My name is Abi and I am the social media volunteer for BHAC. On Saturday September 6th 2025 I ran 100 km in the Action Challenge South Coast Ultra Challenge!
I am raising money to help BHAC continue to produce the Arts Diary. Thank you so much to everyone who has donated! If you haven’t yet donated but would like to (any amount helps!) here is the link to my JustGiving page:
justgiving.com/page/roseabi-bhac
My South Coast Challenge is complete, and for more on that read on! The challenge of funding BHAC continues.
The Challenge vibe
The path to this ultramarathon was not easy! I had an injury that prevented me from running for a number of weeks. Luckily I was able to make it to the start line, but I prepared myself mentally for an extra-long day.
The run begins at Polegate, just north of Eastbourne. I was starting the race in the first wave at 6.45 am on the 6th, so I caught the train from Brighton on the day before and stayed the night in the Premier Inn*. It happened to be my birthday the day before the Challenge, and on the train I met a woman whose birthday it also was! Naturally I made sure I had some cake for my hotel stay.
About sixty of us set off just after sunrise. After a short while we found the first steep climb! I made my way steadily over Beachy Head and found the first rest stop at Birling Gap, where the tables were groaning with pastries. I’d just like to mention here that the food and volunteers at this event were absolutely wonderful! After a very quick stop I carried on, finding that despite the following wave starting to catch me up, I was mostly running alone with my happy thoughts.
Many of the participants in Action Challenge events are walkers who start in later waves, so as a runner I saw mostly the same handful of people all day. Also, the Challenge has several variations, including half and quarter distances, and the chance to take part over two days.
The people I chatted to along the way were all lovely and we had a lot of fun and laughter. Particular shouts out to James at the start, and the Tall Osteopath! It was also good to shock curious members of the public with the details about what we were doing 🙂
*I was also booked into the Premier Inn at Arundel for the Saturday night, so my Challenge could be called The Premier Inn to Premier Inn…
The difficult bits
It was a very warm day, and a fair few people did not make it to to their finish lines sadly. I myself was troubled with blisters very early on. At the 25 km rest stop, Alfriston, I already had a couple. By the time I reached the halfway point at Hove Park I had several on both feet. I did a reasonable job of patching them up, took some painkillers, and focused on the task of putting one foot in front of the other.
The glory
After seeing my feet at Hove Park I knew that I would be running less and walking more for the rest of the trip. I set off again at a steady march, kept eating and drinking regularly, and was starting to look forward to the cooler air as night approached. Between Hove and the point where the South Downs Way crosses the River Adur is the part of the course I know best, and I very much enjoyed travelling it in the evening!
I got to the 70 km rest stop at Botolphs just before it was time to switch on my head torch. After a quick refill of water and snacks we set off into the dark, passing through a pig farm that seemed to go on for miles. The piglets seemed a little nervous of us and our headlights! The final 30 km of the course was completely unknown to me, and it was a little tricky underfoot in many places, but extra-exciting in the dark!
Finally I began the descent into Arundel. I must just state here that I really enjoyed my day, and despite the sore feet had a huge smile on my face for most of it! However that last (steep!) downhill part really tested my nerve, and I did wonder for a second if I could manage it. But I did.
The route meandered mightily during the final few kilometres, but eventually, at about 2.30 am, I found the cheering crowd at the finish line!
The highlights
The views across the South Downs and over the sea, starting in the first wave, the easterly breeze, very few cows, the little boy singing ‘Back to Black’ amongst bustling weekenders near Brighton Palace Pier, meeting BHAC Chair Jane on the Hove promenade, jollity at the aid stations, the sunflower field near Upper Beeding in the evening sunshine, my path lit by an orange full moon after dark, spooky trees, thousands of pigs, the finish line and making it to the hotel in Arundel, FINISHING STRONG 🎖️
