Schedule

Sunday 25th May 2025, 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.

Race numbers will not be sent out in the post but, must be collected at registration along with a 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 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 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 an 8 min walk from the start line.

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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 (Vegan)
• High 5 energy gels and dissolvable electrolyte tablets
• Jam, cheese, marmite and, ham 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)
• Salted potatoes (Vegan)
• 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.

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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 it is down to you to 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
• £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 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 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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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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