Egg and Spoon Race

2009-10-16T12:16:00.030+01:00

28th March Race Postponed. Watch this space for more information...

What?
A race through the streets and parks of London with a difference. After an initial sprint 'traditional egg and spoon race', choose your route through the Capital on foot or by public transport; gaining points for reaching landmarks and finding the answer to location-specific questions... and all of this whilst preserving your egg!

Where?
Starting and finishing in Clapham Common via checkpoints throughout the Capital.

When?
The date of the next race is still to be confirmed.

Who?
You can run, walk, roller skate, ride the tube, hop on a bus or any such combination to piece your way between checkpoints. With points available for speed, ingenuity and careful handling of your egg, the event is open to any pair or group of three looking for a bit of fun on a Sunday morning in the Capital.

Where, and how to arrive?

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View Egg and Spoon Race in a larger map

The Egg and Spoon Race will begin on the east side of Clapham Common, just off Clapham Common South Side road and close to The Windmill pub.

Nearest Tubes:
Clapham Common (Northern Line)
Clapham South (Northern Line)
Tube map we know so well

Buses that pass by:
50, 155, 249 very close
249, 35, 37, 137, 417 near enough
Map of bus routes in the area

Driving:
Never to be recommended in London, but there are pay and display parking facilities just in front of the pub and along the main road.

Cycling:
Sadly, no specific cycle parking but there are some good railings around. Bring strong locks.

For directions on how to arrive take a look at the Transport for London site, it also offers cycle routes.

Contact

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Got a question? Check out our FAQ or drop us a line:

E: theeggandspoonrace@googlemail.com
T: 020 7924 0603

Alternatively, just sign up or download a Registration Form instead!

FAQs

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For the basic What, Where, When and Who – take a look at our front page. For everything else, read on...

What's this all about?
This is a fun event to give you an opportunity to visit London in a slightly 'different' way. If you are a keen sports person and want to find a reason or event to help you train then we hope you will sprint around the streets in search of checkpoints, others may want to take a more leisurely pace and enjoy the sights and sounds whilst walking or on the bus. We thought we would add an egg and spoon into the mix to bring back memories of a school sports day and brighten up a winter's one. Ultimately, we are raising funds for Soundmix so if you like the look of the organisation and want to donate more than just your entry fee there will be an opportunity on the day.

Do I really have to balance an egg on a spoon for several hours?

Nope. That'd get pretty annoying.

There is a “Traditional” egg and spoon race to start – just like the ones at school – that you'll do over a short distance (hundred yards or so) in a relay. After that, you're free to chase around London looking for checkpoints and then the rules loosen a little.

For the remainder of the race your egg and spoon just have to be on display. That means, for example, that one of you could carry the egg in your hand and the other take the spoon. You can't, however, bury the egg in a rucksack or wrap it up in your pocket. That would be too easy!

I love eggs but I hate running. Can I come?

You bet. You don't have to even jog if you don't want to and you could still be in with a chance of winning.

There'll be checkpoints at a range of distances from the start with points given accordingly. If you just want to pootle around the Clapham area then you could just collect lots of the smaller, more obscure checkpoints.

How exactly do I score points?

There are three ways to rack up points:

1. Photo Opportunities:
You'll get a Challenge Sheet which will list checkpoints all around the Capital. You can score points by taking a photograph of your team-mate carrying their egg and spoon at any of these points. We don't expect anyone to reach all of the checkpoints but the more you visit and the further away they are, the more points you'll get.

2. Location-Specific Questions (LSQs):
Also on your Challenge Sheet will be a list of questions linked to specific location (e.g. "What is the name of the Coffee Shop next to Bond Street tube station?"). To get these points you need to visit a specific location and record your answer on the Challenge Sheet.

3. Egg Preservation:
Your primary mission is to protect your egg at all costs. Your egg will be examined by judges at the finish line and points will be deducted for any damage caused.

Isn't three and a half hours rather a long time for a race?

Well, yes, it would be if you tried to run flat out but it's not really that kind of race.

You get points for reaching checkpoints rather than pure speed so if you're clever, know your way around London or find a Tube line that's running well, you'll get a big score without breaking too much of a sweat.

Also, although we expect people to be competing, we also hope you'll be having fun. That means there should be time for a sit down and a quick sandwich/chocolate bar/glucose tablet when you get tired.

Oh, and you can of course return before 2pm, but that means less time to collect points…

Won't it be a bit unfair if I run everywhere and someone else just jumps on a bus?

Have you ever seen how fast buses go in Central London!?

We'll do our best to spread the checkpoints so that you're in with a chance of winning whether you run, walk, take public transport or any combination thereof.

Obviously trains and buses will be much quicker on some stretches but then with running/walking you can avoid ticket machines, traffic and delays. We reckon it'll be pretty well balanced.

Can I bring my bike, or maybe drive the course?

Oh, how unsporting! Bikes are out as it would be impossible to concentrate on the road and cycle safely whilst holding an egg and spoon, and well, taxis and cars just aren't fair...

Is it OK if I SuperGlue / Blue-Tack / selotape / tie / Velcro my egg to my spoon?

No, ya big cheater!

For the “Traditional” race at the start, you can't touch the egg until you cross the finish line. For the rest of the race, see “Do I really have to balance an egg on a spoon for several hours?” above.

Do I need to bring my own egg and spoon?

Nah, we'll give you those. A big old spoon and a decorated hard-boiled egg with your team's number marked on it.

What happens if I drop my egg?

We'll collect your egg at the end of the race and you'll lose points for any damage to it.

So, if you drop your egg or squeeze it a little bit tight in the excitement and the shell cracks, you'll get a bit of a penalty. But, even if you lose it (how!?) then you can still finish and get points from elsewhere.

(N.B. Your egg will be decorated and have your team's number on it so you can't just buy half a dozen at the supermarket before the finish line, smarty pants!)

Will the eggs be Free Range?

Of course.

If I get hungry during the race, can I eat my egg?

Er, I wouldn't recommend it, no. Keeping well fed and hydrated is important but you'll be in Central London so I'm sure it won't come to egg consumption for survival.

Can I enter alone?

For safety reasons… and because we think it's more fun, you have to enter as a pairs or team of three.

I'm under 18, can I join in with my friends?

Of course... as long as your friends are over 18. Teams must have at least one member that is over the age of 18 at the time of the race.

Who are Soundmix?

Soundmix is a music project based in Brixton, South London, working with young people from the Refugee Council who have no family support in the UK. The young people learn music skills previously denied to them in their own countries. To hear some of the music they have produced visit their MySpace page or read more about the Project here.

Faaantastic! Where do I sign up?

Not answered your question? Drop us a line.

Egg and Spoon Racing Images

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Sponsors

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We are excited to announce that the following organisations have kindly donated their services/products to you - the Egg and Spoon Race participants.

All participants will receive a FREE subscription to Tripbod

Tripbod wish everyone in the Egg and Spoon race lots of luck and laughter. We would like to reward you all for taking part (because that’s what counts) with a free sign up to Tripbod (RRP from £16). With Tripbod you can connect with a local person before you go travelling to find out where the locals hang out and what’s going on when you’ll be there. You can chat to your ‘friend at the other end’ on our site and build a personalized trip plan using the local knowledge and advice of your Tripbod. Tripbod lets you see the place you’re visiting from a local perspective so you don’t waste time and money being a tourist.

Travel like a local with Tripbod – Your Friend at the Other End!

6 winners will recieve a FREE Bradt travel guide and all participants will have the opportunity to receive 25% off any Bradt purchase.

Bradt has a reputation for being a pioneer in tackling ‘unusual’ destinations, for championing the causes of sustainable travel, and for the high quality of its writing. Their books are as much travelogues as travel guides, infused as they are with the personal voice and accounts of each author, and they value in-depth knowledge, real insight, a personal touch and, perhaps above all else, a sense of the quirky, unique and the faintly ridiculous. They recognise that travellers’ interests are too varied to shoehorn a manuscript into a publisher’s template, and that’s why each one of their books is different, drawing out the aspects and features of a destination which make it special, and allowing authors to indulge their individual passions.

We have 15 copies of 'Organised Fun for Grown Ups' by Josie Curran, for those winning teams.

Organised Fun is a big, fizzing sherbert bomb of games invented and perfected by generations of friends and families.
Stuck at a dinner party when the conversation runs out or on a weekend away with friends when the witty banter is losing its edge. It’s at times like these that we need a helping hand to remember the life-affirming pleasure of spinning our own fun.
Alongside nostalgic classics, such as CALL MY BLUFF and CONSEQUENCES, you’ll find tons of new exciting ways to amuse yourselves, including COW SNIFFING, KEBAB-SKEWER DARTS and SLEEPING-BAG SUMO, that won’t cost you a penny and will provide you with hours of organised fun.

We have a pair of tickets for the latest show at The Tricycle Theatre in January
The World Premiere of ‘Greta Garbo came to Donegal’
by Frank McGuinness,

“The Tricycle is the most creative force in British theatre.” Jon Snow
The Tricycle has an outstanding reputation for presenting plays reflecting the cultural diversity of its community; an unparalleled international reputation for responding to contemporary events with its ground breaking Tribunal Plays, and one of the largest and most diverse Educational Outreach Programmes of any UK theatre.

If you don't win these tickets but are still keen to go here's further info:
Showing from 7 January – 20 February 2010
Tickets from £8.50
Box office 020 7328 1000
Www.tricycle.co.uk

2009-02-01T12:03:00.001Z

Photos of the day

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Registering for the race ahead - avoid the mud!

On your marks for the sprint start
And they're off...
Final turn of the pole and the adventure round London begins
Photo opportunity for 3 points - by the Peace Statue in Battersea Park

For Egg-stra points get a photo with 3 different London buses in the background

Last dash to the finish

Crossing the line with egg still firmly attached to the spoon

Proud participants :)

Email us your race day photos theeggandspoonrace@googlemail.com