Over 300 nutters turned up at Worthing on Sunday morning to run the 50 miles along the South Downs Way to Eastbourne. The race was originally scheduled for April, but had been postponed, so instead of enjoying the downs in the spring sunshine and showers, we were treated to autumn sunshine and showers. There were a couple of seriously unpleasant showers with horizontal rain and hail, but for the most part the weather wasn’t too bad, and the chalk on the downs drain well so the trail wasn’t waterlogged and running was good.
We were allowed to start anytime between 6am and 8:30 with faster runners encouraged to start early to avoid too much overtaking and bunching up on the route. As a result it was more of a time trial than a race, so just a matter of pacing well and surviving the distance and the elements.
This format does mean you don’t get to see anyone at the start or finish, which is a shame, but at least they can put on a safe race.
Results (apologies if I missed anyone – the provisional results don’t have clubs listed)
1. Josh Barrow 6:15
23. David Barker 8:10
29. Michelle Maxwell (1st Female) 8:15
160 Lyndon Jennings 10:25
200. Jon Hodge 10:59
David French