Martello Marathon
0830 Friday February 15th

We hope you're all fit and ready for the Martello Marathon! Please spend a few moments reading through these pre-race instructions as it'll make your day a little bit easier and our lives a little bit simpler! For any more information please refer to the event website.

We're going to have to make a slight modification to the course to shift everything along a bit as there is a nice boardwalk along where we used to run, which is very lovely, but they've covered up our nice little base camp area with 9403 tons of shingle and the sleepers used to create it are very uneven and have "trip hazard" written all over it and there is lovely smooth tarmac at the other end! So the base camp area will about 75 yards further west - https://goo.gl/maps/MnQFt2jmtDD2

Don't forget your cups / bottles as we've gone cupless!


We're going to use the three loop variation of the course and the base camp will be back where to where it was in 2014/15 for those who might recall that. (Map)

The forecast is amazingly nice, sunshine, mild breeze, about 11C. As we're right on the sea front it'll probably be a bit breezier and chillier than the forecast might suggest but it's going to be pretty nice for the time of year. Road shoes all the way for this course as 100% tarmac/concrete and dead flat

There are no road crossings or traffic issues to worry about.

Navigation is very simple. You're always on the path closest to the sea (More course Information is here)

Just remember the golden rules

•  Don't be in the water, on the beach or on a road.

•  Turn around at the east end at the aid station

•  Turn around at the west end at the cone of doom which is about 25 yards short of where the path leaves the sea front anyway.

•  Watch out for any cyclists or walkers who may be out on path. It's generally nice and wide though and mostly decent tarmac too but with some concrete stretches.

Toilets

Just a reminder that there are no toilet facilities immediately at the race start/finish. You do however pass three lots on the race route, up the steps besides the Mermaid Cafe (about a 400 yard walk from the base camp car parks if you have a spare 20 minutes at the start) and 20p toilets at the end of Granville Road a short way past Sandgate Castle. More information and maps in the FAQ here and perhaps the easiest ones are a few yards past the Hythe Bay Restaurant (actually physically underneath)

If you're driving down you'll also pass some public toilets at Folkestone Harbour (map) in Fish Market Street, CT19 6AA which is about a minutes drive from the car parks and you'll almost certainly pass if following the signs for Folkestone Harbour.

Lap Counting

It's a marathon only event, 3 laps for the marathon distance and we'll count you manually.

Goody Bags

If you'd prefer to not have a goody bag for this event, just hand it back when you finish and we'll keep a running total and add £5 to the "SVN Charity of the Month" donation.

Neck Coolers/Mugs

We now have newly rebranded as its hot SVN "Neck Coolers" (absolutely nothing like the well known buffs) and SVN green mugs for sale at £5 cash on race days.

Martello Marathon Website
Race Location

Lower Sandgate Road,
Folkestone,
CT20 1PS.

(Please do check exactly where you need to be as sat navs have been known bring people out on top of the cliff which is only 100 feet as the crow flies away. But it's a vertical 100 feet! This postcode is 100% on the lower part but maybe 200/300 yards (horizontally though) from where you want to be.

Google Maps »
Race Registration

Opens at 0730.
Briefing at 0820.
Race Start 0830.

Parking

There is paid parking just a few yards from the race start/finish/Race HQ. (Map). Please note though since we were last there the parking has gone from £3 for a day to £10!!! However next to the empty car parks there is free street parking for 5 hours... so park there and run quick! Or run slower and after 2 laps move the car in to the paid parking and pay the £1.20 an hour... there will be plenty of spaces I am sure! Please do just double check the parking signage though, parking attendants in the area are not known for leniency and the times and dates seem to change every few months!

Aid Station

None of the usual running stuff at Base Camp, so no isotonic drinks, fruit or energy gels, but there will be cookies, crisps, jelly babies, M&Ms, pringles, nuts and all that sort of thing, there is just going to be the one main aid station on the course (and it's a 8.74 mile loop) and we'll have both water and squash to drink. (We'll have someone by the turn around with water and cookies)

Cupless

One of our longer term goals is the reduction of waste at events and to this end we've gone cupless. Please bring a bottle / cup / mug. We'll have sharpies to mark them and trays at the aid station to store them in. We'll have jugs at the aid station for you to fill them with water and squash.

Litter

Please, please, please don't! We'll have rubbish bags at the start/finish area.

Numbers

Will be allocated at registration. If you are running other days in this series at Martello, Mods vs Rockers or Heroes vs Villains please reuse your numbers for those events. Elite runners please remember your numbers!

Dogs

Unfortunately due to permit conditions, and hence insurance coverage, we're no longer allowed to let runners run with dogs.


Connect With Us:

Contact Info:

Traviss & Rachel

Email: info@saxon-shore.com

Website: saxon-shore.com