SOUTH DOWNS HALF MARATHON AND 10KM

SATURDAY 15TH JUNE 2019

SPONSORED BY ALTON SPORTS & HIGH FIVE

Dear South Downs Runner,

With two weeks to go we are pleased to send you the details for the big day.

RACE NUMBERS/TIMING CHIPS

We will be issuing running numbers and timing chips on the day of the race for the Half Marathon and 10km. Pick up locations as follows:

Half Marathon: Start/Finish area Queen Elizabeth Country Park

10km: Start/Finish area Queen Elizabeth Country Park

 

TIMETABLE

• 10am HALF MARATHON from Queen Elizabeth Country Park (there will be 1 wave)
• 10.30am 10km START from Queen Elizabeth Country Park

PARKING/TRANSPORTATION TO THE MARATHON START

Parking for all events is at QUEEN ELIZABETH COUNTRY PARK, the postcode is PO8 0QE

Entrance to Queen Elizabeth Country Park is off the A3 and is clearly signed.

We have a reserved parking area near the entrance to the finish line/Cannonball BBQ area in QE Park, Gravel Hill, Horndean, Hants PO8 0QE. This will be clearly marked with signs indicating EVENT CAR PARK.

The cost of parking is covered in our land rental cost and there is no additional charge if you are in the reserved area. However, if you park in the VISITOR CENTRE Car Park you will have to PAY for parking and there is a ticket machine in the car park.

BAGGAGE

There will be a baggage tent in Queen Elizabeth Country Park adjacent to the finish line. Your race number will have a tear-off strip which you should attach to your bag before handing it in.

HALF MARATHON

DOWNLOADABLE MAP OF HALF MARATHON ROUTE

From the start you will run on the flat through the Cannon Ball BBQ area and then cross over the slip road to pass the visitors centre. Once through Chalton Village you will take the Sussex Border Path that brings you out further East on the South Downs Way.

At the top of the trail you will meet the South Downs Way and turn left towards QE Park joining the marathon route at this point. There is a climb when you first enter QE Park with 2 miles to go and then it is mostly downhill to the visitor centre and gently undulating as you pass back under the A3 to the finish area at the base of Butser Hill.

The route will be marked with regular laminated yellow signs which have the words TRAIL HALF MARATHON and arrows showing the direction to run. After approx. 8 miles you will join the full marathon route as you come to the South Downs Way and follow it back into QE Park – both routes are the same from this point.

There will be marshals at all road crossings – please take great care crossing the roads and obey the marshal’s instructions – traffic has priority so you must stop if instructed by a marshal.

DRINKS STATIONS ON THE ROUTE

Access by vehicles is forbidden on much of the length of the South Downs Way so we can only position drinks stations where we have access at the road crossings. Drink stations with 330ml bottles of water will be at:

• Before the railway footbridge after the village of Chalton
• At the top end of Sussex Border Path
• Just past Appleton’s Copse in the car park area at the entrance to Queen Elizabeth Park

It is very important that we DO NOT LITTER any part of the South Downs Way. Do not throw things into the bushes, please carry any empty drinks bottles, Gel wrappers or other litter on to rubble bags that will have placed at approx 400m and 800m from the drinks station or carry on to the next drinks station and deposit them in the waste bags provided there.

DROPPING OUT / ASSISTANCE / FIRST AID

There will be an ambulance and paramedic team on duty shadowing the route - they will be in touch by mobile phone with the marshals and a support first response first aider who can call a 4x4 ambulance in an emergency.

As access to the Staunton Way and South Downs is in places problematic by vehicle, can we ask if you are able, to continue to the next drinks station/marshal point if you need to drop out or if this is not possible it is essential that you send someone on to get assistance.

Please inform a marshal if you do not want to continue the race.

10km TRAIL RUN

THE 10KM TRAIL RUN ROUTE

The route will leave the start area and go through the Cannon Ball BBQ area on a flat path before turning and going up a short hill then crosses the QE park slip road to take you past the visitor’s centre and out onto a loop through the woods.

The route will be marked with regular yellow signs which have the words 10km and arrows showing the direction to run.  The divide from the Half Marathon route will be clearly marked with an arrow indicating 10km.

After the divide the route continues up hill to the Appletons Copse (rear) entrance to – here you reach the last drink station for the half and full marathons and the route then merges back in with these to finish back at the Cannon Ball BBQ area at the base of Butser Hill.

DRINK STATION

There will be a drink station at Appletons Copse at approx. halfway.

REFRESHMENTS

Hot food, drinks and snacks are available to purchase in the QE Park.

RETAIL

Alton Sports will attend at QE Park offering you the chance to purchase a range of running gear. For a look at what they can offer you, log onto www.altonsports.co.uk.

HIGH FIVE

We are pleased to be sponsored by High Five who are suppling a sports bottle filled with product for each runner.

PHOTOGRAPHS

Event photography is being offered free of charge this year – after the photos have been uploaded we will email you a link and you can then download and share photos as you please.

MASSAGE

Jessica Purcell Sports Massage will be at the finish offering a massage service - prices will be advertised on the day.

RESULTS

Are posted on www.209events.com as soon as possible after the race.

MEDALS / PRIZES

Prize giving times for all events will be announced on the day and will be as soon as we have sufficient finishers – prize giving may be in waves with the open race first followed by Master’s prizes as we have them.

Prizes are awarded to:

Half Marathon: First 3 Male & Female/First Masters Male & Female 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70+

10km: First 3 Male & Female/First Masters Male & Female 40, 50+

Medals to all finishers

CAMPING

Camping is permitted in the Cannon BBQ area adjacent to the finish line in Queen Elizabeth Country Park. Cost is £3 per person payable to QE Country Park in the visitor centre. Facilities are limited but there will be port-a-loos and a BBQ area available.

Enjoy your run and have a great day up on the Downs!!