One of the toughest events in Essex, a 15 miler run in January and organised by the Benfleet Running Club. It starts and finishes at the Hadleigh Mountain Bike Hub, which gives you an insight into what is to come. The first 4 or so miles are in the park and involve lots of hills, including a monster after about a mile and lots of mud. The route then follows the estuary east before turning around at Leigh Station and following the sea wall back. It then follows the sea wall east on Canvey Island and back. Finally finishing with a mile and a half back in the park with more hills and mud. It has a hill-top finish with the last 200 metres or so resembling a Tour de France mountain-top finish, with the cheering crowds leaving a small gap for the runners to filter through up the hill to finish. Which would be great fun, if you were not so tired!
This is not a race for the faint-hearted, with most competitors, except the elite runners, having to walk some of the hills especially toward the end.
It is a well organised event, with lots of communication. Best parking is in the Hub itself and costs between £5 - £6. You can park in the nearby streets for free, but after running 15 miles in the mud and wind and cold, maybe it is better to be parked close!!!
