The Forum of Benfleet Running Club

Karl C

London to Brighton Run 5th October 2008

The London to Brighton Run is a 56 mile (90 kilometre) ultra running event from the River Thames at Greenwich on trails through the beautiful English countryside of the counties of Kent, Surrey and Sussex to the vibrant, cosmopolitan, coastal city of Brighton on the South Coast of England.

Starting at dawn, overlooking London whilst she sleeps, the route begins by General Wolfe’s statue in Greenwich Park, leading you through quiet lanes in surprisingly unspoilt parts of London on its way to the spectacular countryside of the South-East of England. This trail run passes through the edge of North Kent on to the North Downs in the County of Surrey from which, weather permitting, you can see the distant hills of the South Downs that hide the English Channel just beyond and your final destination.

From the North Downs, the paths and tracks of the route run through fields and lanes in a quiet and beautifully preserved part of England. The steam (Bluebell) railway at Horsted Keynes (at about the two-thirds stage) will be tempting at this point as the challenge of the daunting Ditchling Beacon awaits and can be seen in the distance as this incredible journey approaches its end phase.

From the Beacon, a brief few miles will take you to the finish by the spectacular Brighton Pavilion (an Indian style palace built by George the IV, formerly Prince Regent), where other competitors, friends, family and supporters will greet you and help you to celebrate your success.

For those of you who have completed the London to Brighton Road Race of old, this run, although not a direct substitute, will offer a new challenge and a different perspective of the country as viewed from the route. For newcomers to this type of ultra running event, or experienced trail and endurance runners, one thing is certain, it will be a joy, we promise. Minimum 25, maximum 150 participants. Price £40.00 or £38.00 UK Athletics Affiliated.

I sent an email to ask about support, etc.....reply follows...

Steffan · #4 Joined: 11 May 2006 Posts: 588 Location: Basildon

Come on then, are we entering this event?!!!

Ernie · #2 Joined: 26 May 2006 Posts: 240 Location: Hockley GORC

I'm in !

Ernie · #2 Joined: 26 May 2006 Posts: 240 Location: Hockley GORC

Looks like I'm the one and Only !

London to Brighton Run

4th October 2009
NOW CLOSED FOR 2008

Steffan · #4 Joined: 11 May 2006 Posts: 588 Location: Basildon

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Abingdon it is then, tsk!

Have a good one Ernie.

Lucycat · Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 2:03 pm Post subject:

Aw no - didnt dare enter until iknew the legs would hack it.
too late.....
_________________

Lucy and Paddy

Steffan · #4 Joined: 11 May 2006 Posts: 588 Location: Basildon

Same here Lucy, plus a big bout of nerves thinking about that distance and my (at the time) injured knee!

(Excuses, excuses)!!!!

Ernie · #2 Joined: 26 May 2006 Posts: 240 Location: Hockley GORC

Not to worry Boys and Girls there is always the
50 mile "Rowbothams Round Rotherham on Dec 13th"
so a little more preparation time to hopefully sort those injuries out.

Graham · #3 Joined: 11 May 2006 Posts: 395

I was looking at that to kick off winter training. Road trip in the camper anybody?

Ernie · #2 Joined: 26 May 2006 Posts: 240 Location: Hockley GORC

MM 1 and myself will be running in the Round Rotherham again this year and will be hoping to knock an hour off our last years time (thats the plan anyway).
Great Race ....in fact one of the very best Ultras in the Country.
This race is very well organised.

ps If you are up there Graham you could meet us in the pub for a couple the night before.

Ernie · #2 Joined: 26 May 2006 Posts: 240 Location: Hockley GORC

If anyone is interested !

REPLACEMENT PLACES AVAILABLE FOR 2008 (London to Brighton)

Ernie · #2 Joined: 26 May 2006 Posts: 240 Location: Hockley GORC

I'm beginning to wonder if I've been scammed ?
Promised Route Maps to be sent out 2 months before the race haven't eventuated and Extreme Running's Message Board is starting to heat up with such coments :
"the website indicated that we would get route/map details 2 months in advance - I tried emailing @10 days ago for an update but had no response"
& " The input from extremerunning on this forum has been very quiet recently i do hope everything is ok????? " etc etc
but then they are still taking money as seen by this comment :
"I recently got accepted for the L2B, so I am sure everything is still on-course bar my training!! "
I'll think I'll stay with tried and Tested Race Organisations in the future.
Whether they are genuine or not I cannot say ... I'll just have to wait and see.

Mike Mason · #7 Joined: 02 Jun 2006 Posts: 1055 Location: Hockley

Ernie, why worry about maps when you have me to assist?

If all else fails I will find a cross-eyed Farmer....
_________________
'sometimes I am running so fast it appears that rocks and trees are standing still......' 'I may be slow, but you are ugly and I can train harder.' '90% is mental, the other half is physical'it's going to get a lot worse, before it gets worse'.

mikemoreton · Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2008 11:15 am Post subject:

MM1 to assist in map reading?????????? He cant even find his way to the club.

Nuff said.

MM2

Mike Mason · #7 Joined: 02 Jun 2006 Posts: 1055 Location: Hockley

MM2 - cruel........................but fair

MM1
_________________
'sometimes I am running so fast it appears that rocks and trees are standing still......' 'I may be slow, but you are ugly and I can train harder.' '90% is mental, the other half is physical'it's going to get a lot worse, before it gets worse'.

Ernie · #2 Joined: 26 May 2006 Posts: 240 Location: Hockley GORC

Message from the Administrator :

Guys,

Sorry we were quiet for a couple of weeks - were researching another run for next year so responding to everything remotely. Maps are at the printers and coming to you (being posted) some time next week (so don't worry!).

"I'd be happier if I had them now but maybe....just maybe it'll work out"
Still not a very good effort on their part.

Ernie · #2 Joined: 26 May 2006 Posts: 240 Location: Hockley GORC

I have Maps !
All is forgiven.
Course looks quite navigationally demanding and especially since its the first time for this event.
With a cut off time of 12 hours and the possibility of getting lost quite high I would think there would be quite a few DNFs.

Graham · #3 Joined: 11 May 2006 Posts: 395

All that fuss about some maps. And they call us whingeing poms?

Stu · #1 Joined: 01 Mar 2007 Posts: 40

I thought they found their way by dingo footprints and 'roo poo.

Mike Mason · #7 Joined: 02 Jun 2006 Posts: 1055 Location: Hockley

just a reminder that Ernie competes this Saturday. I am sure he would appreciate some motivational comments from his mates or as is known in the great 'Caring Club' ....abuse...

Feel free to post ...
_________________
'sometimes I am running so fast it appears that rocks and trees are standing still......' 'I may be slow, but you are ugly and I can train harder.' '90% is mental, the other half is physical'it's going to get a lot worse, before it gets worse'.

mikemoreton · Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 1:16 pm Post subject:

Ernie,

Further to Sundays run, I can slow you down, you can speed me up.

Good luck on Sunday, have a good run.

Regards

MM2

Mike Mason · #7 Joined: 02 Jun 2006 Posts: 1055 Location: Hockley

Ernie is not known as Mr Albatross for nothing..yes the forecast for the race is HEAVY RAIN....cheers Ernie....
_________________
'sometimes I am running so fast it appears that rocks and trees are standing still......' 'I may be slow, but you are ugly and I can train harder.' '90% is mental, the other half is physical'it's going to get a lot worse, before it gets worse'.

Karl C · Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 1:24 pm Post subject:

Good Luck Ernie, I know you will blast it whatever the weather.

If only I could be doing it with you, but alas I bottled it.

Ian J · #2 Joined: 20 May 2006 Posts: 267 Location: Rayleigh

Good Luck Ernie,

Thanks for the run Sunday,

Ian

_________________
Whad'ya mean "Run fat boy, run"? I AM running!

Lee O · #3 Joined: 30 Aug 2006 Posts: 385 Location: Canvey Island

Good Luck Ernie....
_________________
My mind says I am still 19 and in My Prime......Body Suggests Otherwise!!!!!!

debbie g · #6 Joined: 11 May 2006 Posts: 707

Good luck Ernie you'll have a blinder the way you are running at the moment

Graham · #3 Joined: 11 May 2006 Posts: 395

Nail it old boy!!

Ernie · #2 Joined: 26 May 2006 Posts: 240 Location: Hockley GORC

After some suspicions I finally found out that my ever so keen Main Support Man , "Mike Mason" had thought that the L2B was on this Saturday and not Sunday.

It came close to being woken up unnecessarily 5.00 am Saturday Morning with Mike banging on the door which brings me back to that poor one-eyed Farmer he banged up in the middle of the night in Scotland last year.

Never a dull moment these Ultra runs !

Karl C · Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 4:04 pm Post subject:

glad to see you are in safe hands, as ever.

Good old Mikey Mason, always rely on him when the going gets tough !

Mike Mason · #7 Joined: 02 Jun 2006 Posts: 1055 Location: Hockley

get stuffed the pair of you...

_________________
'sometimes I am running so fast it appears that rocks and trees are standing still......' 'I may be slow, but you are ugly and I can train harder.' '90% is mental, the other half is physical'it's going to get a lot worse, before it gets worse'.

mArKw · #2 Joined: 15 May 2006 Posts: 291 Location: Benfleet

Have a good one Ernie. Just make sure Mr Mason knows that the B in L2B is Brighton. Not Birmingham.......

Mark

Ernie · #2 Joined: 26 May 2006 Posts: 240 Location: Hockley GORC

Finally after this Race being listed so long on the Forum it gets to be done ( I hope !)

Thank you all for your good wishes .

One thing I cant complain about is the weather (for sure someone up there must really like me).

Note: places for next years race is already over 1/2 booked (quite amazing since its never been run before!) and if it turns out to be successful then available vacant places should go fast.

Karl C · Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2008 10:03 am Post subject:

TEXT UPDATE FROM MIKE MASON:

"bad rain, Ernie in first pack of 20.
Running Well.
First Checkpoint 9.5 miles in 1:16"

Karl C · Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2008 12:39 pm Post subject:

"Half way at 11:50 hrs. just off 10 min pace. looks like a drowned rat!"

Karl C · Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2008 4:18 pm Post subject:

"checkpoint 5 at 15:48. waiting at Ditchling Beacon. Next stop is the finish. Hard to navigate but he is OK"

mArKw · #2 Joined: 15 May 2006 Posts: 291 Location: Benfleet

Karl C · Posted: Sun Oct 05, 2008 6:09 pm Post subject:

And he's finished, not thanks to MM I guess.

12th Position in 10 hrs 49 mins. What a star.

Running all that way, and having toput up with Mike Mason enroute as well.

Hero !

debbie g · #6 Joined: 11 May 2006 Posts: 707

Ernie you are a true inspiration. Brilliant run

Stevie · #3 Joined: 10 May 2006 Posts: 452 Location: Benfleet

Simply amazing Ernie, 56 miles in that weather or any weather in fact is hard for me to imagine - very well done :notworthy:

graham crocket · Joined: 24 Jun 2008 Posts: 19

You re the man i thought of you sunday as the rain came down must have made it even tougher.
Hope to see you soon down the club but have a trapped nerve in my lower back at the mo so unable to do any running might take another couple of weeks to get better .

JBD · #3 Joined: 15 Sep 2007 Posts: 317

Congratulations Ernie,

I'd lost track of when you were doing this.....weather was suitably dismal of course, hope you happy with your efforts, top man !

Ernie · #2 Joined: 26 May 2006 Posts: 240 Location: Hockley GORC

Streuth !
Wet ! Wet ! Wet !
At times the paths I was running along had turned into flowing streams with no shortage of numerous ponds , soggy paddocks & mud to splosh through.
Getting Lost was something I had expected and doubt if anyone in this race didn't have difficulty but I tend to think that its a miracle that I got through this within the cut-off time
Re getting lost :
At the 1st Checkpoint mistakedly left my map-book and Compass in the back of Mike's Car and shortly afterwards got lost with a group of 9 other Runners.
At checkpoint 2 picked up my map-book and shortly afterwards took a wrong turn with another runner and probably lost 15 minutes there.
After getting back on track and running down a big hill I found that I had lost my reading glasses so I had to back track all the way up to the very top of the hill to retrieve them lying in the mud (more time wasted).
Then I lost my Support Crew and didn't see them for the next 2 checkpoints (thankfully another support crew took over and helped out).
Then I lost my phone to the ravages of the weather (waterlogged) which wasn't the first time I've done this in a trail Race.
Once more I got a little lost but shortly afterwards managed to get back on track.
I think just about everyone got lost.
This was a navigational nightmare for anyone anticipating trying this as many parts of the route were pathless and hidden.
I'd like to say this was a tough race but aren't they all !
There was supposedly 200 participants in this race but we suspect that many had pulled out on the day.
I had heard that 50 had pulled out by the second checkpoint but I cant say for sure.
I do know that 81 finished & I came in 12th in an unofficial time of 10 hours 49 mins and with a cut off time of 12 hours I think the Officials must of extended the finishing time or reap the wrath of many unhappy runners.
And of course I've lost a few toe nails but I feel fine and should be back running again in a couple of days time (maybe Thursday at Club training night).
Big thankyou to Mike Mason and my wife Francoise for Supporting me even if they were only there for 1/2 the race.

Thankyou all again for your good wishes and insults (every little bit helps)

gmike · #2 Joined: 26 Mar 2008 Posts: 259 Location: Benfleet

Blimey Ern that's some bush tucker trial you've been on there! Nice to see the old aussie GPS's on form lol. Well done mate.

Mike Mason · #7 Joined: 02 Jun 2006 Posts: 1055 Location: Hockley

Ernie, you miserable git. Francoise and I enjoyed an extended lunch break in a pub with a real fire as our clothes dried out. You did have your payback when you arrived whilst I was savouring my icecream on top of Ditching Beacon......why there should be an icecream van there God only knows...

Still excellent race you done well for a wrinklie........
_________________
'sometimes I am running so fast it appears that rocks and trees are standing still......' 'I may be slow, but you are ugly and I can train harder.' '90% is mental, the other half is physical'it's going to get a lot worse, before it gets worse'.

mattcops · Joined: 14 Apr 2008 Posts: 20 Location: Thunderlsey

Well done Ernie!!!!

Nice one mate

see you soon

Matt

bobby · #2 Joined: 06 Apr 2008 Posts: 257

Excellent job Ernie. You certainly had to work hard, but as usual mission accomplished. You deserve a couple of days off.