Compiled and fact-checked by Tommo, Verus founder · Last verified August 2026 · Spot an error?
Running · Ultra Marathons
Beachy Head Ultra 2026
- Race day
- Saturday, 24 October 2026
- Location
- Eastbourne, East Sussex, UK
- Distance
- 32.7 mi / 52.6 km
Beachy Head Ultra: 24 October 2026, from Eastbourne seafront, at the start of the South Downs Way. Entry, route, a pace chart and the race-day forecast.
Beachy Head Ultra Race Timeline
44 days to go
This is where the real training happens — building your long run and getting comfortable with ultra race-pace.
Beachy Head Ultra 2026: quick answers
When is Beachy Head Ultra 2026?
Beachy Head Ultra 2026 takes place on Saturday, 24 October 2026, starting at 08:45.
What time does Beachy Head Ultra start?
Beachy Head Ultra starts at 08:45 from Eastbourne seafront, at the start of the South Downs Way.
Where does Beachy Head Ultra start and finish?
Beachy Head Ultra starts at Eastbourne seafront, at the start of the South Downs Way and finishes at Eastbourne seafront.
How many miles is Beachy Head Ultra?
Beachy Head Ultra is 32.7 miles (52.6km).
How much does Beachy Head Ultra cost to enter?
Entry direct through the official Beachy Head Marathon site. Limited to 200 places, and only open to runners who have previously completed a marathon within five hours.
Key Race Metrics & Overview
- Date
- Saturday, 24 October 2026
- Distance
- 32.7 miles / 52.6km
- Location
- Eastbourne, East Sussex, UK
- Start Point
- Eastbourne seafront, at the start of the South Downs Way
- Finish Point
- Eastbourne seafront
- Start time
- 08:45
- Surface
- Off-road South Downs — chalk, grass, woodland and 300 steps, with 14 gates
Not published by the organiser at the time of writing: cut-off time, age requirement, tracking app. Verus records these as unconfirmed rather than estimating them — check the official race website closer to race day.
Direct Entry Summary
Entry direct through the official Beachy Head Marathon site. Limited to 200 places, and only open to runners who have previously completed a marathon within five hours.
Ballot Policy
No ballot — entry is direct through Eastbourne Borough Council.
Beachy Head Ultra Race Day Weather
A real forecast appears here once one exists for race day — usually about a week to ten days out. Nothing is shown until then, because a made-up forecast is worse than none.
Beachy Head Ultra Route Map & Elevation Profile
Starting at Eastbourne seafront, at the start of the South Downs Way and finishing at Eastbourne seafront. Total elevation gain is not published for this event, and Verus does not estimate one.
Is Beachy Head Ultra flat?
No official elevation figure is published for this course, so Verus doesn't state one. The organiser describes the going as: off-road south downs — chalk, grass, woodland and 300 steps, with 14 gates.
Beachy Head Ultra Course Profile
Elevation change not published for this event.
Tap a point on the course for details.
Eastbourne seafront, at the start of the South Downs Way
Start line.
Where Beachy Head Ultra starts and finishes
Beachy Head Ultra starts at Eastbourne seafront, at the start of the South Downs Way and finishes at Eastbourne seafront. We haven't been able to place those on a map accurately enough to show one — a pin in the wrong place is worse than no pin.
These are the start and finish points, not the route. Verus doesn't hold course files for this race, and drawing a line between two pins would be a guess you might end up training on.
Full Beachy Head Ultra Route Breakdown
The 10K route followed by the full marathon route, making roughly 52.6km in total. The marathon leg alone is one of the biggest off-road marathons in Britain and is famous for its difficulty: 300 steps, 14 gates, and a route through Jevington, Alfriston, Litlington, Friston Forest, the Cuckmere Valley and the Seven Sisters. The 2026 edition is the 46th running of the weekend.
Beachy Head Ultra Pace Calculator & Splits
Beachy Head Ultra Pace Calculator
Enter a target finish time to see your pace and projected splits.
Average pace / mile
7:20
Average pace / km
4:34
Beachy Head Ultra Pace Chart
Split markers calculated for standard checkpoints — no official pacers are confirmed for this event.
| Target | Pace /mi | Pace /km | 5K | 10K | Half Marathon | 30K | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3:00 | 5:30 | 3:25 | 17:06 | 34:12 | 1:12:10 | 1:42:37 | 3:00:00 |
| 3:15 | 5:58 | 3:42 | 18:32 | 37:03 | 1:18:11 | 1:51:10 | 3:15:00 |
| 3:30 | 6:25 | 3:59 | 19:57 | 39:54 | 1:24:11 | 1:59:43 | 3:30:00 |
| 3:45 | 6:53 | 4:17 | 21:23 | 42:45 | 1:30:12 | 2:08:16 | 3:45:00 |
| 4:00 | 7:20 | 4:34 | 22:48 | 45:36 | 1:36:13 | 2:16:49 | 4:00:00 |
| 4:15 | 7:48 | 4:51 | 24:14 | 48:27 | 1:42:14 | 2:25:22 | 4:15:00 |
| 4:30 | 8:15 | 5:08 | 25:39 | 51:18 | 1:48:15 | 2:33:55 | 4:30:00 |
| 4:45 | 8:43 | 5:25 | 27:05 | 54:09 | 1:54:15 | 2:42:28 | 4:45:00 |
| 5:00 | 9:10 | 5:42 | 28:30 | 57:00 | 2:00:16 | 2:51:01 | 5:00:00 |
| 5:30 | 10:06 | 6:16 | 31:21 | 1:02:42 | 2:12:18 | 3:08:07 | 5:30:00 |
| 6:00 | 11:01 | 6:50 | 34:12 | 1:08:24 | 2:24:19 | 3:25:13 | 6:00:00 |
| 6:30 | 11:56 | 7:25 | 37:03 | 1:14:07 | 2:36:21 | 3:42:20 | 6:30:00 |
| 7:00 | 12:51 | 7:59 | 39:54 | 1:19:49 | 2:48:23 | 3:59:26 | 7:00:00 |
Beachy Head Ultra Finish Time Estimator
Enter a recent 5K, 10K or Half Marathon time to estimate your Beachy Head Ultra finish time.
Your 5K time
Estimated Beachy Head Ultra finish
5:03:02
An estimate only, based on Pete Riegel's race-time prediction formula. Real marathon performance depends on endurance, training specificity, pacing and race-day conditions — not just your speed over a shorter distance.
Training for a different distance? Try the full pace calculator, race time predictor or pace chart.
Got your target time? Save it to your profile.
Tag Beachy Head Ultra, set your goal pace, and let Verus track your countdown, training and fundraising in one place.
Start Your Verus JourneyBeachy Head Ultra Race Day Checklist
Tap items to mark off your race-day readiness.
- Race number attached, and any timing chip fitted per your race pack instructions
- Weather-appropriate kit, plus something warm and disposable to discard before the start
- A plan for reaching Eastbourne seafront, at the start of the South Downs Way
- A meeting point agreed with family and friends for after the race
Training Strategy for Beachy Head Ultra
20-24 weeks is the realistic window for a first 32.7-mile ultra, assuming you already have a marathon's worth of base behind you. The block that matters is back-to-back long weekends — a long run on Saturday followed by a second, slower one on Sunday — which builds time on feet and teaches you to run on tired legs without the recovery cost of one enormous day. Practise your race-day nutrition on every one of them; at this distance the stomach fails before the legs do.
This is a largely flat course, so most of your long runs can mirror that — flat and steady, building time on feet rather than hill strength.
Drop volume hard across the final three to four weeks — further out and steeper than a marathon taper, because a 30-mile training day costs weeks of recovery, not days. Keep some easy running and a little terrain-specific work in, but the goal is to reach Eastbourne seafront, at the start of the South Downs Way with fresh feet and a rested gut rather than one more long run in the bank.
Lock in your target pace using the interactive splits calculator below — no official pacers are confirmed for this event, so a pace band on your watch is the more reliable option.
Test your race-day fuel and hydration plan on your long training runs, not for the first time on race day — check the Race Day Checklist below for what's actually on this course.
32.7-Mile Ultra Nutrition & Fueling Plan
A deliberate increase in carbohydrate over the two to three days before the race is the well-established approach at marathon distance.
Eat a carbohydrate-focused breakfast two to three hours before the start, and stick to something you've already tested in training rather than trying anything new.
Most runners take on carbohydrate every 30 to 45 minutes from about an hour in, alongside fluid at the on-course stations.
A mix of carbohydrate and protein in the hour or so after finishing supports recovery.
Beachy Head Ultra Charity Places 2026
No formal charity-place scheme published — runners commonly fundraise for a charity of their own choosing.
Lead with your personal story — explain why the charity matters to you. Personal connection generates 3x more support than a generic link broadcast.
Share key training milestones on Instagram (first 10-miler, peak week, race week) with your fundraising link in bio. Publicly thanking donors prompts secondary gifts!
Running Beachy Head Ultra for charity?
Link your JustGiving page to Verus and show up right here alongside other Beachy Head Ultra fundraisers — goal, progress and story, all in one place.
Add Your Fundraiser to VerusBeachy Head Ultra Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know for race weekend.
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Race details independently compiled and fact-checked by Tommo against the official Beachy Head Ultra site , last verified August 2026. Always confirm official timings and policies directly prior to race day.