My sincere thanks to Chris Bolton and Dave Ainsworth for sending this link to both an article and a podcast celebrating the amazing achievements of Sandra and Richard Brown.
Davy begins:
Sandra was the very first person in the world who finished 100 100-milers and the first to reach 200. By the end of July 2021, Sandra Brown, age 72, of England had accomplished a world-best, 208 100-milers, walking and running on tracks, roads, and trails in various event formats. About 160 of her 208 100-milers were accomplished in less than 24 hours, also a world best.
The World’s Greatest
Sandra Brown is the world’s greatest woman ultra-distance walker ever, but she was also a world-class ultrarunner and still is for her age-group. In 2018 she was 69 years old and completed eleven 100-milers that year, including some sub-24-hour 100-milers.
Her 208 100-milers came in several different types of walking and running events on tracks, roads, and trails. These types of events will be described in this article. She is the holder of current world records and it is time that the ultrarunning community learn about Sandra and her amazing accomplishments.
Also on the100x100 list is Sandra’s husband, world-class runner and walker Richard Brown, who delights in being overshadowed at times by Sandra’s accomplishments. They are inseparable and have been married for nearly 50 years. Richard has finished about 140 100+ mile events.
Following this intro Davy delves fascinatingly into Sandra and Richard’s career. In painting the backcloth he is at pains to explore the history of pedestrianism, the definition of race walking and the significance of the Race Walking Association, the Centurions1911 and the Long Distance Walking Association.
To whet your appetite here is the tale of their first foray in 1982.
They quickly entered their first 100-miler later that year, the LDWA Pilgrims Hundred from Guildford to Canterbury along the route taken by many pilgrims to the shrine of the murdered Thomas A’Becket. The event started around noon. They carried haversacks (day packs) and walked and ran in boots.
By the next morning, they reached a breakfast stop at about mile 65. Richard took his time there and said he “slumped down and looked at corn flakes for about two hours which was the maximum amount you were allowed to stay at a checkpoint. Sandra meanwhile was kind of bounding around, ‘well I’ll see you at the finish’ and got up and charged off to the finish. I staggered out with about one minute to go.” He slowly made his way to Canterbury.
By the time Richard got to the finish, Sandra had showered, changed and had been sight-seeing around the famed cathedral. They headed home on the train. Getting off the train at Victoria station was a problem because it was so painful stepping down getting off to the platform. They walked so slowly that they were “overtaken by old grannies pulling their suitcases.” That was their first 100-mile finish. Little did they know what they had unleashed.
From thence their amazing exploits are revealed in many an anecdote. The final one is to be found below,
200th 100-miler
On March 30, 2019, Sandra accomplished her 200th 100-miler finishing Dublin to Belfast 107-miler. Two days later she turned 70 years old. Sandra reported about her 200th. “The journey along the old roads between the two cities takes you through historic towns and villages, past castles and crofts, megaliths and monuments, along the coast and through the lovely rural landscape of the Mountains of Mourne. It’s quite a tough event, far from flat, and [for those like us without a support crew] you need to carry a pack with all necessary gear including clothing, torches, food and enough drink etc. for some longish distances. The time limit was 36h and Richard and I walked all the way in about 27h50m”
By the end of July, 2021, Sandra had accumulated 208 100+ finishes. The pandemic had paused her continued 100 quest. Here 208 list comprised of 87 fixed-distance events of 100+ miles or greater, 105 events of 24/28-hour events, and 16 multi-day events.
Enormous thanks and respect to Davy Crocket for putting together this tribute. I would urge you to explore further the incredible tales to be found on his ultra running website.
Davy’s article is complemented by the 2020 piece we posted on the occasion of Sandra and Richard’s Golden Wedding anniversary, where you will find more engaging stories, particularly about the Blackpool Walk and some striking photos plus links to Tim Erickson’s bios.
A Golden Moment in the lives of the legendary Sandra and Richard Brown
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AWARDS KEEP COMING IN
The always highly impressive Sandra Brown, now aged 76 and capable of bettering athletes half her age – and younger – set a new Over 75 world record when winning the UltraBujassot 48 Hours’ race in Spain, covering 248.8 kilometres in so doing. What next you ask? – as these wonderful reports just keep on coming. Our congratulation to Sandra (Surrey Walking Club & Centurions). Please see film clip of her positive strides towards the finish.
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Franz Leijtens adds:
Above -the amazing Richard and Sandra Brown after completing the Flower of Suffolk 100.
This is Richard’s 150th 100 mile (or more!) event and Sandra’s 220th 100 mile (or more!) event. Both started their LDWA 100 career in 1982 and Sandra has completed 23 LDWA 100s and Richard slightly fewer than 20. It’s fair to say, that’s a lot of walking.
On the walk, Sandra said “it was a brilliant event, the route description was excellent, the checkpoints were uniformly wonderful and it was a lovely walk”, with Richard adding that “we didn’t know the area, it’s lovely to be here”.
Lancashire Walking Club : Health The First Wealth 