North Downs Way 100 2012

Entries

Entries are open up to and including July 31st 2012. No entries will be accepted after that date and there will be no entries on the day. The race will be limited to the first 150 entrants.

Cut Offs

100 mile runners must finish within the 30 hour time limit. All runners must have left the 50 mile aid station within 15 hours or by 9pm on Saturday 11th. Any 100 mile runner dropping at 50 miles will have their 50 mile time recorded and published as a 50 mile finisher but will not be eligible for prizes.

Start/ Finish Location

Race HQ is at St. Polycarps Primary School in Farnham, a 2 minute walk from Farnham station. Full details of when and where registration takes place can be found in the schedule tab of the drop down menu. The race itself starts at the trail head of the North Downs Way. Runners will walk down to the race start following the race briefing at approximately 5:50am. The race finish is in the centre of Wye in Kent, 100 miles east of Farnham on the North Downs Way and is easily accesible by car. A Shuttle bus will leave at 1pm after the conclusion of the race to take 100 mile finishers back to the start point/ Farnham Station. If you wish to take the shuttle, you must select that option during the registration process for which there is a small charge. The nearest rail station to the finish itself is Wye which is a 5 minute walk from the finish. From Wye Station, services run a 6 minute journey to Ashford International from where London is only a short journey away.

Awards

Finishers Buckle & Race Shirt to all finishers.

Finishers in under 24 hours will receive a much coveted '100 miles - One Day' buckle signifying their achievement. Finishers between 24 and 30 hours will receive '100 mile Finisher' buckles. 

Aid Stations

There will be 14 fully stocked aid stations along the length of the 100 mile course. Aid stations carry as a minimum: Water, Coke, Gu Gels, Chocolate, Bananas, Jelly Babies, Crisps and Sandwiches/ Wraps and other sweet/ savoury snacks. Hot food and drinks will also be available at various points along the course.

Drop Bags

Drop Bags must be deposited at Race HQ on Friday 10th August or on Saturday morning but at the latest by 5:30am. Drop bags must NOT exceed 30cm x 20cm x 20cm in size ie. the size of a shoe box for any one aid station. They must be labelled with your name, aid station it is to go to and race number. Drop bags will be accessible at the following points and will be returned to the race finish by noon on Sunday 14th August. Runners need to leave a different drop bag for each aid station, each bag will be transported to the aid station listed and then to the finish only. 

• Mile 24: Box Hill Aid Station
• Mile 50: Knockholt Pound Aid Station
• Mile 82: Detling Aid Station

Course Markings

The course follows the North Downs Way National Trail from start to finish with two minor exceptions

- A 300 metre detour to Knockholt Pound Common at mile 50, from where runners will return to the NDW trail via the same route

- The final 200 metres upon reaching Wye at 99.8 miles. The course is fully marked by North Downs Way signposts which come in different forms but all carrying the acorn symbol of the national trail.

In addition to the fixed markers as above, the course will also be marked with tape, reflective tape and glowsticks for runners heading into the dark. It is always possible that course markers may be removed or vandalised, in which case please use the North Downs signposts as the guide. There are a number of road crossings to negotiate as the trail passes directly across. The junctions will be signed with warning arrows but NOT be marshalled so please be extremely careful when you are crossing roads of any nature. It is your responsibility to negotiate road crossings safely. 

It is now compulsory to carry a map, we suggest either the Harveys North Downs Way East and West Maps (concise and easy to carry) or OS maps of the route. We advise that in addition and where possible, you recce the route thoroughly before race day. The National Trail Guide Book is an excellent resource on the route. It is your responsibility to stay on course.

Pacers

100 mile runners are permitted pacers from Knockholt Pound/ the 50 mile point. Pacers must travel on foot only. Runners are permitted multiple pacers throughout the last 50 miles but only one may travel with the runner at any one time.

Crew

Runners are allowed and encouraged to have a crew. Some of the aid station points are remote and will be off limits to crew. These will be identified on the crew instruction sheets. Crews are permitted to assist runners of all distances at any point APART from the aid stations listed on the crew instruction sheets. Crews must not assist their runner in front of any aid station ie. crew can meet runners at aid stations but should not impede the progress of other runners moving through the area.

Medical

There will be a team of race medics available throughout the duration of the weekend including two race ambulances and static medical aid stations at both the 50 and 100 mile finish points. Many of the aid stations will also have additional medics on hand. If you suffer an injury or accident that warrants direct medical attention and you are not able to get to an aid station, there will be a number for the chief medic provided before race day. Due to the nature of the course ie. off road, the medics may take some time to reach you, or potentially be out of contact for some time tending to other runners. In those instances you should call the race director first. In an emergency please call both our medics AND 999. A list of local hospitals can be found below. If you are injured but able to walk, please make your way to the nearest aid station where there will either be a medic, or the aid station captain will immediately get in touch with medical care. If you suffer a severe injury, encounter someone in serious difficulty or are in any doubt at all please call 999 for emergency ambulance services.

• East Surrey Hospital, Canada Avenue, Redhill, RH1 5RH. 01737768511.
• Royal Surrey County Hospital, Egerton Rd, Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XX. 01483571122.

Kit

85% of the course is on trail. Trail shoes are advised but you will be able to complete the course perfectly adequately in road shoes. There are sections of trail where the chalk has become exposed which can make it slippery and technical in the wet. Please use due care and attention on steep downhill sections.

Runners must carry the following mandatory equipment at all times:

• Survival Blanket
• Mobile Phone
• Headtorch
• Light Source
• Water Bottle/Bladder
• Wet Weather Jacket
• Route Map
• Compass