updated Monday 14
September 2009, 12.45

click the photos to see a larger image

This year's Challenges were almost full before the big day, and so there were only 6 places left for the early birds to find, and it certainly paid off to arrive as early as possible to register and collect your number . .

with 20 minutes to go I left and made my way up to the Downs . . last year it had been foggy up here so I hadn't seen the runners crossing the top before . . and it was an amazing sight to see everyone strung out along the ridge . . but the runners were preceded by a couple of marshals making their way to their positions . .

and they were quickly followed by the runners . .

and here's a couple of views of the leaders crossing the field out of Studham, just because I like the photos, which is as good a reason as any . .