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All of the pre race information is shown below so please make sure to read ALL of it carefully. There will not be a pre race briefing on the day.

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Schedule

Friday 22nd May 2026, Helen Garden, Eastbourne, BN20 7XL What3Words location

5pm: Registration 1 opens

8pm: Registration 1 closes

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Saturday 23rd May 2026, University of Brighton, Falmer, BN1 9PH.

7.15am: Registration 2 opens

7.45am: Registration 2 closes

8.30am: Race start

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There will be two opportunities to collect Race Numbers (Bibs) This can be done for Registration 1 on the Friday evening in Eastbourne or Registration 2 on the Saturday morning at the start line in Falmer University. While numbers and kit check can be done on the Friday, GPS Trackers can only be collected on the Saturday morning at the start line.

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Race start/finish location

Race registration 2 and race 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.

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

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 vehicle at the pavilion where registration takes place 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 also goes for any family or supporters that come to the start. All cars arriving must be registered, even if only staying for a short time. This carpark is owned by an outside company and you will be fined £100 if you don't register your vehicle and/or 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 five 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 below 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 to local hotels/Public Transport stations. 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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Shuttle Bus

There will be a bus service in operation on the morning of the race, travelling from Eastbourne to Falmer for runners that wish to use it. The bus will depart at 6.45am from the finish line at Helen Garden. 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 a five minute walk from the start line.

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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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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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accommodation and travel

There are various accommodation options nearby to Race HQ in Queen Elizabeth Country Park. Details can be seen HERE

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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 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
• Dates
• Crisps (Vegan)
• Dissolvable electrolyte tablets
• Jam, cheese, cheese and pickle, marmite sandwiches all made with vegan spread

• Homemade vegan/gluten free lemon drizzle cake
• Skittles (Vegan) and jelly babies
• Coke
• Soreen (Vegan)
• Chocolate
• Jaffa Cakes
• Nakd bars (Vegan)
• Flapjack
• Pizza
• Sausage rolls (Normal and vegan)
• Roasted salted potatoes (Vegan)
• Water

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Cut Offs

All runners must be finished by 7.30pm. 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 6pm.

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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.

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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. Spectators 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 please pass this Information onto them. There are also 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 (Minimum 10,000 rating)
• £20 cash and a bank card. 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 (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 entire route with additional UK Ultra arrows and UK Ultra ribbons. There are times the route comes off the SDW which will be thoroughly marked. 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 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.

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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Earphones

We ask all runners to please not wear earphones during the race. This is purely for Health and Safety reasons when crossing roads, if we try to call and hearing instructions from Marshall’s. As mentioned, if we need to call you for any reason during the race then it is important you can hear your phone. Bone Conduction are ok.

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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

We have teamed up with The Graphic Corner Sussex to cover the event. These 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 50K is a UTMB Index Race and has been awarded 2 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.