Schedule of Events

Saturday

0700 - Samphire Hoe opens for traffic
0715 - Registration opens.
0800 - Hootiful 100s start.
0800 - 24 Hour Challenge Starts
1700 - Onwards - Pacer Challenge Starts (we'll set runners off individually as and when they are ready to go)
1900 - Access IN to Samphire Hoe ends (you can drive out at any time)

Sunday

0700 - Access In to Samphire Hoe resumes
2000 - Absolute cut off for all events (there are no internal cut offs or "out on last lap" it's a hard 2000 Sunday cut off.

Sunset: 18:35 - Sunrise: 6:53
(Moon rise is 19:03 and only a day off full so if clear will be lovely)

Location

Samphire Hoe, A20 Folkestone to Dover road, CT17 9FL (Map)

There are driving directions and more information about the location on the Samphire Hoe page here.

Parking

If you're coming along for pacer challenges (or have a big vehicle) then please park in the red "wasteland" parking if you're in for the main events then please park in the "cliff" car park (just above the word Base in the image below and very obvious at ground level!) the route will pass through this car park so you can use your cars as giant drop bags.

There is a charge of £2 per day for parking. The is a machine near to the cafe and opposite the main structure. For entrants to the 24 hour or main event we'll have printed parking permits available for £5 to cover the entire duration of your stay, cash only and these must be displayed in the windscreen of your car. 100% of this is donated to the Samphire Hoe Nature Reserve.

If you really want to get in to Samphire Hoe overnight then it's only closed to vehicles, you can walk in or out. In which case park in St Davids Avenue or Old Folkestone Road in Aycliffe and cross over the footbridge and then down the path in to Samphire Hoe.

Course

15k Loop

The lap is an out and back around Samphire Hoe, then through the wasteland area, up through the tunnel and then an out and back along a brand new upgraded cycle path along the top of the cliffs (it's mostly nowhere near the edge, only getting fairly near by the sound mirror (there is a fence)) and then straight back to base camp. (For those who've been up on the cliffs before with us this loop is slightly longer, you bear right at the top of the tunnel, turn around at the steps and the turn around at the far end is about 100 yards further than before)

You can view the route on MapMyRun here

5k Loop

The course runs through the Samphire Hoe nature reserve and then along the sea wall in 5k mile loop and out and backs. The trail is very high quality, there is one little hill near the sea wall and another not too far from the start of each loop. The sea wall is concrete and flat.

You can view the route on MapMyRun here

You'll do FIVE of the 15k loops before dropping down to the 5k loops, there is a cutoff of 1700 to go out on the 15k loops, if you've not done the 5 by then, no problem, you'll make up the distance with 5k loops.

100k = 5 x 15k + 5 x 5k
100m = 5 x 15k + 17 x 5k + annoying 1 mile ish loop to make it up to 161k
200k = 5 x 15k + 25 x 5k

or

100k = 4 x 15k + 8 x 5k
100m = 4 x 15k + 20 x 5k + annoying 1 mile ish loop to make it up to 161k
200k = 4 x 15k + 28 x 5k

or

100k = 3 x 15k + 11 x 5k
100m = 3 x 15k + 23 x 5k + annoying 1 mile ish loop to make it up to 161k
200k = 3 x 15k + 31 x 5k

If the weather is rough and the seawall is closed we'll have a plan B of course, probably a plan C and D too, but no matter what broadly Saturday is up on the cliffs, the night and Sunday down below them.

Lap Counting

We're going to half manually count and half use the clippy cards for this event. For the 15k loops we'll manually count those so do make sure me, Rachel or someone with a clipboard and looks like they know what they're doing makes a note of your number/name each lap.Once you're on the 5k loops grab a clippy card and make sure you get that clipped each lap.

You'll have to tell us when you're finished, not the other way around. As it's a timed event, if you wish you can stop, have a rest and continue, have a doze in your car, go have a cup of tea in the cafe or you can just stop!

We'll have an “official finishers bell” for this purpose, (Rachel will be the keeper!) when you're done for the day, ring the bell and the goodies will be yours!

Cupless

SVN have gone cupless so please bring along your reusable cups / bottles / mugs. For the first Samphire 100 we had an incredible 33 sacks of rubbish. We want this event to have about 2 maximum!

Race Rules

1) Numbers must always be visible.
2) Absolutely no littering. We're on a nature reserve and there is no excuse for litter dropping. Anyone seen deliberately dropping litter will be disqualified.
3) Runners are responsible for the actions of their crews.
4) The course is mostly out and back, please run on the left of the path as to avoid the need to dodge runners coming in the opposite direction.
5) At the end of any lap a runner may "ring out" ringing the bell, this signifies that they are dropping out of the race and their time and distance will be recorded from that point.

Dropping down events.

You'll have a number of options.

1) Basically after any lap you can stop, get a finishers medal, a finish and goody bag. There is no jeapordy, if you get to 120k and stop, you'll still get the 100k goodies. If you get to 175k, you'll get the 100m goodies and so on.

2) There are actually 2 events in total and what you can do is drop down to the timed challenges. If you decide to do this there are two important factors

i) You MUST TELL US IN ADVANCE - so you can't at 0300 Sunday with 60 miles on your feet decide to call it a day and say you did a timed challenge and a pacer challenge with 30 miles in each. You're in the timed with a single 60 mile finish.

ii) The time periods cannot overlap. So you can't knock out a 4.5 hour 45k run and then immediately start the pacer Challenge. You can only start the second event after 1700 on the Saturday when the pacer challenge starts

Marathon/50k Distance

We're not planning on having odd distances to make up these distances, but 45k is a short ultra.

Awards

All runners completing the 100k distance within the time limit will receive a Hootiful 100s medal... when you finish we'll take your shirt size and we'll get the shirts and buckles ordered in after the event, hopefully for delivery/handing out before Christmas. For everyone else there will be a range of medals to choose from and everyone gets a goody bag of course!

Toilets

We'll have several portable toilets in the rear car park a couple of steps off the running line and there are also toilets behind the cafe.

Medical

Each runner is responsible or their own actions. It is crucial that you are physically and mentally prepared for the stresses of the race. We will have on site medics from the start on the Saturday till the conclusion of the event. In addition we will have the usual first aid supplies to hand in case of issues.

It is important for the runner to recognize the potential physical and mental stresses that may evolve from participation in this race.

These include, but are not limited to, extreme temperatures of heat and cold, hypothermia, dehydration, heat stroke, renal failures, seizures, hypoglycaemia, disorientation and total mental and physical exhaustion. Each participant must continuously monitor his/herself and understand their limitations. Remember that you are responsible for your own well-being during this race.

Please note that we will not issue pain killers and whilst we'll hand out plasters to help with blisters etc runners are responsible for the supply and application of such things as tape, blister shields, vaseline etc.

Exposure

Please be aware that there is 0% cover on this route apart from the tunnel. We'd suggest both covering up and the application of sun block. There is almost always a breeze being just a few feet from the sea so this can make people believe that the sun is less of a risk than it is.

No matter the actual temperature and wind, at night it's going to be colder than you think it will be...

Pacers

All pacers are required to register for the Pacer challenges, in return they will receive a finishers medal, a goody bag and a result.

Crewing

This event will be set up so that having a crew won't be necessary however if runners wish to have a crew/supporters then of course they can. However crew/supporters are not allowed to hang out in the aid station/base camp area simply as there won't be the space. This is for runners and race event people only. Crewing will only be allowed in the green zone.

1. Runners are responsible for the actions of their crew and pacer.
2. Crews are not allowed in the aid station/base camp area
3. No Littering. All litter must be taken away with you. We operate on a leave no trace basis and we expect any crews to follow this concept.
4. All animals must be leashed at all times. If at all possible do not bring them to the site.

Aid Station

We'll have an assortment of sweet and savory snacks constantly available. Including but not limited to crisps, cookies, nuts, crackers etc. We'll have water, squash and coke. During the night we'll also have available tea, coffee, hot chocolate, pot noodles, soup and porridge. We'll have sandwiches and toast available (which will be made on request as 8 hour old sandwiches one of my pet hates!) too.

We'll have an outdoor table for water and the food will be inside.

Drop Bags

Indoor space is going to be very limited and especially during the night going to be full of runners! The concept we have is that you'll use your cars as drop bags and only bring things inside as and when you need them, the cliff side car park is right on the race line and that way you can basically have unlimited space. If you've not got a vehicle then we'll have some space immediately outside the building, which is covered, but limited and likely if its windy and wet to get a bit wet so make sure that's adaquately waterproofed.

Sleeping

There will be no facilities to sleep in the base camp area either during or after the event.

Camping

Camping is not allowed at Samphire Hoe, we've had several requests about setting up of tents or gazebos. Unfortunately as the location is one of designated Special Scientific Interest this is not allowed.