Is there a running equivalent of audax?

[Polar Bear]

Sitting around feeling extremely unwell for the past two weeks this thought finally popped into my befuddled brane.  Yes, I know that there are plenty of organised events just as there are plenty of sportives in the cycling world but there is nothing as far as I can tell in the true spirit of audax in the running fraternity.

If not, why not?

Would anybody be interested I wonder?  Clearly I would but am I a lone voice?   Doing 5k parkruns every Saturday isn't really comparable in my book.

[fimm]

Ultramarathons and hill races.
Yes, there are some large scale commercial ultras, but most of those that my husband has done (I've only done one) have been small events, as inexpensive as possible, run by runners for runners. Hill races even more so. Ultras are obviously more like Audax in terms of the time the event takes to complete!

[lissotriton]

Check the Long Distance Walkers Association. They have some challenge events, seem pretty similar to audax. Usually something like 25 / 50 / 100 miles.
They are not races, you just have to complete it within the time limits. Most allow runners, though check the opening/closing times for the controls. Or you can take your time, and have a full meal at the controls if you want.

[Lightning Phil]

I used to take part in this local event in the 80s

https://bullocksmithy.com/

24 hours to cover 56 miles visiting various checkpoints ….

[ElyDave]

Bob Graham Round for the ultimate x-rated diy perm?

+ what film says, fell racing and ultras are most like the audax ethos in my experience

[Hot Flatus]

Long distance walking, I'd have thought was the closest comparison to audax.

Running is on a completely different level to audax style cycling. Ultra-marathons require not only training in the activity, but also whole raft of attendant care such as stretching and strengthening exercises because running is so hard on the body. Not so with audax.

[Cudzoziemiec]

I don't know much about running events but I'm curious as to what you're thinking of by "the true spirit of audax". Are you applying this to the way events are organised, the participants, or what?

[Flite]

Orienteering and Fell running?

Most orienteering clubs organise the occasional Long-O. Several hours running round the fells, navigating your way with map and compass and being self sufficient. Usually running solo, but they are low-key, friendly events so pairs are often OK. Usually hot drink and cakes at the end. Low entry fees.

Beer trails and ChocO organised by orienteering and fell-runnning clubs. Follow a cross-country route point to point. Totally self-sufficient, done in your own time. Usually free to club members, and a cache of chocs or drinks at the end. Solo, pairs or very small groups.

Fell Running Club events -mass-start races over a set course, often marshalled.

Big Mountain Marathons/Adventure Races: usually organised by commercial companies so can be very expensive.
One or more days carrying all your own kit. Base camp with marquees, refreshments, camp site etc. Most need a good degree of navigation/fell running experience, but some are geared towards beginners.
This sort of thing  https://theomm.com/events

[Polar Bear]

None of the above.

I am thinking of small scale events organised out of village halls or pub car parks where folk arrive, register and then set off with a minimalist routesheet and / or a gpx file loaded into their gadgets into the surrounding countryside for 20, 30, 40 or more miles of self-sufficient "running" with the occasional cashpoint or garage, pub or cafe from where to collect a stamp or a receipt before dragging oneself back minutes before cutoff and thus completing the informal challenge.

Not a race: not a marquee or sponsor's banner in sight.  Just an informally organised challenge where you meet like-minded people with whom you forge lifelong friendships.

[Cudzoziemiec]

I think Flite's Long Orienteering sounds pretty close. I had a google and this club, in your region, even has a website reminiscent of AUK circa 2004, complete with requisite middle-aged geeky men: http://www.leioc.org.uk 

[offcumden]

In addition to cycling brevets at all distances, L'Union des Audax Français run (or coordinate) walking events:
https://www.ffrandonnee.fr/disciplines/les-disciplines/marche-d-endurance-et-audax

Les marches d’endurance et les marches Audax® sont des épreuves pédestres de régularité sur de longues distances à allure régulée. Les brevets Audax pédestres sont les épreuves homologuées se déroulant sur des distances de 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, ou 150 km. Ils s’effectuent en groupe, sur route, chemin carrossable ou sentier, à une vitesse moyenne de 6 km/h.

It seems they encourage walking in groups rather than "à allure libre", but otherwise similar to the cycling events.  Don't know how this compares to anything listed in posts above.  I do know of Brits participating in these events in France.

[perpetual dan]

The orienteering I did in my youth was much like that, only not as far.

There’s a marathon near me that starts in a school, has a handful of checkpoints on the way round, is mostly off road, and finishes with a beer. No big sponsors. Not big money entry. Entries are limited, so I didn’t get a place.

Less fast than that, I did the Bogle Stroll - a 55 mile loop from Manchester - a couple of times. A couple of basic checkpoints, but no drama. I jogged some of it, so walking isn’t enforced, though most do.

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

Trail running is probably the closest.  The Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc is a 170km run around the Mont Blanc massif, and is the equivalent of PBP, with labyrinthine qualifying rules just like PBP.  There are quite a few organisations who will advertise events with UMTB qualifying points. 

They tend to be more expensive, because there are marshalling costs. 

Then there are a lot of locally organised events, not under an overall umbrella but runners running events for runners.

I did the Dartmoor Winter Traverse - https://www.climbsouthwest.com/events/dartmoor-in-a-day/dartmoor-winter-traverse-3/ a few years back - one of my best days out.  It was supposed to be guided but I ended up with 3 serious trail runners and we got ahead of the guides.  I grew up in Plymouth, so knew the Moor pretty well.  They were very interested in my Audax events and I was equally interested in their running events.

What there isn't is an overarching organisation with which all the events are registered.  So the short answer is no, but the long answer is that there are a lot of great events out there for those prepared to look.

[lissotriton]

For something different, Escape from Meriden looks interesting. Travel as far as you can in 24 hours, on whatever route you like. https://escapefrommeriden.co.uk/

Also some interesting multi-lap ultras. Maybe not the most exciting routes, but keeps things simple as not relying on finding controls etc. Can just have your own stash of food for each lap.
Or a 'backyard ultra' where you have to complete one 4 mile lap every hour, keeping going for as a long as you can.

Or the Sri Chinmoy 3100 mile race in New York...

[FifeingEejit]

TGO Challenge? ok not strictly running but

[Polar Bear]

I think that I'm going to investigate orienteering.  I see that there are a number of permanent courses near to me so perhaps a bit of experimentation wouldn't go amiss.  Reading the maps might prove challenging for a registered blind person but I understand the scale to be large on the orienteering-specific maps so I'm prepared to at least give it a try.

[JonBuoy]

There are also Virtual Orienteering Courses that allow you to have a go using your smartphone or GPS watch:

https://www.goorienteering.org.uk/virtual-orienteering-courses

[L CC]

In addition to cycling brevets at all distances, L'Union des Audax Français run (or coordinate) walking events:
https://www.ffrandonnee.fr/disciplines/les-disciplines/marche-d-endurance-et-audax

Les marches d’endurance et les marches Audax® sont des épreuves pédestres de régularité sur de longues distances à allure régulée. Les brevets Audax pédestres sont les épreuves homologuées se déroulant sur des distances de 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, ou 150 km. Ils s’effectuent en groupe, sur route, chemin carrossable ou sentier, à une vitesse moyenne de 6 km/h.

It seems they encourage walking in groups rather than "à allure libre", but otherwise similar to the cycling events.  Don't know how this compares to anything listed in posts above.  I do know of Brits participating in these events in France.

It's the same as their cycling events - you do them as a group not as a solo endeavour.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Indeed, walking to a schedule with preplanned rest, meal and sleep stops, just as in UAF cycling brevets. There are similar brevets in other UAF activities too - kayaking, swimming and cross-country skiing.

UAF walkers and cyclists sometimes double up. A few years ago, a classy French lady (Sylvie) finished the 1000km Paris-Ventoux UAF cycling brevet at lunchtime with HK and I before she did the 100km Ventoux UAF walking brevet that started the same evening. The UAF also recognises collecting brevets across all of their activities with specific awards.

[Flite]

Polar Bear: - sorry, I didn't realise you were registered blind.
Most clubs now print their own maps for the different courses.
Usually 1:10,000 or 1:7500 for fell or forest, but as much as 1:3,000 for some urban events.
There is a lot of detail on the maps.

An orienteer in our area had visual impairment, and would ask organisers if they could please provide a special very large scale map of their course, which enabled them to continue orienteering.

[mattc]

None of the above.

I am thinking of small scale events organised out of village halls or pub car parks where folk arrive, register and then set off with a minimalist routesheet and / or a gpx file loaded into their gadgets into the surrounding countryside for 20, 30, 40 or more miles of self-sufficient "running" with the occasional cashpoint or garage, pub or cafe from where to collect a stamp or a receipt before dragging oneself back minutes before cutoff and thus completing the informal challenge.

Not a race: not a marquee or sponsor's banner in sight.  Just an informally organised challenge where you meet like-minded people with whom you forge lifelong friendships.

https://www.ldwa.org.uk/
(as posted by someone else!)
I did one taking ~12 hours, it was the ONLY thing I've ever done that felt like an Audax. But wasn't an Audax

[perpetual dan]

It being new year, I'm having a look at possible goals and found this description - this what you had in mind?

Lewes Three Peaks - Mount Caburn, Firle Beacon and Kingston Ridge

Over 18 miles and in excess of 2600ft of elevation covered on this looped trail in Lewes, East Sussex, England. We start and finish this route in the heart of Lewes, I'll probably grab a coffee and cake afterwards.

This is a public and well known route, it is an event and not a race, therefore the intent is to run as a group, support each other and enjoy the day. This is perfect for building up towards a marathon trail distance. There is a mixture of terrain, minimal time is spent on pavements and mostly we will be on the trails.

A good level of fitness is required, remember snacks, water and a good attitude. We will run even if the weather is poor so come prepared. If you have sticks there is an opportunity to try them out.

I don't think running as a group appeals to me though, unless i know we're well matched. I can imagine a lot of hanging around.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Whereas I can imagine being the cause of a lot of hanging around and consequently not having much recovery time!

[perpetual dan]

Whereas I can imagine being the cause of a lot of hanging around and consequently not having much recovery time!

After today's run - same!

Also, it's hilly enough to exaggerate the differences.

[Polar Bear]

Polar Bear: - sorry, I didn't realise you were registered blind.
Most clubs now print their own maps for the different courses.
Usually 1:10,000 or 1:7500 for fell or forest, but as much as 1:3,000 for some urban events.
There is a lot of detail on the maps.

An orienteer in our area had visual impairment, and would ask organisers if they could please provide a special very large scale map of their course, which enabled them to continue orienteering.

No worries.  And thank you for the very useful information.

It being new year, I'm having a look at possible goals and found this description - this what you had in mind?

Lewes Three Peaks - Mount Caburn, Firle Beacon and Kingston Ridge

Over 18 miles and in excess of 2600ft of elevation covered on this looped trail in Lewes, East Sussex, England. We start and finish this route in the heart of Lewes, I'll probably grab a coffee and cake afterwards.

This is a public and well known route, it is an event and not a race, therefore the intent is to run as a group, support each other and enjoy the day. This is perfect for building up towards a marathon trail distance. There is a mixture of terrain, minimal time is spent on pavements and mostly we will be on the trails.

A good level of fitness is required, remember snacks, water and a good attitude. We will run even if the weather is poor so come prepared. If you have sticks there is an opportunity to try them out.

I don't think running as a group appeals to me though, unless i know we're well matched. I can imagine a lot of hanging around.

Back in the late eighties and early nineties when I was at my marathonning peak I was a member of a road running club.  We used to split into two groups for the Wednesday evening and Sunday morning road runs and it was rare for a group to fragment in spite of there being obvious ability differences within.  Back then I found it relatively easy to run with the slower group but I was effectively the pace setter* for the faster group and yet the faster group would badger me every weekend to join them.   Perhaps with hindsight many folk were looking for a more gentle Sunday morning run after the night before.  😉  If somebody needed to drop off the pace there would always be a throng of willing folk to drop back with them.

It tended to be actual events where folk would go off and do it at their own pace.

* Pace of the slowest.