Schedule of Events

Saturday

0700 - Registration opens at Brooks Farm. (if you are taking part in one of the timed challenges can you please plan on arriving no earlier than an hour beforehand)
0800 - 100 Mile Endurance Run Starts (100 milers will have a yellow numbers)
0900 - 24 Hour Challenge Starts
1000 - Saturday 6 Hour Challenge Starts
1800 - Pacer Challenge Starts

Sunday

0800 - Last cut off to drop down to the 24 hour event for 100 Mile runners, if you leave the aid station on another lap after this time you'll be deemed to be continuing in the 100 mile run.
1600 - Absolute cut off for all events.

Sunset: 17:51 - Sunrise: 06:16

Location

Brooks Farm, Brook Lane, Reculver, Herne Bay CT6 6SY (Map)

Parking

There is plenty of space to park at Brooks Farm but its a bit all over the place! I suggest that 100 mile/24 hour runners park in the yellow area, this will be the "quiet zone" parking so if you fancy a bit of a doze in your car either during or after the event then here is the place to be. You must check in at each lap in the main barn, you can go back out via your car through the gate back on to Brooks Lane, there is a closed gate there so you can walk past, but not drive through.

For those coming along for the 6 hour or pacer challenges then please park considerately in one of the pink areas below.

Course

The loop is 6.25 miles, 16 loops for the 100 Mile Endurance Run. For the 6/Pacer/24 hour challenges its as many laps as you can complete in the time available, you must leave for your last lap within the time limit of your event, even if you finish that lap afterwards. i.e. if you are completing a 6 hour challenge event you can leave for your last lap 5:59:59 after you started and that lap will still count.

For those wanting to do a half marathon or marathon distance we will have a short out and back of 0.6 miles for the half marathon and 1.2 miles for a full marathon distance.

The only caveat for this is the absolute 16:00 cut off on Sunday afternoon everyone must have reached the barn at 16:00 Sunday on their final lap.

Numbers

The 100 mile runners will have yellow numbers, other runners will have white ones. If you are one of our Elite Number runners then please wear yours with pride!

Lap Counting

At race registration you'll be handed a small laminated lap counting card, attach this to yourself with a safety pin or cable tie. At the end of each loop get this punched through by one of the hole puncher chaps or chappesses. So basically at the end of each lap, get your card punched, or ring the bell!

If you're in the 100 Mile event, we'll trade you for a fresh card after 10 laps. (About 100k in)

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, eat cake, have a cup of tea 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!

Race Rules

1) Numbers must always be visible and tally cards easily accessible. It is the runners responsibility to ensure that their tally card is punched each lap.
2) Absolutely no littering. We're on a number of private farms and there is no excuse for litter dropping. Anyone seen deliberately dropping litter will be disqualified. There is an aid station every 2-2.5 miles so there is really no excuse.
3) Runners are responsible for the actions of their crews.
4) 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.

Roads

A little bit of the route at the start and finish of each lap is on a live road. It's quiet but there will be the odd bit of traffic on it, so please take out the headphones and pay attention to any traffic and obey the highway code.

Noise

The course is basically split in to two parts.

1) The middle of nowhere.
2) Passing really really close to the houses where the folks who give us permission to use their farms live.

There are basically four parts of the course that go by houses, so please be really as quiet as you can going past these, especially in the dead of night. So if you want to sing, talk loudly and shout then there is 95% of course in the middle of a drained swamp that is perfect for that!

Dropping down events.

For those in the 100 mile run and if things aren't going as planned you have a number of options.

1) Before 0800 Sunday morning you can drop down to the 24 hour event, get a finishers medal, a 24 hour challenge finish, goody bag.

2) There are actually 4 events in total and what you can do is drop down to any of the timed challenges, some people for example have already dropped down to the 6 hour challenge and pacer challenge. 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 6 hour challenge and a pacer challenge with 30 miles in each. You're in the 24 hour event with a single 60 mile finish.

ii) The time periods cannot overlap. So you can't knock out a 4.5 hour 30 mile run and then immediately start the Pacer Challenge.

There is no dropping down from the timed challenges, once you've rung out then that event is concluded.

Awards

All runners completing the 100 mile run within the 32-hour time limit will be awarded a custom designed belt buckle and a finisher's shirt. There is a gold buckle for those finishing sub 24 hours and a silver buckle for those under 32 hours.

Entrants in the 6 hour/pacer/24 hour event, no matter the distance covered will receive a finishers medal as long as they have completed at least one lap.

All entrants will receive a goody bag.

If you complete the 100 mile event and wish to purchase an additional finishers shirt then these will be (subject to availability) £25 and a couple of people have expressed an interest in purchasing a medal also, again subject to availability these will be £10.

Toilets

There are a couple of toilets opposite the main barn plus we'll have a couple of extra portaloos immediately outside the barn.

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 around 1600 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 little cover on this route. We'd suggest both covering up and the application of sun block if the sun is out. There is almost always a breeze being quite close to the sea so this can make people believe that the sun is less of a risk than it is. Additionally much of the land around here is low laying and recovered marshland. This means its a little more humid, a little damper than you might imagine, especially at night, which equates to being colder at night than you might expect given the ambient temperature.

Pacers

All pacers are required to register for the 6/pacer/24 hour 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 aren't 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.

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.

5. If you are having a crew then a good place to be is near to but not annoying Jelly Baby Junction! You'll see runners twice each lap here, infinite parking (in the yellow areas) and you can keep your runner company for a while here if you wished without having to take part in the whole loop. Key thing to remember here is don't obstruct anything (these are active farm roads and don't park on the south side of the A299 as that's not on Brooks Farm/St Nicholas Farm land.

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/or wraps available (which will be made on request as 8 hour old sandwiches one of my pet hates!) too.

There will be a more basic aid station at Jelly Baby Junction which you'll go past twice each lap.

Mugs

If you would like hot drinks during the night it would be really helpful if you could bring along your own mug (which you can leave at base camp) - one of our long term aims is to reduce the amount of waste at events and those thermal disposable cups are not recyclable so bringing along a mug would go a long way to reducing waste!

Drop Bags

There will be a designated "drop bag area" in the barn, it'll be dry in there and just a few feet off the race line. Please don't leave any valuables in drop bags as whilst there will always be volunteers around the drop bags won't be constantly watched. A camping chair would be useful as seating is rather limited in a barn!

Sleeping

There will be no facilities to sleep in the base camp area either during or after the event, but if you find a quiet corner in the barn to shut your eyes then its no big deal. Bringing along a chair, camping chair or similar will be helpful.

Camping

Camping is not allowed at Brooks Farm.