North Downs Way 50^®

Entries

Entries for 2024 open 1000 on Saturday 24th June 2023. All of the places for the event are available on a first come, first served basis, aside from an additional 40 that exist for 2023 volunteers. All entrants must meet the minimum qualification standard below in order to apply. There will be no waiting list for this event. 

Entry fee is £105.

Runners may also enter the NDW50 as part of the 50 mile Grand Slam. To take part in the Slam, runners can enter each event individually, or buy a Grand Slam ticket which gets you entry to all four 50 Mile Slam events. Information on the Grand Slam, and how to enter it can be found by clicking here. 

Qualification Standard

In order to enter you must have completed a minimum of a marathon distance race within the cut off time of that event between 1st January 2020 and race day. As organisers, we reserve the right to refuse anybody entry who does not meet this standard. Unqualified runners may enter but will be contacted approximately 8 weeks prior to race to verify qualification plans if they have not updated their online information by this time.

Click here to read more about what counts as a qualifier 

Start Process: Wave Start 

The race will have two starting waves. 

Wave 1 will start at 0700 and Wave 2 will start at 0745.

Waves will be decided based on estimated finish times with the fastest runners in Wave 1. If you wish to run with your friends, training partner or clubmates ensure you all put the same finish time. You will not be able to change waves once they are set and published. This will be around 3 weeks before the event. You can change your estimated finish time anytime after you enter until the waves are set.

Only runners in Wave 1 will be eligible for overall awards in both the men's and women's races. Age group awards can be won from either wave.

Cut offs will remain at 13 hours for both starting waves. 

Cut Offs

Runners must finish within the 13 hour time limit. There are additional cut offs on route which are listed in the aid station plan.

Start/ Finish Location

Race HQ is at Farnham Leisure Centre, Dogflud Way, Farnham, GU9 7UD. The race itself starts at the trail head of the North Downs Way. Runners will commence the 5 minutes walk down to the race start, following the race briefing at the Leisure Centre.

The race finish is in the fields behind Knockholt Pound Village Hall. The site is easily accessible by car/ on foot. Parking for those collecting runners is at Coolings Lifestyle Garden Centre (TN14 7LJ) and walk the 5 minutes to the field.

Route

The race route travels 50 miles east from the NDW trailhead at Farnham in the west, to Knockholt Pound. The route does not deviate away from the North Downs Way until the final half a mile in to the village and the finish line. 

A map, and gpx file, of the route can be found at the bottom of this page. 

Awards

FINISHER Medal to Finishers only. Rather than take a medal, runners can opt in to plant a tree instead with Trees not Tees. This option can be selected during the registration process.

Additional prizes will be awarded to 1st, 2nd and 3rd place Male and Female and all Vet Categories: MV40, MV50, MV60, MV70, FV40, FV50, FV60, FV70. 

Aid Stations

There will be 6 fully stocked aid stations along the length of the course. Aid stations carry as a minimum: Water, Tailwind, Coke/Pepsi, Chocolate, Bananas, Jelly Babies, Nuts, Fruit, Gu Gels, Crisps and Sandwiches/ Wraps and other sweet/ savoury snacks. There will be hot food and drinks at the finish. The full aid station plan can be found here. 

Course Markings

The course does not deviate from the North Downs Way National Trail until the final half a mile to the finish. The course is marked by North Downs Way signposts which come in different forms but all carrying the acorn symbol of the national trail.

In addition to the fixed markers as above, the course will also be marked with Centurion marker arrows and pink ribbons. There are a number of road crossings to negotiate, some of them are extremely busy and will NOT be marshalled. It is the responsibility of the runner to negotiate all road crossings safely.

It is ultimately the runners responsibility to navigate the course successfully, with or without course markings. We strongly recommend that you take the time to recce the route before race day. Carrying a map and compass are highly recommended for the event in case of an emergency. The Harveys North Downs Way map available at a discounted rate here, is an excellent guide. 

Crew, Pacers & Drop Bags

Pacers and Crews are not permitted at this race. Spectators must absolutely under no circumstances attend any of the check points on foot, by bike or by vehicle.

For clarity, this means you can have no one run with you on the route for any length of time (pacer) and you can not give or recieve anything from anyone outside of the race (crew). Spectators and vocal support is welcome anywhere along the route apart from around or anywhere near the check points.

A finish line bag can be deposited at Registration and it will be taken to the finish at Knockholt Pound for you. Maximum bag size is 50 litres.

Medical

There will be a team of race medics available throughout the duration of the weekend including two race ambulances and static medical aid stations at the finish point. Many of the aid stations will also have additional medics on hand. If you suffer an injury or accident that warrants direct medical attention and you are not able to get to an aid station, there will be a number for the medical director provided before race day. Due to the nature of the course ie. off road, the medics may take some time to reach you, or potentially be out of contact for some time tending to other runners. In an emergency please call both our medics AND 999. If you are injured but able to walk, please make your way to the nearest aid station where there will either be a medic, or the aid station captain will immediately get in touch with medical care. If you suffer a severe injury, encounter someone in serious difficulty or are in any doubt at all please call 999 for emergency ambulance services.

Kit

80% of the course is on trail. Trail shoes are advised but if it is dry, you will be able to complete the course perfectly adequately in road shoes. There are sections of trail where the chalk has become exposed which can make it slippery and technical in the wet. Please use due care and attention on steep downhill sections, particularly the flights of steep and rutted stairs.

Kit checks will be carried out at random at the start, every aid station and the finish. Runners must carry the following mandatory equipment at all times. A time penalty of one hour will be imposed for any item found to be missing at any point on course. Please refer to this page for explanations on the inclusion of the below items. 

There are many options regards kit for fulfilling these requirements and those of other events. We stock what we believe to be the best options at our online store available by clicking here under the Mandatory Gear Section. Please ask us if you have any questions.

• Fully Charged Mobile Phone including the numbers for the Race Medic and Race Director (on the number you have given at registration)
• Water Bottles/Bladder capable of carrying a minimum of 1 litre.
• Survival Blanket: 1.4m x 2m minimum
• Waterproof Jacket: Gore-tex or similar, minimum 10000mm+ & must have sealed seams. 
• Whistle
• Headtorch or Primary Light Source 
• The race is cupless which means you must bring a cup with you. Soft cups are available at the store here. 

Strongly recommended but not mandatory: 

• Route Map - Should be a hard copy that you are able to navigate from and not a map on your phone. The Harveys Map available at a discounted rate here is strongly recommended.
• Compass - This should be a separate physical compass and not electronic/ on your phone. 

The video below takes you through the mandatory gear for the race and gives some tips and advice on how to pack it.