North Downs Way 100 2024 Race Report

Saturday 3rd August marked the start of the fourteenth edition of the North Downs Way 100 - our first event back in 2011. Light drizzle and an overcast sky led into a warm, humid August afternoon before the most beautiful night and Sunday morning. Good conditions on the whole for our field of 206 starters and the finish rate of 65% was a solid result from this race. That figure is almost bang on the average we have seen over the 58 x 100 mile races we have held since we began. 

All Photos c/o David Miller Photography

Both starting fields looked like they had on paper, the potential to go very fast indeed, with long standing course records seemingly under threat. 

The womens race was especially competitive with a cast of potential front runners, fantastic to see at what traditionally has been our toughest 100 miler with the lowest female participation rates. 

Sarah Page came into the race with two fine results from 2023 behind her, a win at the South Downs Way 100 and a second place at the Autumn 100. She ran ahead right from the gun and led all the way to Ashford, to pick up her second Centurion trophy. With a finish time of 21:05, she was never troubled and seemed to enjoy the clear air out front, smiling from ear to ear throuhgout. She has really impressed in her 100 mile career to date, long may it continue.

Sarah Page

Whilst Sarah was quite a way ahead of Debbie Martin-Consani's course record pace in the first half, along with the top four-five ladies in general, as the race wore on the consistency of Deb's fine run was too much and the record still stands at 18:34. 

Behind Sarah, running in second and third place for much of the first half were Ally Whitlock and Anastasia Hounslow. But that all changed in the second half as Anastasia stopped around 70 miles in and a storming Helen Newman ran into third, before finally coming past Ally into second with just 10 miles to go. Her time of 21:59 was significantly under the pace plan she had on her arm of 28 hours! Ally finished third in 22:26 continuing a run of fine results she is having this year, having already completed half of the 50 mile slam in 2024.

In the mens race, the first half was dominated by a flying Rich Mcdowell. Our TP100 course record holder came into the race with bold targets and a bold outfit to match, with a customised all in one white cycling suit. It was fantastic to watch him blaze through the early miles, putting a massive margin into Mark Darbyshire's course record splits, almost 25 minutes up at the third check point. But he seemed to slow in the miles leading up to Knockholt Pound, mile 50, which he left in 6:50 elapsed, a little off plan. Then a tumble on route to Wrotham would take him out of the race there. Hopefully he returns to roll the dice again. That left space behind for the due of 2023 champion Ryan Whelan and Centurion Coach Jamie Pugh who spent many miles together, to move into the lead. Ryan forged ahead of Jamie into Knockholt Pound and like Sarah didn't look back as he ran a fantastic second half to take back to back wins in 15:56, an improvement of over an hour year on year.

Ryan Whelan

Jamie ran home second in 17:10, in what was his first 100 mile race, a really impressive performance and third went to Geoff Cheshire, who after struggling with his stomach through much of the middle part of the race, initially rallied to catch Jamie before slipping back again to his second podium finish at this event, in a time of 18:13.

135 runners crossed the line, 39 of them under 24 hours. Special mention to Mary Marshall who sprinted across the line to break the 24 hour mark by just 22 seconds!

In the age categories, awards went to the following:

MV40 to to Geoff Cheshire also third, MV50 to Bruce Mclaren in 22:26, MV60 to Mark Pack in 29:20 and MV70 to Ken Fancett - who finished the race for the 12th time, a record he continues to extend.

First FV40 went to race winner Sarah Page and first FV50 to Amanda Sterling in 27:33. 

A huge thank you to the 110 volunteers, markers, sweepers and staff who made the event possible. Next up, the Chiltern Wonderland 50 in September.