Thunder Races Pilgrim's Reckoning
Eighty-one miles of the John Bunyan Trail in one loop from Bedford, 1,219m of climb, twenty-four hours from a 6pm Saturday start. Runnable all the way, semi self-navigated from a GPX and the trail's waymarkers, seven aid stations and a field of about sixty.
81 Mile
130 km
1,219 m ascent
9 m per km
24h cut-off
11:03/km to make it
Nobody has reviewed this one yet
No reviews of the Pilgrim's Reckoning, and nothing on what people wore. Both are things no organiser publishes and every runner wants before they enter — how it actually went, and what was on your feet.
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The course
24h cut-off, which needs 11:03/km
7 checkpoints
Start time not confirmed yet — check with the organiser.
What you’re in for
Eighty-one miles of the John Bunyan Trail in one loop from Bedford, 130.4km with 1,219m of climb, twenty-four hours from a six o'clock Saturday evening start in mid-September — so the first night comes early and most of the field runs through it. Runnable all the way, semi self-navigated from a GPX and the trail's own waymarkers, seven aid stations and a field of about sixty. Rural paths, villages and open countryside, and a rare chance at a long flat ultra loop in the south Midlands.
Terrain and trail
Field path, bridleway, green lane and village street across Bedfordshire, with the Chiltern edge for the only real hills. Clay, so heavy after rain, and mostly in the dark. Waymarked, GPX carried. A trail shoe.
Memories Made Outside · our print shop
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Make your race print →Cut-offs
24 hours overall, with checkpoint cut-offs after halfway.
More from Thunder Races
Every Thunder Races race →Other races Thunder Races put on, soonest first.
Other races near here
Full race calendar →Races from other organisers starting within 30 km of Bedford Greenacre Independent School, Manton Lane, Bedford, nearest first.
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Twenty-six, eighteen or twelve miles of field paths, tracks and woods through the Bedfordshire hills from Barton-le-Clay, with a start window and checkpoint times to plan around. Part of the group's triple challenge.
Entries open
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Three Shires Way Ultra & Marathon
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Point-to-point 50-mile ultra and marathon to Grafham Water
VERY HARD TO EXPERT
Not open yet
£40–£75
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North Chilterns 50K
Offley, Hertfordshire · Runaway Racing · 18 miles away
Fifty kilometres through the northern Chilterns in November, starting near Offley.
VERY HARD
Entries open
Mandatory kit
- Fully charged mobile phone — Emergency numbers saved
- GPX route on a watch, accessible offline
- Backup navigation — GPX on the phone or a map of the route
- Water capacity of at least 1 litre
- Enough food for each stage between checkpoints
- Waterproof jacket with hood and taped seams
- Waterproof trousers
- Base layer — Non-cotton recommended
- Hat or buff
- Gloves
- Spare warm layer
- Head torch — 200 lumens or more recommended
- Spare batteries or a backup light
- Reflective or high-visibility item
- Emergency bivvy or survival bag
- Whistle
- Basic first aid kit including blister care
- Race number visible at all times, and the tracker worn as instructed
- Extra insulation, gloves, hat or water capacity — Only if the organiser calls it the week of the event, depending on the weather (recommended)
Kit for this race
Picked against the list above. Check the organiser's final instructions before you buy anything.
Mandatory: Waterproof jacket with hood and taped seams
Rab Downpour Waterproof Jacket
Mandatory: Basic first aid kit including blister care
Lifesystems Light & Dry Micro First Aid Kit
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How to enter
Sat, 11 Sept 2027 · Not open yet
See the event on Race Space ↗Entries are handled by Race Space, not by us. We take nothing for sending you there.
Add to your calendar · as an all-day entry, until the start time is confirmed
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Common questions
- The Pilgrim's Reckoning is one distance: 81 Mile (130.4 km).