Leicester SixPack Challenge

How does it work?

We’ve created six beautiful and bespoke routes of varying distances that together make up the full 26.2 miles / 42+ kilometres of the MARATHON distance.

Walk, jog or run. It’s up to you. You choose the pace. You choose when to have a go at each route. You decide in which order you walk or run the routes.   

Using state-of-the-art gps mapping technology and turn-by-turn audio navigation science, we’ll keep you on track to achieve your fitness and challenge goals. 

Your entry includes access to all six of these rewarding routes and one very special ‘finish line’ reward. 

What do I get?

A fantastic medal Clear, simple instructions for uploading your achievements Access to bespoke route mapping with turn-by-turn audio navigation Chance to see your name on the Challenge leader-board.

A few notes before you go...

• It is crucial you stick to any social distancing rules and government guidelines that may be in force at the time you undertake any of the routes.
• Where restrictions apply, you must not travel to complete the SixPack routes.
• We recommend undertaking the routes at quieter times of the day / week.
• Please be aware of and be courteous to all other users. You will come across dogs, cyclists and other users. Let’s all share the green space together.
• Some of the routes will, by necessity, include one or more road crossings. It is essential that you BE AWARE for your own safety at all times and be considerate to other people.
• Remember you can walk, jog or run each route as many times as you like and re-upload your results.

How do I upload my time?

1) Go back to the entry page (That's here!)
2) Select the tab above that says 'Enter Result'
3) Pop in your time for whichever route you have completed
4) Add in any photos of your journey or a link to your Garmin - please note that when you view your result again later, the link you used will be in the button 'see submitted route'.

Routes and Distances

	MAMMOTH TASK 10K Watermead Country Park A scenic exploration along adventurous pathways through a network of lakes, rivers, canals and woodlands. The route offers rewarding trails with largely excellent flat surfaces and some stunning vistas across the lakes. The area provides a haven for wetland wildlife but don’t miss spotting the life-sized mammoth inspired by the mammoth, bison and deer bones found in these former gravel workings. In dry conditions road training shoes should be fine but there are some grassy paths and so trail shoes with a reasonable grip would be recommended for wetter conditions.
	SIGHT FOR SOAR EYES 6K Riverside Park A great little route offering an inspirational and engaging experience. You will be able to stride out along generally excellent surfaces as you explore riverside paths, beautiful canal towpaths, and woodland glades. ‘The Great Central Way’- a superb multi-user surfaced trail- leads you towards views of the iconic home of Leicester City Football Club, ‘The King Power Stadium’. Escape into the peaceful, shaded woodland trails through Aylestone Meadows Nature Reserve and enjoy the varied vistas of this hidden gem, only a mile from the city centre! Much of this route is along well surfaced paths but the woodland section can become muddy in very wet conditions and so trail shoes with a good grip are recommended but during dry weather running trainers with a reasonable grip should suffice.
	SPACE ODYSSEY 6K Abbey park A lovely journey on excellent flat surfaces taking you from beautiful, Victorian landscaped parkland along a stunning loop by the magnificent River Soar in full flow and the gentle reflections of the Grand Union Canal. The route is packed with history including the remains of the 12thcentury Leicester Abbey and the former Victorian pumping station(now a museum), contrasting with the futuristic design of the National Space Centre- offering visions of more distant exploration!
	CHILL 6K Castle Hill Country Park This little route is an enigmatic and an unexpected delight. The undulating route whisks you away from the busy Beaumont Shopping Complex along embankments across the lovely meadows by the Rothley Brook. A dramatic crossing of the A46 Western By-Pass leads you to a more ancient haven where woodland and grassy trails meander more peacefully around a medieval earthworks mound, a twisted ancient oak and stunning bluebell glades in Spring. This is a multi-surface trail offering some surfaced paths, woodland single tracks and grassy paths. In wet conditions trail shoes with a good grip are recommended but in dry conditions running trainers with a good grip should be fine.
	DRUID'S MOUND 7K Swithland Woods This route takes you out of the busy city on a peaceful, scenic and undulating exploration of Swithland Woods and the picturesque surrounding landscape. Well known for ‘Swithland Slate’, the woods are peppered with water filled pits and old quarries including the dramatic ‘Great Pit,’ although it is now closed off for safety reasons! You are guided along gentle woodland trails past trickling (or perhaps gushing!) little brooks and the mystical Druid’s Mound with its twisted old oak trees. A brief venture along good tracks into open land offers wide vistas across this rural landscape and leads you to the edge of the Bradgate Estate. Following the perimeter wall you are guided up a steady but testing climb but, no worries, you are soon rewarded with a lovely gently downhill track and don’t forget to look over your shoulder to see ‘Old John Tower’. This route may indeed be the toughest challenge of this SixPack but it will also be very rewarding!
	SOMETHING'S BREWING 7K Everards Meadows Starting at the brand new Everards Meadows hub linked to the brewery, this largely flat route will take you on an engaging adventure along a variety of scenic trails. Enjoy brand new well surfaced paths, walk-ways across the nature reserve, picturesque and peaceful canal towpaths and woodland trails. Follow the stunning River Soar through grassy meadows and get into your rhythm along the excellent surface on ‘The Great Central Way’ multi-user trail. This is a lovely exploration through a beautiful landscape and the icing on the cake is the finish outside the excellent Jenno’s cafe where you can reward yourself with a well earned treat. Perhaps you would prefer to drop into Everards Brewery and their fantastic new beer hall for some rewarding brunch, lunch or dinner and a chance to sample their brew!

Technology and Navigation

Please use this fantastic app to ensure you can follow the full route directly from your phone. Download the app now and join our Leicester SixPack Challenge to instantly get access to all the routes with full navigation. iPhone users: https://apps.apple.com/app/rungo-guided-runs-turn-by/id712628644  Android users: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?hl=en&id=com.rungo  RunGo is the #1 running app for discovering the best routes in the world with turn-by-turn navigation. Follow a voice guided tour, including the encouraging reminder when you’re halfway there. RunGo also tracks your runs stats like time, pace, distance, elevation and estimated finish time.

what3words is a really simple way to talk about location. They have assigned each 3m square in the world a unique 3-word address that will never change.  For example: ‘filled.count.soap’ marks the exact entrance to what3words’ London headquarters. People use what3words to find their tents at festivals, navigate to B&Bs, and to direct emergency services to the right place. We have used what3words to share with you the exact start locations for each route. Please download the app – it is great for sharing your location when meeting up with people, but also really useful in emergencies and for navigation.  iPhone users: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/what3words/id657878530  Android users: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.what3words.android&hl=en_GB