7am start for 100k / 9:30am start for 50k

Ham & Lyme 50k/100k was the first Albion Running race way back in July 2015. The world may have changed a lot since then, and our races have become a little more polished over the years, but they still have that same sense of fun and friendliness that convinced anyone to come back after the somewhat ramshackle affair that first race was! 

Somehow, next year's race will be the 10th edition of Ham & Lyme, and it will be a special day to mark the occasion. It will still be the Ham & Lyme you know and love but there will be a special 10th anniversary medal, an optional t-shirt and more! The images above are just a selection from hundreds we could have chosen to give an idea of what this race is all about. It has become so much more than we ever imagined it would - one of those days in the South-West running calendar that people look forward to all year. 

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In the first year we had a bit of feedback that the medal looked like it had come from a holiday camp! This was not meant to be positive, but the next year Natanya designed a medal that is so popular it is now a tattoo for at least five people!! The first of these was Jenny Palmer, who overcame breast cancer before running this race. The most recent was Nat Robins, who has explained that finishing last year's race helped her to believe that she was capable of more than she ever thought possible :) 

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We have had runners who have gone on to represent Team GB at 24 hour running, as well as some who were already established world class runners. Paul Maskell, Danny Hawkins, Holly Stables, Nathan Flear and more incredible runners all have Ham & Lyme medals in their collections. Also, we have lost count of the number of runners who have completed their first ultra here, and have seen some very emotional reactions to this over the years, which is always very humbling to see.

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A number of different clubs are well represented here each year - Running Forever Taunton, Axe Valley Runners, Chard Road Runners, Yeovil Town Running Club, Honiton Hippos, Minster Milers, Crewkerne Running Club.... the list goes on and on! It all helps to make the fabulous atmosphere of this race what it is, and the seaside finish no doubt helps with this also. 

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A special mention must also go to the fantastic volunteers - without them it would be literally impossible to put the race on each year. It would also be impossible without the generosity of locals in allowing us to have aid stations in their villages, and there is always fantastic support at the finish. When Holly Stables won the 100k in 2021 there was a noise almost like a football crowd as she approached the end!

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So many more stories could be mentioned, and they will be as time progresses towards this wonderful occasion. We hope to see plenty of you there, both regulars and new runners!

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The route for the race is based on a historical route taken by six villagers in 1685 who went to join the Monmouth Rebellion (known as the Liberty Trail.) It takes you through some sublime countryside, and some charming villages. It is mostly 'rolling', much of it very nice and runnable, but there are variable underfoot conditions with a lot of it being off-road and there are a number of stiles, gates etc. 

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In terms of elevation, a lot of it is concentrated into a few reasonably lengthy climbs but most of these are not hugely steep. The 100k has less elevation than our Westcountry Ultra Hilly 50 race by a distance. 

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The 50k starts at Ham Hill and finishes at Lyme Regis, with the 100k being an out and back route from Lyme to Ham and then back to Lyme. The finish is right by the sea, with various possibilities for ice-cream, fish & chips or even dipping your weary feet in the sea on offer. There is a coach back to Ham Hill from Lyme after the race for the 50k runners who need it (we don't do this before the race due to the parking in Lyme in summer being very limited!) 

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CUT-OFFs: -
50k - 8 hours (not very strict!)

100k - 17 hours (has to be more strict due to volunteers' time)

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SOME FEEDBACK FROM A PREVIOUS YEAR's RACE: - 

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"Just a brief note to say thank you for a fantastic event on Saturday.  To call it a race doesn't seem to cover all the bases!

 

From a fantastic route,  the gpx, course marking, aid stations, it was all great.

 

The course was amazing, a little bit of everything the English countryside has to offer all in one day, and a fabulous finish on the front at Lyme.  I won't forget the run down from Ham Hill, it was like running through the jungle."

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"Thank you for putting on such a great event on Saturday. This was my first 50k ultra and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The course was well marked out ( even I didn’t get lost! ), the marshalls and checkpoints were all so welcoming, friendly and supportive.

The scenery from the course was stunning and in particular when the coast line came into view.

And the fellow runners were all, without exception, so cheerful, supportive and helpful. Particularly aiding me over some of those stiles which my aged legs struggled with!"

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2023 PRICES: - 

100k - £65

50k - £35          

 

ENTRIES AVAILABLE VIA OUR ONLINE STORE. ENTRIES ONLY REFUNDABLE IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT THAT THE RACE HAS TO BE CANCELLED, BUT IF YOU ARE NO LONGER WISHING TO TAKE PART OR ARE UNABLE TO THEN IF THE RACE IS FULL WE WILL MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO FIND SOMEONE TO TAKE YOUR PLACE, AND THEIR ENTRY FEE WILL GO TO YOU. IF THE RACE HAS NOT REACHED CAPACITY THEN YOU ARE WELCOME TO TRANSFER YOUR PLACE TO SOMEBODY ELSE AS LONG AS YOU MAKE US FULLY AWARE BEFORE THE DAY. 

 

 

COURSE RECORDS
New Course (featuring off road section around Forde Abbey):- 

50k - Ash Mansfield - 4:09:20 (2023)
100k - Jan Bovey - 10:39:20 (2023)
 

Fastest Females: - 
50k - Sarah Trim - 5:11:02 (2023)
100k - Jessica Stuber - 13:10:17 (2023)

Old Course:
50k - Chris Southern - 4:07:41 (2018)
100k - Spencer Bun   - 9:55:18 (2018)

 

Fastest Females: -

 

50k - Helen Wright - 4:59:37 (2017)
100k - Holly Stables - 10:14:10 (2021)
 

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WHAT DO YOU GET?: -

 

• Medal for all finishers

• Aid Stations - 3 fully stocked aid stations during 50k (plus one at finish) with a good range of the usual food you might expect at an ultra race along with water, 6 fully stocked aid stations during 100k. A couple of additional stations with water plus a very small amount of food

• Marshalls for the point at which a busy road is to be crossed

• Well marked course

• Medical cover

• Trophies for first man and first woman

• Coach transport back to the start for those doing 50k who require it

• A race on a stunning trail that passes by or through a number of popular locations

• Free car parking at start (limited - please arrange lift-sharing or to get dropped off and picked up where possible; we can help with this if necessary) 

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AID STATIONS 50k (for 100k each of these will be in reverse for the first half and there will be an aid station at the half way point at Ham Hill Country Park in addition)

 

CP1 - OLD STAGECOACH INN, MISTERTON (Station Road, Crewkerne, Somerset, TA18 8AL)

 

This aid station will be in front of the Old Stagecoach Inn, which is just as you emerge from a footpath close to Crewkerne Train Station

 

 

CP2 – POOLE’S LANE, ST. STEPHEN'S CHURCH, WINSHAM (Poole’s Lane, Winsham, Somerset, TA20 4JB)

 

This aid station will not be AT the church this year due to a wedding taking place on the day but will be at Poole’s Lane alongside the church

 

 

CP3 - below LAMBERT'S CASTLE, NR. MARSHWOOD (Nr. Marshwood, Dorset, DT6 region)

 

The aid station is not at the top of Lambert’s Castle but will be on the approach; you will see it as you emerge at the top of the hill where you begin to head up (other side on the way back of course!)

 

 

CP4 - A35 ROAD CROSSING nr. PENN FARM (Penn Farm, Axminster Road, DT6 6BZ)

 

There is a small parking area on either side of the road. The volunteers will make sure you cross the road safely and will provide some basic refreshments if you need them (water and some basic foodstuffs) – on the way out to Ham Hill on 100k there will be no aid station there as it is so early in the route

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