Big Ben Bridge Dash

Workout - Big Ben Bridge Dash

• 10min @ 6'00''/km
• 4 lots of:
  • 350m @ 3'15''/km
  • 4min 30s rest
• 5min @ 5'00''/km

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The Running Channel’s We Tried To Run Across A London Bridge Before Big Ben Strikes 12 is a fun watch. We’ve extracted the essentials so you can try it yourself. Watch the full video for the rest.

Key points:

• Westminster Bridge was the site of Florence Ilott’s 1934 challenge, recreated here: cover 350 m (about 1,160 ft) in the time Big Ben chimes 12 times. Roughly 40 seconds.
• Before sprinting, the host jogs the bridge to measure the distance (2 min 5 sec), then sets a target by halving that and subtracting 20 seconds.
• The actual sprint came in at 1 min 12 sec (around 3:31 min/km). Short-distance efforts at full pace are taxing.
• Practical approach: use a stopwatch or the Pacing app, set a realistic target (40 seconds is the gold standard), and pace to your fitness.

Workout example:

1. Warm-up jog: easy run down the 350 m bridge to get a sense of it (about 2 minutes).
2. Set a target: 40 seconds, or a pace you can sustain for 350 m. Match it to your fitness.
3. Sprint the bridge: start at the hospital side. Start your timer with Big Ben’s first chime (or a countdown), then sprint to the far end.
4. Record and compare: log your time and pace (1 min 12 sec equals roughly 3:31 min/km). Save it to the Pacing app to improve on future runs.

Pick a target pace that matches your fitness and track your time in the Pacing app.

References

• We Tried To Run Across A London Bridge Before Big Ben Strikes 12 - YouTube (YouTube Video)