The Bullock Smithy is indeed a Scout run event. The impression I got on the first time I did it, was to make sure you walked a night section. A good idea if you are putting in a 100 qualifier

Events like the Long Myndd Hike are scouts organised (is this the same for the Bullock Smithy?), so they were probably initiated with the specific purpose of testing the lads over a night section as well, hence a midday start to ensure everyone has to cope (navigate etc.) with the dark. I guess it is just the tradition of the event, so we mustn't grumble about it, the event wasn't started for our benefit. Matt.

I wonder if it would be possible to have a 3rd start time at 12 noon on the 100, as the 4 hour gap between 10am and 2pm is a bit too much for the faster walkers or slower runners. This would also relieve some of the congestion at the early checkpoints.

The Bullock Smithy (56 miles) has always started at 12:00 so a midnight or later finish is very likely for most.

It does seem odd to me. I would much prefer a 09:00 start

All valid points, and in fact I sometimes feel some events start too early - such as 7.30 or 8am for some 26 milers. I was more curious about why the longer the event, the later the start time is and you've both answered my questions.Thanks

Norman has hit on 2 reasons - allowing entrants more time to travel before the event and letting organisers have time to set things up.

The DDC starts at 9am for the 28 and 52 mile walkers and 10am for 16 mile walkers and all runners. Even though we try to get everything ready the day before, it is still a half hour drive there in the morning for me - and I'm just about the closest of the organisers. We usually aim to be there for 7am to start registrations at 7.30.

While I have nothing personal against early starts [or even staggered starts] they can lead to logistical problems later in the event if it means that cps have to remain open for longer. Then one relies on the good will of volunteers to hang around.

Hi Rebecca I'm organising The Holy Hobble on 5th/6th July (60 miles in 26 hours) for BBN next year and we're starting at 10 am. When we held the event in 2000 the start time was 9am but we decided this year to push it back by an hour to give people time to travel in the morning and also allow the organisers to get things set up.

Having just completed the poppyline 50 which started at 8.00 and took us 14 hours, it was so nice to finish at 10pm, get back to a hotel for a shower + wine and have a good nights sleep so I'm not dead on my feet for work on Monday. However, some 50's e.g. the white cliffs and most 100k events start at 10am, which means even if you push it, there is no way you could finish before midnight unless you ran a proportion of it.

Don't get me wrong, I love the overnight events, but as I still work, I have to be in some sort of reasonable shape on Monday morning, and there is the added problem of either turning up at a hotel at some ungodly our when you have finished, or driving home. I know a lot of event organisers arrange floor space but I don't really like kipping on the floor as I get no sleep anyway.

I just wondered is there a logistial reason wy they opt for a later start?