The Dunwich Dynamo (affectionately known as the 'Dun Run' to its fans) is a 200km night ride from London to the lost city of Dunwich on the Suffolk Coast. From 1993 to 1998 it ran as a commercial pay-to-enter event. In 1999 it became free, so now you just turn up and ride.

It is run by the London School of Cycling, fronted by the sometimes apparently omnipresent Patrick Field, with transport arrangements by Barry Mason of the Greenwich Cyclists. Held every year on the Saturday night nearest the full moon in July, it is an overwhelmingly social event. There is no racing and there is no prize for getting to the finish first (other than first dibs at the fried breakfast in the café on the beach) but there is a tremendous sense of achievement.

Route

Don't ever look at the route on the 1:50k scale. It is too scary and will put you off (it takes two sheets), even though the ride is actually not very difficult. Here's a route summary:

• Hackney
• Waltham Forest
• Essex
• High Beech
• Epping
• North Weald
• Moreton
• Fyfield
• Leaden Roding
• Great Dunmow
• Great Bardfield
• Finchingfield
• Wethersfield
• (S) Hedingham
• (C) Hedingham
• Bulmer Tye
• Sudbury
• Great Waldingfield (feeding station in Village Hall)
• Monks Eleigh
• Bildeston
• Needham Market
• Coddenham
• Hemmingstone
• Gosbeck
• Helmingham
• Framsden
• Cretingham
• Brandeston
• Kettleburgh
• Framlingham
• Bruisyard
• Peasenhall
• Sibton Church
• Darsham
• Westleton
• Dunwich Village

A more detailed route is handed out at the start of the ride, including details on how to get from Dunwich to Ipswich train station, for those who do not wish to take the coach back to London and travel on from there. Prior to the start, the candle fairies take off on their special fairy bikes, and leave candles in jars at prominent spots along the route so that the riders know they are on the right road. These can be found at junctions and at the base of occasional road signs en route. The feeding station is surrounded by candles, and is a very welcoming sight at 2am.

Requirements

Contrary to expectations, you do not need to be superfit to take part - this is not the Tour de France!

Bike

A Japanese chap did the Dun Run on a three-speed Raleigh shopper a few years ago. Last year's ride saw several recumbents, mountain bikes, and road bikes ranging from top notch carbon fibre framed racers to classic antique tourers, single-speeds and fixed wheels. There is not much in the way of topography on this ride, so as long as your bike is the right size and you can sit on it comfortably, it will be just fine.

This is an unsupported ride, which means that there is no sagwagon coming along behind to pick up stragglers and those who have broken down. Before you go you might want to check that your cables are not frayed, that your gears are shifting correctly, that your chain isn't so rusty it is about to fall off, and other sensible safety checks of that nature, but you don't need to overhaul the whole machine. It would be prudent to take two spare inner tubes and tyre levers in case of a puncture, and, if you are confident, a multi-tool and a spare cable might not go amiss.

Rider

Don't overdo the mileage in the week or so leading up to the ride. Let your legs feel fresh and happy. Try to get plenty of sleep. Mental fitness is more important than physical fitness as, although the ride isn't terribly physically demanding, there is a tough spot in the wee hours of the morning when your metabolism drops and you will feel really miserable, unless you are some sort of omni-cheerful freak.

For comfort's sake you would be wise to wear proper cycling shorts, and a combination of vaseline and calendula will do wonders for chaffed skin. It can get quite chilly in the pre-dawn hours, even if the day has been warm, so a pair of tights and a long-sleeved top would also be helpful. Keep some snacks with you and have a couple of bottles of water on your bike or in your luggage. You should manage quite adequately with just a rackpack - some riders do the whole thing with just a saddle wedge and a couple of things in their jersey pocket.

Finally

Enjoy yourself! This is a fun event, where you can meet new people, make new friends, and realise that cycling long distances is not just for the likes of Lance Armstrong.