Note: Content will be amended and appended as conditions and circumstances change, so expect changes and additions to occur between now and the week before the race [last updated 12/03/18].
Key Notes:
Safety & Consideration:
You undertake this event at your own risk. Please only participate if you are of sufficient fitness and in a good state of health.
Competing teams will need to be up for the challenge of 'self navigating' and be fully 'self supporting' between the start and finish of both relays.
Due to the extended nature of the event it is not practicable for the organisers to provide any particular first aid arrangements, or to recover or hunt for lost runners. Teams will therefore need to factor this into their planning so they have at least a first aid kit available and also have a contingency plan to locate and collect any runner in difficulty.
By its nature, the race route is close to the waters of the River Parrett, its tributaries or associated ditches and drains. Be wary of the potential hazard this represents and keep the maximum practicable distance from the bank slopes and edges.
There are many places along the route where you will need to cross or run along potentially busy roads, country lanes and farm tracks. Stay vigilant and keep aware of traffic in these areas.
We have no rights over and above those of members of the public using the paths, tracks and roads covered along the route. Please take care not to surprise or alarm anyone with a speedy approach and be as polite as possible in passing or if engaged in conversation.
Within the route guides for each leg, where practicable, we have tried to identify particular hazards or local issues. As not all parts of the route over the entire distance will have been walked in the immediate lead up to the event, these notes should only be used as an indication of possible conditions. Should any specific issues be found by teams during race planning or while reconnoitring the routes, we would welcome their feedback so we can amend or update the information available to all.
A risk assessment for the event has been prepared in an effort to identify and gauge possible hazards, in addition to those highlighted above. All competitors, organisers or other associated team members should reference this document [link to risk assessment], which in addition to identifying possible hazards, gives consideration to the appropriate actions or planning to obviate the risks in so far as is reasonably practicable within the context of the event.
Teams:
There are four legs in each of the two relays, making eight in total. Teams can therefore have a maximum of eight members. However, as the two relays are run in real time, with no gaps between their component legs, runners can elect to do multiple legs. These can be either done consecutively to achieve a single half marathon or greater effort, or perhaps run non-consecutively with the benefit of intermediate rest gaps.
At the extreme it is possible for a team to consist of a single 'ultra' runner, but we would recommend a realistic minimum of at least two competitors of marathon fitness. However, we would anticipate most teams choosing to go with between four and six members.
Route Planning & Navigation:
No additional directional signing will be provided along the route. Competing teams will need to navigate using a combination of the directions given on the CRC web pages for the individual legs, together with information gleaned from Ordnance Survey maps and from Somerset Council's own maps and guides.
There will be some discrepancies between the sources of information about the route of the trail. Where the 'Directions' given in the leg information pages give particular advice, that advice will take precedence, otherwise teams will need to use their sporting discretion.
It is most strongly recommended that those individuals planning to run certain legs undertake a reconnaissance of those parts before the day of the race.
Running the Race:
This is a baton style relay and it is effectively the teams baton that the race organisers will be timing. The organisers will be recording only the start and finish times at the beginning and end of the two relay races. Hence, because of its key role, a penalty of 20mins will be incurred by the offending team if their baton is lost!
There are 'cut off' times for the finishes, being 14:00hrs at Langport and 17:00 hrs at Winyard's. A penalty of 20mins will be added for each 'cut off' exceeded.
Handover points between the legs will be in normal public access areas and will not have proactive marshalling, although there may occasionally be 'observers' checking that the route has been properly adhered to. Likewise there may be 'observers' at other key points.
So that a full results listing can be prepared for posterity and for individual runners to compare their performance, each team will be required to record their separate leg times and to hand in the provided record sheet to the organisers at the finish.
Parking arrangements:
Specific parking arrangements have only been made at a limited number of locations. Generally you will need to locate normally available and legal parking situations for any vehicles you use in association with this event. Where specific arrangements have been made, advice on these arrangements will be given in the notes pertinent to legs concerned. In other locations, where practicable we have also included some information about local car parks or other potential parking places.
