Centurion South Downs Way 50km

South Downs Way 50km

The South Downs Way 50km is a 50 km nonstop footrace through the South Downs National Park. The route largely follows the South Downs Way National Trail along the chalk ridgeway, starting at Matterley Bowl and finishing in the event field at Queen Elizabeth Country Park after the descent from Butser Hill. The course lies entirely within the national park and passes through rolling hills, ancient forts, villages and areas of woodland.

The route includes approximately 4,000 ft (around 1,200 m) of climb, with about 80% trail and 20% road terrain. The organiser provides four fully stocked aid stations with options for vegetarian, vegan and gluten free diets, full medical support with roving and finish-line teams, and a marked course. A map and a downloadable GPX file are provided by the organiser. Live tracking is available during the race.

Field size is 400 starters and the event is held under a UK Athletics permit. Runners must complete the course within a nine hour cut off; additional intermediate cut offs apply. There are no qualification standards for entry but minimum age is 20 as per rules. Overnight camping is available at the start. Pacers and crews are not permitted.

Mandatory kit must be carried and will be checked; required items include a charged mobile phone, minimum 1 litre water capacity, a survival blanket (minimum 1.4m x 2m), a waterproof jacket with sealed seams and a separate cup. A one hour time penalty applies for any missing mandatory item. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.