On the 3rd weekend in October annually we organise a 26 mile challenge event based at Peaslake in Surrey. Helpers are needed!

The event was first held in 1997, when it was called the Founders Jubilee Challenge. Tony Youngs devised the 26-mile route as a commemoration of the founding of the LDWA and the role of Alan Blatchford and Chris Steer in this. The route links various places connected to the origins of the LDWA in 1972: Blatchford Down, Steers Field, Tanners Hatch youth hostel, Pitch Hill and the old Peaslake Post Office. Tony was an excellent artist and his line drawings decorate the Founders' Challenge certificate. Entry to the event (around £6 usually) includes drinks and food at checkpoints, a light hot meal at the finish and certificate. Maximum number of entrants this year was 200 - 150 walkers and 50 runners.


16th FOUNDERS' CHALLENGE

 

Sunday 14 October2011

Entries online or by post will be accepted from 1st April 2011.

Route descriptions will be available from September 1st. For a rough idea see last year's below.

 



15th FOUNDERS' CHALLENGE

 

Sunday 23 October 2011

26 mile route description

16 mile route description


Brief event statistics since 2004

 


 Entries
 Starters
 Finishers

2011 26 mile

168
 133
 130
2011 16 mile
 55
 55

54

2010 26 mile

172
 145
 138
2010 16 mile
 41
 36

35
2009 26 mile
 172 147 145
2009 16 mile
 55 53 51
2008 127 117 113
2007 127 114 102
2006 163 149
 139
2005 132 114
114
2004 124 116 110

 


14th FOUNDERS' CHALLENGE

 

Sunday 24 October 2010



26 mile route description / 16 mile route description

 


13th FOUNDERS' CHALLENGE

Sunday 18 October 2009


The 13th edition of the Founders' Challenge saw us breaking some new ground, with a new 16 mile route, and the introduction of lifts to and from Guildford station to assist those who wouldn't otherwise be able to get to Peaslake on a Sunday. As a result, we had a record number of entries and starters. The weather was almost perfect, too, and on a good day I'm sure that there is no finer route in the Surrey Hills. Read the full report and results below:

 
Report and Results


Other stuff:


Map image / 16 Mile Route Description  / 26 Mile Route Description

 

12th FOUNDERS' CHALLENGE

19 October 2008 - Event Report and results (MS Excel format)

Well, the Founders' Challenge is over for another year, and it is hard to think of any way in which the event could have gone more smoothly. In contrast to last year, there was no Foot & Mouth Disease to contend with, and there were no accidents or injuries. The weather was almost perfect - a little more sunshine would have been nice, to bring out the autumn colours; and it may have been a little warm for the entrants, but it certainly made it more pleasant for the marshals.

This event was first held in 1997, when it was called the Founders Jubilee Challenge. Tony Youngs devised the 26-mile route linking various places connected to the origins of the LDWA 25 years earlier. The walk was a commemoration of the founding of the LDWA and the role of Alan Blatchford and Chris Steer in this. Tony was an excellent artist and his line drawings decorate the Founders' Challenge certificate. Sadly, Tony passed away on New Year's Eve 2007; but we were delighted that three of his grandchildren - Ben and Kerry McGawley and Tash Derry - were able to come to the Memorial Hall and set the walkers off at 9 o'clock.

We had 127 entries (75 in advance, 52 on the day) of whom 117 started and 113 finished.
In addition, there were three starters, and finishers, on the Marshals Walk held on 27th September.


Our sincere thanks as usual go to the Hurtwood Control, and the Albury and the Wotton Estates for use of their car parks and paths; to Tanners Hatch YHA for hosting a checkpoint; and to the Hurtwood Inn by the hall for providing the essential emergency phone number.


As ever, an event of this type couldn't take place without a considerable amount of time and effort put in by the marshals. Particular thanks this year go to: Nigel Schofield, Norman Corrin, Dee Brockway and Kevin Lamming from the Beds, Bucks & Northants LDWA Group; and Nigel Barraclough from the Tanners Marathon Association.


The Founders' Challenge has a well-deserved reputation for the high standard of the refreshments offered both on the checkpoints and back at the Memorial Hall. Kathy LoRaso organized the catering team and food purchasing, assisted by Paula Buckton and Beverley Boon. The main meal menu was up to the usual high standards, and was prepared from scratch with fresh ingredients in the hall. Beverley was responsible for the flapjacks at CP1, and Paula for the apple cake at CP3.


Peter Saw handled the pre-entries. Don Bolton checked the route description and supported the

Marshals Walk on 27th September. Don Newman, a Peaslake resident, looked after liaison in the village and setting up the hall, as well as local storage of gear. Fiona Cameron and Colin Saunders looked after the overall organization of the event, and Colin was in-charge at the Memorial Hall on the day.


We would like to thank all the marshals who did a great job as ever, many multi-tasking:


Car parking and village marshalling: Don Bolton, Nigel Barraclough, Peter Charlton, Norman Corrin and Kevin Lamming.


Catering: Kathy LoRaso, Paula Buckton, Beverley Boon, Lonica Vanclay, Carol Buss, Chris Ketteringham, Dee Brockway, Ted McCabe, Helen Older, Kevin Lamming, Norman Corrin and Nigel Schofield.


Entries: Sylvia Nagarkar, Peter Saw, Dee Brockway and Julie Welch.


Finish: Sylvia Nagarkar, Peter Saw, Helen Older and Colin Saunders.


Checkpoint 1: Don Bolton, Peter Charlton, Nigel Barraclough & Norman Corrin.


Checkpoint 2: Paul Lawrence, Julie Welch, Lesley Secker, Dave Williams and Laurence Foe


Checkpoint 3: Don Bolton, Peter Charlton, Kevin Lamming, Nigel Schofield and Julie Welch


Sweep from CP3 to Peaslake: Julie Welch & Kevin Lamming


Hall set up/clearing up: Don Newman, Fiona Cameron, Colin Saunders, Don Bolton, Paul Lawrence, Kathy LoRaso and Nigel Schofield.

Thanks to all of you for supporting the event!


 

 
11th FOUNDERS' CHALLENGE
 
21 October 2007 - Event Report
Entries 127 • Starters 114 • Finishers 102

In a marked contrast to 2006, 11th Founders Challenge was held in almost perfect conditions: one of those cold, still, crisp, bright October days that makes a 26 mile hike round the Surrey Hills a real pleasure.

There were some concerns over the summer about the impact of the Foot & Mouth Disease outbreak on the event, as around 6 miles of the route passed through the Surveillance Zone. We made one amendment to the route, to avoid going through Dunley Hill Farm yard and pastures. This diversion was added late in the development of the route description, and whilst it appeared straightforward on the map, we realise that the diversion description was not up to the same standard as the rest of the route description, for which we apologise. Thank you for your good humour in the face of this unexpected navigational challenge. For the sake of the farmers and entrants, we hope there are no similar problems another year.

Many of you will have been aware that shortly before CP1 an entrant slipped on (or more accurately, off) a stile and was airlifted to hospital with a suspected broken pelvis. We are delighted to report that her injury was not as bad as it first appeared and by Sunday night she was back at home nursing a badly bruised back. We wish her a speedy recovery and hope that she and her husband and friends will come back next year. We are also very grateful for the assistance of the doctor who happened to be passing by when the accident happened, and provided assistance.

Apart from that, the event passed off free of incidents. We had 127 entries (57 in advance, 70 on the day) of whom 114 started and 102 finished.

First man home was Fabrice Leistner in 3:58 (awesome running!). First ladies home were Sue Ashley and Ruth Hutton, in 5:30. Thanks to Michael Cameron-Wood and Cliff Garnham for making sure the sweepers got back safely from CP3. There appeared to be more runners this year, and I think word is spreading among the running community about just how good LDWA events are. Thank you to Nick Le-Faye, who by Monday morning, had given the event an 80% overall rating on the Runner's World web site.

There were several changes in the organizing committee for this year, with a steep learning curve for all of us. Beverley Boon organized the catering team and food purchasing, assisted by Kathy LoRaso, Paula Buckton, and Lonica Vanclay. The main meal menu was up to the usual high standards, and was cooked from scratch with fresh ingredients in the hall. Beverley was responsible for the flapjacks at CP1, and Paula for the carrot cake at CP3. The refreshments at CP3 were a great temptation for the cyclists and walkers using the Friday St car park, and the cake and sandwiches could have been sold many times over!

Don Newman, a Peaslake resident, looked after liaison in the village and setting up the hall, as well as local storage of gear.

Peter Saw as event secretary looked after distribution of entry forms, processing entries and assembling the results.

Don Bolton checked the route description (but was not responsible for the diversion!) and Steve Douglas led the marshals' walk, with support from Don. Paul Lawrence was absent on the day but arranged the printing of the certificates and provided much support and advice over the preceding months to: Fiona Cameron who organised the marshals and dealt with the necessary permissions for car parks, printed route descriptions and results; and Colin Saunders who covered the safety side and was in-charge at the HQ on the day.

Our sincere thanks as usual go to the Hurtwood Control, and the Albury and the Wotton Estates for use of their car parks and paths, to Tanners Hatch YHA for hosting a checkpoint, and to the Hurtwood Inn by the hall for providing the essential emergency phone number.

We would like to thank all the marshals who did a great job as ever, many multi-tasking: Catering: Beverley Boon, Kathy LoRaso, Paula Buckton, Lonica Vanclay, Godfrey O'Callaghan, Judith Griffiths, Wendy Weston, Betty Sherry and Hazel Stokes. On Saturday, Beverley and Kathy were helped in preparation by David Williams, Chris Ketteringham, Fiona Cameron, Katie Boon, Rachel Astill and Jackie Cox. .

Start and Finish: Sylvia Nagarkar, Peter Saw and Julie Welch. Car parking and village: Steve Douglas, Don Bolton, Don Newman, Peter Charlton.

Check-pointing: Don Bolton, Peter Charlton, Lois Elliott and Steve Plested (CP1 & CP 3); Fiona Cameron, Julie Welch, Peter Russell (& Holly), and Lesley Secker (CP2) Hall set up/clearing up: Don Newman, Fiona Cameron, Colin Saunders, Godfrey O'Callaghan. Beverley Boon, David Williams

Sweep from CP3 to Peaslake: Don Newman & Julie Welch.

Please do let us have your comments on any aspect of the event.

Thanks to all of you for supporting the event!

Founders' Committee, LDWA London Group: Colin Saunders, Fiona Cameron, Paul Lawrence, Don Bolton, Don Newman, Beverley Boon, Peter Saw.