This event has ended
Upminster Station (50 miles) / Lansdowne Primary School, Tilbury (30 miles)
15th Jun 2024
50 / 30 mi
1 day
£95
The Railway Children Ultra
No. of days 1 day
Distance 50 / 30 mi
Ascent gain 242 / 109 m
Accom. no
Food yes
We are using LIVE GPS timing trackers for this event! See live results here.
A 1 day ultramarathon allowing you to take in all the beauty of the Essex Riviera, organised by c2c on behalf of the Railway Children Charity. All monies raised from entry fees and donations will go directly to the charity.
With a choice of 50 or 30 mile distances the runners and walkers will register at Upminster for the 50 mile route and at Lansdowne Primary School, Tilbury, for the 30 mile route. The route will in general follow along the Thames going east, utilising the London Loop and England Coast National Trails. The going underfoot is mainly tarmac with some hard trails in sections. The scenery is a mixture of urban, marsh land and river bank, with some amazing views of this part of the Thames and Greater London.
There is now a team relay option! See below for more information.
Check out Kinetic Sports for help with a training plan.
We are delighted to support SheRACES and commit to providing a great experience for female participants. Find out more
Included
- A fully recced and marked route
- Full medical cover throughout
- A quality finishers medal
- Toilets, showers and changing facilities
- Checkpoint food and water at regular intervals
- Free tea, coffee and cake at the finish
- Prizes and trophies for overall and category winners
- A great atmosphere and a fun but challenging day out
- Action photos en-route, free to download
The winners, runners up and age group winners will receive fantastic prizes or vouchers from our sponsors.
Route
The start location for the 50 mile route will be at Upminster Station, RM14 2TD, and for those opting for the 30 mile route, the start will be at Lansdowne Primary School, Tilbury RM18 7QB.
Make your way to the start points above where you can register and pick up your timing GPS tracker before starting. Any baggage to be transported to the finish can be dropped off at registration in the vehicles provided.
The finish for both routes will be at Southend Central Station.
There are plenty of public toilets on both routes. There are toilets at the start, finish and all checkpoints except CP1 on the 50 mile route.
Showing route for:
Start
Route
Checkpoints
#1 Riverside Car Park, Rainham Marshes RM13 9YQ ///pages.energetic.dive Grid ref: TQ 516 800
#2 Grays Train Station, Station Approach RM17 6NQ ///pints.void.comet Grid ref: TQ 613 777
#3 Lansdowne Primary School, Lansdowne Road, Tilbury RM18 7QB ///softly.salads.prompting Grid ref: TQ 639 763
#4 Coalhouse Fort, Princess Margaret Rd, Tilbury RM18 8PB ///curving.transit.snows Grid ref: TQ 689 768
#5 Gardner Hall, Wharf Road, Fobbing SS17 9JH ///hers.toned.member Grid ref: TQ 718 838
#6 Pitsea Station, Station Approach, Pittsea SS16 4UD ///reform.useful.mile Grid ref: TQ 738 875
#7 Benfleet Station, South Benfleet, Benfleet SS7 1NF Grid ref: TQ 777 858
#8 Leigh-on-Sea NCP Station Car Park, Leigh-on-Sea SS9 2ET Grid ref: TQ 832 857
Route
Checkpoints
#1 Coalhouse Fort, Princess Margaret Rd, Tilbury RM18 8PB ///curving.transit.snows Grid ref: TQ 689 768
#2 Gardner Hall, Wharf Road, Fobbing SS17 9JH ///hers.toned.member Grid ref: TQ 718 838
#3 Pitsea Station, Station Approach, Pittsea SS16 4UD ///reform.useful.mile Grid ref: TQ 738 875
#4 Benfleet Station, South Benfleet, Benfleet SS7 1NF Grid ref: TQ 777 858
#5 Leigh-on-Sea NCP Station Car Park, Leigh-on-Sea SS9 2ET Grid ref: TQ 832 857
Schedule
06:30
Registration opens at Upminster Station for 50 mile route
07:00
Registration opens at Lansdowne Primary School, Tilbury for 30 mile route
07:30
50 mile route starts
08:00
30 mile route starts
14:00
Finishers start arriving and prize givings
23:00
Last finishers expected
Pricing
Entry for 50 miles
£95
Entry for 30 miles
£70
50 miles relay
£190
30 miles relay
£140
All money raised will go to the Railway Children charity.
Please note: a 2.5% service charge, levied by the registration software, will be added to your total. We are using a new entry system that takes payment through the secure system Stripe. No payment information is retained by Extreme Energy, or our entry system tool.
Email us on info@xnrg.co.uk if you have any questions about your options.
Refunds policy
If for some reason you are not able to make the event you have entered. The XNRG refund policy is that we will give you 70% refund of your entry fee up to 1 month before the start date of the event. You also have the option (1 month before the date of the event) to get a 100% transfer credit to another one of the other Humanity Direct 1 day events, or you can donate your entry fee to the charity. All entry fee money goes directly to the charity and directly to helping children with life changing operations. These options you can execute on your Ultrabritain entry page.
After this time we are sorry there will be no refunds or transfers to future events. Refunds will be to your booking credit card.
Race-day Preparation
Kit List
The only compulsory kit is a fully charged mobile phone and a minimum 500ml of water, but it's worth taking a look at our recommended kit list.
Other equipment may be made compulsory by the race director depending on the weather.
Medical
The event is supported by a Course Manager and a fully qualified medical crew will be in attendance. We strongly recommend taking a moment to read our medical page before booking.
Registration
Please register and pick up your timing chip from:
50 mile entrants
Getting there
Make your way to Upminster for the 50 mile start or to Lansdowne Primary School, Tilbury for the 30 mile start where you can register and pick up your timing GPS tracker before starting. Race numbers will be sent out at least 1 week ahead of the event. You will be able to travel free on c2c trains on race day by showing your race number at the ticket gate.
We recommend checking train times and any train changes on the c2c website to help plan your travel to the start and back from the finish - https://www.c2c-online.co.uk/
More Information
As with all our events, we'll take care of everything so you can focus on walking, running or jogging the trail. Free photos, changing facilities, and plenty of tea and cake are all included.
Team Relay
You have the option of taking part as a team in either the 50 mile or 30 mile race. A team must consist of 2 or more participants. You will hand over a timing chip to each other (one chip per team). You can only hand over at the checkpoints listed in the route. Please note, you will be responsible for getting yourself and your team members to the handover and then their onward travel.
Entries
Entries will close one week before the event (or when full). A waitlist option will be available if the event becomes fully booked.
Navigation and Support
The event is supported by a course manager to maintain event safety and a fully qualified medical crew will be in attendance throughout.
Aid stations
There will be checkpoints at regular intervals with water and food - 8 for the 50 mile and 5 for the 30 mile course. Please bring your own cups.
Due to the risk of cross contamination, we cannot provide checkpoint food to suit all dietary requirements. If you require special food or snacks to suit any allergies or vegetarian/vegan diets, can you please bring your own. Put them in containers, marked with your name and checkpoint number and give them to the checkpoint teams at the start of the race.
Route History and Landmarks
Want to know more about the history on the route and landmarks you may encounter along the way?
From the start to the finish line, here's what you need to know!
Upminster
Upminster Windmill, a historic gem, has stood tall since 1803.
Did you know: The speed of sound was first calculated by Reverend William Derham at the Church of St Laurence.
Explore nature at its finest at the Essex Wildlife Trust Ingrebourne Marshes SSSI, the largest freshwater marsh in Greater London.
Discover history at Hornchurch Country Park, once the site of the WW1 RFC Suttons Farm and WW2 RAF Hornchurch. RFC Suttons Farm is renowned as the base from which Lieutenant Leefe-Robinson VC took off to shoot down the first airship over land, while RAF Hornchurch played a pivotal role during the Battle of Britain, with numerous famous pilot aces launching from its runways.
Tilbury
The Port of Tilbury stands as London's primary port and the UK's top hub for paper imports.
Historically significant, Tilbury welcomed many immigrants, including a large group of West Indians aboard the HMT Empire Windrush in 1948.
In 1995, the Port of Tilbury group reopened the cruise passenger landing stage, now known as the London Cruise Terminal.
Tilbury Fort, originally constructed by Henry VIII to shield London from French attacks, played crucial roles in the Napoleonic Wars and World War I. Today, under English Heritage, it is celebrated as one of the finest 17th-century bastions.
Notably, Tilbury is where Elizabeth I delivered her iconic ‘Speech to the Troops,’ rallying them against the Spanish Armada in August 1588 - If you'd like to find out more about Royal Landmarks across South Essex click here!
Southend
Originally a quaint fishing village, Southend saw a transformation in 1794 with the construction of the Royal Hotel and Terrace, making it an accessible getaway thanks to carriages from London.
The town truly flourished in the 19th Century with the arrival of the railway, enhancing connections with the capital.
The iconic Southend Pier, which stretches 1.34 miles into the Thames Estuary, opened its original wooden structure in 1830 and now holds the title of the longest pleasure pier in the world.
And of course.. We couldn't forget to mention the Top 10 Fish and Chips Shops in Southend for your post Ultra meal!
There's plenty more sights to see on the route, we'd love to know what you spot along the way...
We can't wait to see you there! Questions?
For questions about your entry i.e. cancellation, refunds, changing distances please email events@railwaychildren.org.uk
For questions about the event itself i.e. the route, the aid stations, race day logistics etc. please email info@xnrg.co.uk
