Details
Dates: November 19th 2017
Time: 11am
Race Venue: Crickhowell Sports Centre, New Road, Crickhowell. NP8 1AW
A 9 mile ‘out and back’ trail race located in the beautiful heart of the Black Mountains starting and finishing in the pretty borders town of Crickhowell.
The Route
The race route is 9 miles and flagged, undulating and very scenic as it winds in and out of ancient woodland along the gorgeous fast flowing Grwyne Fawr river, famous for its salmon.
It is an out and back route turning round at the village of Llanbedr outside the church where there will be a water station.
Most of the race is off road with just a couple of stretches on tarmac. There are a couple of short steeper descents on grass.
Fell shoes or trail shoes are recommended depending on your personal preference. Please do bring a waterproof running jacket – if the weather is cold or wet we will make this mandatory kit to take with you on the race. We advise that you pack and bring in the car with you: hat, gloves, long sleeved thermal top, tights. You might not need them but be prepared – warm kit is no good if it’s at home. November as we all know can be warm and autumnal or cold and snowy.
Please note we are not operating a cut-off time; it’s important that people feel encouraged to participate. But – this is a run and not a walk with a bit of intermittent jogging! If you don’t think you can complete the route please be sensible and drop out at the halfway point and tell the marshals – you will be able to get a lift back to the event centre from there.
Venue & Location
The race venue is the Crickhowell sports Centre, New Road (A4077), Crickhowell. NP8 1AW
This is also the location of the secondary school.
Plenty of parking close to the event centre is available- please park where the car parking marshals indicate.
There is no official ‘manned’ bag drop inside the event centre.
There are showers at the venue.
Pre and post race drinks and homemade refreshments will be available at the event centre.
The pretty borders town of Crickhowell is easily reached by car – it is less than an hour from Cardiff and is approximately 45 minutes from the M4 bridge and an hour from Bristol.
Crickhowell has good coffee shops and a lovely River Usk walk and there’s plenty to entertain the non-runners in the family while you do the race.
Race START and FINISH
The race will start at 11 a.m. sharp
Please note – the race does not start and finish at the race HQ
The race will START and FINISH at the Beaufort St Car Park (NP8 1AE) behind the tourist information (Crickhowell Resource & Information Centre) just behind the High Street, which is a 5-minute walk from the race HQ.
This is because it would be dangerous to take the race across the busy A40 with up to 400 runners!
Signpost arrows will direct you.
Repeat: allow 5-10 mins time to get from the race HQ to the start!
Please take care and be aware of cars on the initial section of the course and when you are on the final 500m-road run-in to the finish.
Unfortunately, no dogs in the race permitted.
Please allow time to get from the race HQ to the race start for 11 am.
Entry
The entry fee is £15 (affiliated) £17 (non-affiliated).
[Please note – the £2 is an insurance fee paid to Welsh Athletics if you are not affiliated to a club]
SPORTident manages our entries – you will be directed by clicking the race registration on this page. You can check your entry has been received and processed by looking at the Current Entries list on this page.
We are operating a chip timing system. Please note – if you do not return your timing chip at the end of the race you will be charged £30
The closing date for online entries is 5 pm Monday November 13th 2017.
The minimum age for entry is 18.
Please collect you race number and timing chip on arrival from the designated desks.
If you have a medical condition please write this on the reverse of your number.
NOTE: Entries on the day will be taken but there is a limit of 400 runners. If the limit is reached we cannot take entries. Please check this website to see what the final pre-entry numbers are if you miss the pre-entry date. On the day entries are: £20(affiliated) £22 (non-affiliated). We’d much rather you pre-entered and are leaving entries open until very close to the day.
Prizes
The prize giving will be at 2.30pm in the Dining Hall at the main centre.
There will be prizes for:
- Women Senior: First, Second, Third
- Men Senior: First Second, Third
- WV & MV 050: First
- WV & MV 060: First
- WV & MV 070: First
- Female & Male Team prizes (First 3 runners to count).
There will also be 10 spot prizes.
There will be a finishing prize for each competitor.
Please note:
- If you are fast enough to win more than one prize category, you get both prizes (eg. 3rd male and 1st V40).
- No prizes will be posted out or can be collected by a friend – if you don’t collect your prize it will go to some lucky winner in the spot prizes!
Course Records
There are no course records yet as this is a new race route for 2017.
Make a weekend of it:
There’s a great range of great accommodation in the area – Checked personally by Ruth are:
Belinda Davies has two lovely cottages. http://www.cottageguide.co.uk/gaer-skirrid/
Alex Yorke has three different places for a one night stay in a stunning location near Crickhowell: Gracie (a modernised 1950’s caravan) Black Mountains Hideaway (double & twin room) – details on Airbnb
Rona has the immaculate ‘Quarry Man’s Cottage’ at Bwlch with a double room for one night. (Airbnb).
The Star Bunkhouse (http://www.starbunkhouse.com) has great budget accommodation close to the event centre.
There’s Airbnb Crickhowell area offering a very good range of one and two night places to stay; or for hotels and local B&B’s the Crickhowell Tourist Information Centre has a good list: http://www.visitcrickhowell.co.uk/where-to-stay/
Tuckedaway Places have stunning and unusual properties in the the Brecon Beacons close to Crickhowell. (https://www.tuckedawayplaces.com).
Race Director & Contact
Ruth Pickvance is the Race Director.
She is a very experienced runner on road and fell. She’s been British Fellrunning Champion and has represented England and GB as well as being one of the first Salomon sponsored Skyrunners and a top finisher is several road marathons.
Many of you will know her from her time organising the Atlantic College 10k. Ruth has also completed the RunBritain accredited Race Directors Course.
If you need to contact her, email is preferable: Ruth@element-active.co.uk. Or phone 07432 192991
