North Downs Way 50 Mile Race

Race completed

80 km Distance

5 m Climbing

4.0 Grit · Challenging

51.2116° N, 0.7886° W © OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles Data from OpenStreetMap

What the course asks

Climbing rate 0 m / km Fast & Flat. This course is relatively flat and fast. Ideal for PB attempts.

Time limit 13 hours 9:45 min/km average. Comfortable. Room to walk the climbs and stop at aid. Tighter than 79% of 50 mi races. Measured against 445 races of the same distance. Cut-off calculator →

Field size ~274 Large. Rarely out of sight of another runner.

DUV results for the 2026 edition (50mi) — finishers only. Starters are not published, so the field was at least this big and no finish rate can be given.

Typical conditions, May

Daytime high 16°C

Night low 8°C

Rainfall Mostly dry

Daylight 15 h 34 m of light

Regional 2001-2020 average for May — NASA POWER, grid elevation 51 m. Not a forecast.

The Aid Station

Course-specific beta from the community

⛰️ terrain

This is a fast & flat course. Expect fast, runnable sections where rhythm is key.

By UltraHub Expert

👟 gear

With trail terrain, choose a shoe with moderate cushioning for optimal performance.

By UltraHub Expert

Gear for this race

Chosen for 80 km of trail with 5 m of ascent.

Trail Running Shoes 80 km of trail — cushioning that is still there in the last quarter.
Race Nutrition 80 km of self-supported fuelling between aid stations.
Hydration Vests Flask capacity for 80 km, without the bounce.
Headlamps A 13 h limit puts you out there after dark.
GPS Watches Battery life first — a 80 km day outlasts most full-GPS modes.