Humanity Direct Chiltern Challenge: a 50km, one-day ultra marathon in the picture-perfect Chilterns in aid of funding life-changing operations for children in developing countries.
The ideal 50km introduction to ultra marathon running. Escape to the Chilterns, an area of outstanding natural beauty. What’s more, it’s FREE to run, if you commit to raising funds for Humanity Direct.
Humanity Direct
In 2019 Humanity Direct raised £24,000 through the three Humanity Direct Ultras, which helped fund life saving and life changing operations for 35 children and we are hoping to raise even more in 2021.
So, how does it work?
It’s simple. The entry fee for the one day ultra marathon, is donated to fund a vital operation or, if you prefer, you can enter for free* and start a fundraising page instead and raise as much as you can
*a minimum donation of £58
“The support we’ve had from XNRG has been phenomenal. Thanks to you we’ve rolled out a vital eye-testing programme for children in rural Uganda with over 600 children receiving free glasses so far. Your donations and dedication have also helped us continue to provide lifesaving and life changing surgery for children whose families are live on less then a $1 a day and who would never be able to afford the medical care they need. XNRG ultras truly do change lives!”
– Nick Swift, Humanity Direct’s Founder
This popular race is especially good for those looking for a supportive event for their first ultra within easy reach of London.
As with all of our events, everything is taken care of at the Chiltern Challenge so you can focus on the experience! We’ll provide transfers from the station, free parking, free photos, changing facilities and heaps of tea and cake.
Detailed information about all elements of the Humanity Direct Chiltern Challenge can be found in our event instructions.
The XNRG Chiltern Challenge is a unique chance to get a place on an amazing one day ultra for FREE if you fundraise for a Humanity Direct patient, or donate £58.
Entries will close one week before the event (or when full). A waitlist option will be available if the event becomes fully booked.
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.
Our refunds policy: no refunds or deferrals will be made within one month of the event start.
Start / Finish
Start and finish: Princes Risborough School, HP27 0DR
Schedule
07:00 Minibus pick up starts from Princes Risborough Station
07:00 Registration open
07:30 Walkers briefing
08:00 Walkers Start
08:30 Runners race briefing
09:00 Runners Start
09:30 Elite runners briefing (target time below 6 hours)
10:00 Elite runners start
14:00 Refreshments available
16:00 Prize giving or when enough winners have finished
Minibus to the station running all afternoon
Route
Stretching from the River Thames in Oxfordshire to Hitchin in Hertfordshire, the Chiltern Hills are a spectacular Area of Natural Beauty boasting some of the finest protected countryside in the UK. The well-marked circular route will start and finish at Princes Risborough School, incorporating four checkpoints, approximately 10km apart. Using National Trails and Footpaths, there are clear signposts and post discs, as well as our signs and confidence tape. We’ll also give you a handy map, designed to help on any tricky sections. We recommend familiarising yourself with the route before the start of the race – for more information download our full race instructions from our website.
Aid stations and Medical
At each checkpoint, you’ll be able to refuel with food and water, as well as accessing any medical assistance if you need it. 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.
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.
Kit
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.
Prizes
The winners, runners up and age group winners will receive fantastic prizes or vouchers from our sponsors.
Getting to and from the event
A stone’s throw from London, there are a few options for reaching the race:
By train
Trains with Chiltern Railways run from London Marylebone every half an hour, taking between 30 and 58 minutes to reach Princes Risborough. Trains from Birmingham leave approximately every 30 minutes and take around 1hr30. We’ll be running a minibus shuttle to and from the station in line with registration and finish times.
By road
Princes Risborough is about a 20 minute drive on the A4010 from Junction 4 of the M40 (High Wycombe) or 20 minutes on the B4009 from Junction 6 of the M40. There will be free parking all day at the school.
