We Tried To Run Across A London Bridge Before Big Ben Strikes 12 - The Running Channel

Aug 13, 2025

*This is a quick summary of We Tried To Run Across A London Bridge Before Big Ben Strikes 12 from The Running Channel. It’s a great watch — we’re breaking it down so you can try the challenge today. Be sure to check out the full video for all the details.

Key Points:

The video recreates Florence Ilott’s 1934 challenge: sprint across Westminster Bridge (≈350 m or 1,160 ft) within the 12 chimes of Big Ben (target ~40 seconds).
The host does a quick “slow jog” to gauge the distance (2 min 5 sec) then plans to halve that time and subtract 20 seconds to set a personal target.
The actual sprint took 1 min 12 sec (≈3:31 min/km), showing the difficulty of fast short‑distance effort.
Practical tip: use a watch or the Pacing app to time the effort, aim for a target time (e.g., 40 s), and adjust pacing based on your own speed.

Workout Example:

Warm‑up jog – run the 350 m bridge at an easy pace for about 2 minutes to get a feel for the distance.
Set a target – aim for a time around 40 seconds (or a pace you can sustain for 350 m). Adjust the target based on your current speed.
Sprint the bridge – start at the hospital side, start the timer with the first chime (or a countdown), and sprint to the opposite side as fast as you can.
Record & compare – note your time and pace (e.g., 1 min 12 sec ≈ 3:31 min/km). Use the Pacing app to log the effort and tweak future attempts.

Closing Note: Give the Westminster Bridge dash a go, tweak the target pace to suit your fitness, and log your run in the Pacing app. Have fun, and let the historic sprint inspire your next fast‑track adventure!