is for one marker to be tampered with to send you in the wrong direction.

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Prize purse

There will be a £3000 prize purse available for both 1st place male and female runners. £1500 each.

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Medical

There will be an experienced team of race medics available to runners before, during and after the event including first aid teams, response cars and ambulances. There is the possibility due to some locations on the course that the medical team might take some time to reach you. In this situation you should call 999.

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Shuttle Bus

There will be a shuttle bus service in operation on the morning of the race, travelling from Eastbourne to Falmer. Any entrants staying in Eastbourne before the event will be able to choose this option along with any local-residents. The bus will depart at 6.30am from the Langham Hotel on the seafront at a cost of £10 per ticket. It will also stop off at the finish line in Helen Garden on the way if you would prefer to be collected there. This will be around 6.35am. Places can be booked during the checkout process or via this link:

https://ukultra.eventrac.co.uk/e/south-downs-10150/products

There are many accommodation options available near the finish line to relax and spend the night. However, if you do need to get back to the start, there will be a shuttle bus service in operation after the race, which will transport all entrants that wish to use it, to the local train station and nearby hotels. This is free of charge and will depart every 30 mins. There are direct trains from here back to Falmer Station which is an 8 min walk from the start line.