Saturday 17th May 2025

Another awesome report from the incredible Ian Pusey who braved the North Downs Way 50 miles just a few weeks ago, even setting a new V60 HH club record ⭐ Go! Ian!

Grab a cuppa ☕️ & settle down – it’s like we are right there with him 😊 ⬇️

🖤♥️My Centurion North Downs Way 50 mile 2025, by Ian ……..

To say I had doubts about my ability to finish this race would be a gross understatement.

My buildup hadn’t gone to plan, I missed some good work in Febuary/March due to an ansty achilles and consequently struggled in the Hundred Hills 50k in March.

Just did tick-over mileage between then and the South Downs Way 50 in April, where I managed to fluff up my sodium intake and had to retire at 27 miles.

Again, tick-over mileage between the South Downs and North Downs version, I think the longest run I did in that 5 weeks was 21 miles.

So I arrived in Farnham on the day before the race not really knowing what would happen, would I fluff up my nutrition, would my weak body give in somewhere (niggles everywhere), would I just get exhausted in the predicted heat. I had no clue and honestly felt just numb about it.

My record in the race wasn’t great, I’d started in 2022 and had to retire at halfway because I hadn’t recovered sufficiently from the South Downs version I’d done the month before, I skipped 2023 (volunteered to get a free place in 2024) due to injury issues and trying to get stronger, I still wasn’t right for the 2024 version and hadn’t really been able to get any long runs done, despite that, I still made it to Reigate Hill at 32 miles and I was happy with that.

The event starts in Farnham at the trailhead of the North Downs Way and follows that national trail all the way to Knockholt Pound, Kent, north of Sevenoaks, only deviating in the last 2 miles.

The route has some useful landmarks that help to break the distance down into manageable chunks.

The river Wey south of Guildford, St Martha’s Church, Denbies Vineyard, Box hill, Reigate Hill, the notorious steps down near Oxted and Botley Hill leading up to the last aid station.

Most people say this is a race of two halves, the first half to Box hill being relatively flat and the last half being a bit bumpy with 4 monster climbs, really nice after you have already gone a marathon distance.

I’d looked into previous race stats and figured out that if I could get to halfway in an average of 12:50/ mile then I’d have banked a good chunk of time so that when I inevitably slowed in the last half I’d have a nice buffer and keep under the overall required pace of 15:13.

Nailed it. and felt good at Box hill, my nutrition was working well, I was enjoying it and nothing was hurting in a way that made me worry.

Some of the elevation in this race is just cruel, for instance you have to climb to the top of the box hill steps, and you would think that once you are up on the ridge then you would stay up until Reigate hill, but no, you’re on the top for about a mile before you must descend all the way back down, skirt along under the bottom of the downs and then have to climb up to Colley Hill which is by far the steepest climb in the race. Definitely not somewhere to push hard.

Eventually rolled into the Reigate hill aid station 55 minutes ahead of cut-off time and 19 miles left to go. got a very welcome hug from Jem 💎 (she finished this race in 2024 and got to this point with just 1 minute to spare, yet still finished in time. Absolute legend.) filled up my bottles and fuel and got out of there.

I was running less and walking more, the trails are rock hard this year and it really made a difference, ankles not liking it and my right knee was bad from downhill braking.

After Reigate there’s a relatively easy section down to Merstham, through a private school, across a golf course and time to watch some cricket at Merstham, but sadly we must push on.

Here you cross over the M25 and go through the Churchyard of St Catherine’s where there is a public use tap, so I washed the salt and sweat off my face and that felt pretty good.

Onward! You follow a lane over the main rail line to London and eventually head back out onto the trails passing under the M23. Joy, another big hill climbing up on to the ridge by Caterham.

At the top (36 miles in) I’m really starting to flag and my legs want no more of this running nonsense, why did we start in the first place. I receive a message from Tinks 🧚🏻”Nearly there Ian … Bluddy amazing! Stay strong Champ. Head up! Be proud” Spirits lifted I push on.

Each big hill, and every time I walked, my average pace was creeping up and up.

I get to the next aid station at Caterham viewpoint and I’m strangely locked in, I have no thoughts of pulling out, despite the fact I’m hurting, but I’m not injured and I’m actually feeling ok in myself.

At the top of the Botley hill climb is the final aid station 8 miles to go.

I don’t dwell at aid stations, I generally get my fuel powder into my flask before I get there and I’m only there long enough to fill both my flasks with water, I put them back in my vest as I walk away from the aid station. Some people lose a significant amount of time in aid stations, think about it, 5 minutes at each aid station is 30 minutes lost overall, some sit and have a cup of tea or coffee which is fine if you can afford the time but it’s a relentless taskmaster and the worry of not getting to the finish in time is ever present.

Properly run and licensed events operate a strict cut-off schedule, not only at the finish but at each aid station, where you must be away from the aid station at the cut-off time or else you get pulled out.

At the finish there’s a time clock showing the duration and the limit is 13:00 hours, that’s it, anything over that and no medal, no result.

I’m well aware of this as I’m trying to hurry along in the last 2 miles, my knee is very unhappy and will only allow me to run about 10 m before I have to walk, my average pace is now 15:04/mile and it’s creeping closer and closer to that dreaded 15:13, I reach the lane at the top of the village, the firm surface doesn’t help, ankles and feet screaming with the impact so I’m forced to continue run/walking despite a nice gentle downhill to the village of Knockholt Pound.

Left at the bottom, and left again heading towards the finish at the cricket ground.

Slightly uphill here and I roust a run to the line finishing in 12:52:40.

It wasn’t fast, it wasn’t pretty, but I overcame myself and the trail and I got it done, proud to finish wearing my harriers vest.

Sadly, two runners came in just over the 13 hours. Gutted for them both but one in particular who has been battling this race for 4 years and it’s the first time he’s got to the finish, sadly 30s too late.

Positive takeaways: I got my nutrition right, I got my hydration right, I could still run at the end, and my mental landscape was good. Everyone’s support has been amazing and I’m so grateful for all the messages of support. Love.

Things to work on: Feet, ankles, knees and hips all need some serious tendon strengthening work. Being 25 lbs over my best racing weight made a huge negative impact.

Things that I can do nothing about: being 60 years old.

Going to spend some time this summer fixing a few things and then… well, watch this space.

🎤 A fantastic report Ian.  Being 60 ain’t so bad, when you look at what you’ve just done – pretty amazing if you ask us!!!! Well done champ and congrats on a new club record 🖤♥️ – that’s two already this year! We have a feeling there will be more to come!

Thanks for the mention too 😊 🧚‍♀️