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All of the pre race information is shown below so please make sure to read ALL of it carefully.

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Schedule

Friday 2nd October, 2026, Plumpton Racecourse, Lewes.

4pm: Registration 1 opens

7pm: Registration 1 closes

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Saturday 3rd October

4.30am: Registration 2 opens

5.45am: Registration 2 closes

6am: Race start

4pm: Race finish (Sunday 4th)

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Race start/finish location and registration

Race registration and start will take place at Race HQ in the Paddock bar area at Plumpton Racecourse. There will be signs to direct you from the main road. There are two entrances to the racecourse but please use the one to the Northern end where Plumpton Train Station is located. What3Words entrance location

The race will also finish at the racecourse.

Race numbers will not be sent out in the post but, must be collected at registration along with a GPS tracker.

There will be free parking available on the grass in the middle of the racecourse.

There will be mens/women’s toilets, showers and changing rooms and a coffee van serving drinks and food such as bacon, egg and sausage sandwiches.

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‍Runner Details

Please make sure that all the information you have given us is correct and updated if it has changed since signing up. This includes Next of Kin details, your mobile number, any medical issues and medication you are taking. This is all very important if a situation arises during the race. You can update this by going to your Eventrac account or if you don’t have one, then the confirmation email you received when entering will enable you to manage your entry. If you can’t find this email, then please get in touch and we can send you another.

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CAMPING and the racecourse

Camping is available onsite and is free to all. Tents and camper vans are allowed but very large motor homes are not. You will be allowed to camp anywhere on the grass near to Race HQ in the middle of the racecourse. Camping is allowed from 3pm on the Friday. There are plenty of toilets and showers onsite. The racecourse must be clear by 6pm on the Sunday.

The race track around the outside is completely out of bounds for everyone over the weekend so please make sure to stay well away from it and make supporters and crew aware. This includes dogs.

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Accommodation and Travel

Please see HERE

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What3Words

On race weekend we will be using the App What3Words. We ask that all runners please download it to their mobile phone if possible and make sure the location setting is switched on. All runners will be wearing a GPS tracker however, if for any reason this stops working or signal is lost, then this app will allow everyone to give us their exact location if lost, or in an emergency. It’s very easy to use and could be very important.

https://what3words.com/products/what3words-app

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Route GPX

Please be sure to download the GPX file as close to race day as possible. This can be found below. There have been a few small adjustments made already to the route recently, and there is always the possibility of more diversions popping up beforehand. If you have downloaded it already, then please do so again and do it as close to race day as possible. Route GPX

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Awards

All finishers will receive a medal. Trophies will be awarded to the winners only, not second and third places.

Prizes will also be given to each age category winners only, not second and third place. The categories are male and female 40+, 50+, 60+, 70+. These will be sent out after the event.

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Aid Stations

There will be 12 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. Please note that for sustainability reasons and also some runners dropping litter on the trails we will no longer be offering energy gels, chews etc. We are trying to reduce single use plastic packaging from our events going straight to landfill and also ending up on the trails. Please feel free to bring your own supplies if you wish to use these and even better would be to go without and make use of our stacked Aid Stations with lots of choices and home made goodies. Women's sanitary products will be available at all Aid Stations and the start/finish line.

We would also recommend to give this more sustainable carry option a try DirtBags

‍This is a reusable and home compostable fuel and gear carry system that are environmentally friendlier alternatives to single-use gels, energy powder sachets, energy chews and bar packets and even plastic zip loc bags. Instead of putting them in to landfill, they can be reused over and over again and then eventually put back in to the earth and composted. We will now be offering more tray bake options and these bags are great for taking these from Aid Stations out on the trails with you without having to worry about them turning to mush and falling apart i your race vest or belt. They can also be used to buy your race nutrition in large bulk packages and then pre filled with whatever brand you use to greatly reduce single the use of single packet options DirtBags

• Dates
• Watermelon
• Bananas
• Crisps (Vegan)
• SIS electrolyte tablets
• Jam, cheese, Tuna, Marmite sandwiches all made with vegan spread on white bread (Gluten free available)
• Homemade vegan/gluten free lemon drizzle cake
• Skittles (Vegan) and Jelly Babies
• Coke
• Soreen (Vegan)
• Chocolate
• Jaffa Cakes
• Homemade banana bread (Vegan and nut free)
• Homemade energy balls (Vegan and nut free)
• Flapjack (Vegan)
• Pizza
• Sausage rolls (Normal and vegan)
• Scotch eggs
• Pineapple
• Water

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Cut Offs

There is a time limit of 34 hours for the race, and all runners must be finished by 4pm on the Sunday. There are cut offs at some of the Aid Station locations along the route as shown in the table above. We will give you a little bit of wiggle room with these. If you are way over the cutoff time then we will have to ask you to stop.

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Drop Bags

Runners will have the option of leaving two drop bags at registration. One for each station. If you only bring one bag for both stations, we will not be able to transfer it during the race. These bags will be transported to the Findon (mile 53) and Washington (mile 74.7) Aid Stations where they will be kept safe, and ready for your collection. Please keep these bags as small as possible and labelled with your name, race number and Aid Station name.

Please be aware that if you would like to transfer the drop bags to the finish line after using them, then they will not be transported until after the last runner has left Washington aid station. If you finish before this and don’t want to wait, then we can hold the bags for collection the following week but cannot post them back. We suggest you have some spare clothes in these bags incase of bad weather, along with any snacks/drinks you might prefer that we don't provide.

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Pacers

Pacers will be allowed to accompany runners from the Findon Aid Station. Pacers can meet their runners anywhere along the route after this except for Aid Station locations (Findon is the only exception). They must not turn up at any of these other locations. Pacers are more than welcome to enter and use Aid Stations with their runners if they are already running with them, but in terms of noise and parking, they must not turn up at these locations to meet and wait for them. Landowners will not allow this, so please get your pacer to meet you somewhere else on the route. Pacers must also be aware to keep noise down in residential areas especially at night, and early morning. Car lights and engines must also be kept off in these areas during these times..

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Spectators & Crews

‍Spectators and crews must not attend at any of the Aid Station locations. This gets said every time and still they try to turn up at Aid Stations. If they turn up at these locations we will disqualify the runner. This is due to landowner requests, so it is very important to abide. Runners are responsible for their crew and supporters, so must pass this Information onto them. They will be permitted to help/meet their runners pretty much anywhere else on the route that is both sensible and legal. Again, anyone not adhering to this will result in their runner being disqualified.

While spectators and crews 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 aren’t 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. They must also be aware to keep noise down in residential areas especially at night, and early morning. Car lights and engines must also be kept off in these areas during these times.

We strongly recommend you bring a crew with you if possible. While lots of people do it without, it is so beneficial to have one supporting you over a distance such as this. These below locations are the best places to meet the runners along the route:

1. Firle Beacon Car Park, mile 15 What3Words (Please note that this is not on the route and crews must park in Firle Beacon car park then walk a few minutes West along the SDW to meet runners)

2. Southease, mile 18.8 What3Words

3. Summer down Car Park, mile 38.2 What3Words

4. Beeding Hill Car Park, mile 45.5 What3Words

5. Findon, mile 54.5 What3Words Crews must please park sensibly here as it is a residential area.. This is a small, quiet village so crews must please turn engines and lights off in vehicles while waiting. They must not park near the village hall but much further down the road.

6. Kithurst Hill Car Park, mile 70.6 What3Words‍

7. Chantry Hill, Car Park, mile 73 What3Words

8. Devils Dyke, mile 88.7 What3Words Please note that crews cannot park here but must park in the National Trust carpark 200 meters up the road and walk down to meet runners at this point. The carpark is at this location What3Words

9. Clayton Windmills, mile 93.6 What3Words

10. Ditchling Beacon, mile 95.6 What3Words Please note crews can only access this carpark after 5am on the Sunday morning and not before) Crews must not wait for runners in the carpark. It is a very busy carpark and we don't runners going through there. Crews must walk up onto the route on the nearby South Downs Way to meet their runners.

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SWEEPER BUS

There will not be an official sweeper vehicle in operation during the event to collect runners that can no longer continue. We will do all we can to help, but there is often a long waiting time for this, and there is only so much we can do to support runners in this situation. It is essentially the runner’s responsibility to plan ahead in the situation they do have to drop out of the race, to arrange support and transport to get home. Our main priority when runners drop out is with runners still in the race. We will do what we can to help but, please plan ahead for this by arranging your own transport and it is mandatory to bring cash and a bank card for local transport/taxi. If we are able to arrange transportation it will only be able to take you to nearby Aid Stations, local transport locations etc. It will not be able to take you to the finish line unless you decide to drop out late into the race and the journey is not too far.

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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 kept at the finish line area safe and ready for your collection. Please ensure the bag is clearly marked with your name and race number.

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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 light 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 at any time during and after the race.

• Fully charged mobile phone including the numbers for the Race Medic, Event Control and Race Director which will be available at registration

• Foil blanket/survival blanket
• Hydration system capable of holding at least one litre of liquid.
• Whistle
• Warm gloves
• Warm hat
• Headlamp (minimum 300 lumens) and backup headlamp (minimum 200 lumens)
• Waterproof jacket with a hood and taped seams (10,000 rating minimum)
• Base layer (Must be kept dry in race pack and not worn from the start)
• A bank card and £50 cash. If you have for example Apple Pay on your phone then this can replace one of these but you must have a payment method and a backup option
• The route downloaded to a GPS device or mobile
• A high visibility item that can be seen at night. This is essentially so you are visible to drivers when running during darkness nearby roads or crossing them. There are various things such as high vis hats, waist belts, certain running tops etc that are all acceptable. A good example of this would be something you can strap around your arm or ankle.

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

The route will be well marked with blue UK Ultra arrows, ground flags and ribbons throughout. These are all reflective and will be visible at night when your headlamp beam hits them.

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 it is mandatory to download the GPX file onto your GPS device or mobile. Unfortunately, sometimes markers do get removed by members of the public or turned in the opposite direction so having the route downloaded is very important as a back up.

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 removed to send you in the wrong direction.

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Railway crossing

There is one railway crossing to navigate just before the third Aid Station at Southease, mile 18.6. Here all runners must use the footbridge to cross the level crossing and not pass directly over the tracks even if the barriers are up and no train is approaching. There will be Marshalls here to monitor this and anyone not following this will be disqualified from the race.

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‍Road crossings and carparks

There are several road crossings along the route, some of which are very busy and potentially dangerous. It is your responsibility as runners to always navigate these road crossings safely. Please pass along and cross these as you normally would by using the Highway Code and staying on the righthand side against the flow of cars when on country lanes. A few small sections will entail running on country lanes without pavements, so please stay on the right and be cautious. There will be marshals at some of these crossings however, the majority will be unmanned, so please take your time and be sensible when navigating them.

There are also small carparks along the route that can potentially be dangerous. Please be cautious of vehicles when approaching and passing through these.

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Trail etiquette

Please be aware that the race route follows trails, paths and fields that will be shared by other members of the public and livestock. It is very important to be polite, courteous, and kind at all times. Just because you are in a race does not give you priority over them. Please be cautious when running through fields with livestock. Please approach and pass them slowly and cautiously.

 The route backs onto homes at many points during the race, but please be especially considerate at nighttime and in the early morning where the race passes through residential areas. There must be absolutely no littering along the course. Anyone seen doing so will be disqualified. There will also be times where the race passes through farmers’ fields with livestock in, and it is essential that all gates are please closed after using them. Failure to do this will obviously mean livestock can potentially escape. Anyone seen not closing gates will be disqualified. It is that important.

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Rules

Please be sure to read through these RULES

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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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Photography

Race images will be FREE to all runners and will be available a few days after the event.

Please do not get in touch asking when they will be ready immediately after the event. This has nothing to do with us and the photos will be ready once the photographer has had time to process them all. As soon as they are ready they will be made available on the website and sent out via email.

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UTMB, ITRA and DUV Statistics

South Downs 100 miles is a UTMB Index Race and has been awarded 5 ITRA points. Results will be sent to UTMB, ITRA and DUV about a week after the event has finished so please be patient with this. If you would not like us to share your results with any of these three then please let us know.

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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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