Hello everyone and thank you for entering the Pendock Spring Chicken Runs. I can`t believe a year has passed since the last Chicken Runs.
I set out below final instructions which you should read carefully.
Unable to run / transfer place
If you want to transfer your place over to a friend, please fill in the race transfer/withdrawal form by Friday 15th March. Any number swaps that aren’t changed over properly will cause issues with the results/prize-giving and invalidate insurance, so please ensure you complete the form before giving your entry to someone else. We’re unable to offer refunds (your entry fee will go towards improving the school).
Getting here and parking
The school car park is closed to runners. Please don’t attempt to park there. We are hoping to park where we parked last year in a field which is a 10-15 minute walk from the school. You will have noticed that it rained a fair amount in February and the coming week’s forecast is uncertain. At present we are hopeful that we can park all cars in the field . If we cannot park some or all cars on the field there will need to be use of roadside parking. In this case please follow instructions from volunteers, don’t park where there are cones and be sensitive to residents. The area adjacent to the school, the exit and Netherley Lane and the motorway bridge/entrance to Grafton Lane are all areas where you should avoid parking.
Given the uncertainty about parking please car share if possible and also make sure you arrive in plenty of time such that there are no last minute panics.
The scheduled car park is on School Lane but after the exit from the village towards Tewkesbury (on the right) or if coming from Tewkesbury on the left just as you enter the village. There is a separate marshal car park halfway down School Lane from the school on the left. Those volunteering to help with car parking will be able to take advantage of this!
Leaving Pendock at the end of the race
If you have finished your race before other runners have finished theirs please don’t go along School Lane in the direction of the school from the scheduled car park which interferes with health and safety and the enjoyment of other runners. If you are leaving before the race is finished please turn right out of the car park, then left at the T Junction to the Ledbury/Tewkesbury main road.
The course
The 5 and 10k courses are the same as last years The 10k will start very close to the school and proceed over the motorway bridge. The 5k will start approximately 5 minutes later from the far side of the motorway bridge close to the Grafton Lane entrance and runners will proceed towards the school.
Those who ran last year will no doubt remember how wet the course was near the top of the hill. February`s rain means that there is a lot of moisture on the hill section. Whilst is has dried a little since last week it is muddy and slippery and unlikely to dry out in the coming week.. Trail shoes are strongly advised because of the state of the hill section. I am aware that the surface is good for large parts of the course and some may prefer road shoes as a result. You have been warned and those wearing superfast road shoes with no grip do so at their own risk and are at most risk of a mud slide!
Grip going up the hill is good and the views to the Malverns as enticing as ever. Along that section there are some holes where horses have been so do look down as well as admiring the view!
It is also wet for the 10k runners going past Grafton Farm and you may not be able to avoid wet feet at this point. As with last year finishers will run past the school and then enter it through the staff car park and run along the finish straight from right to left. The final section is also currently very squelchy and better in trail shoes.
The off road section is on private land so a massive thanks to Ed Philipson-Stow. There are other parts of the route which are also not on public footpaths. Please respect the fact that you will be running in part on private land. If there is any litter please hold on to it until you can dispose of it responsibly. Also a special thanks to John and Jackie Humphreys who have made their car park (fields) available for parking and once again are quite happy for you to run through their farm (10k runners) and Peter and Anne Hines for hosting the marshal car park.
Volunteers
Community races such as this one cannot operate without volunteers. We are still in need of some volunteers. With likely challenges around car parking it would be helpful to have some volunteers who are also running who could help with the car parking before they run. Also if you have friends or family coming who are happy to help please let us know. I can be contacted on nigel.tillott@daviesandpartners.com.
Water
We have 2 water stations on the course and water will be available at the finish.
Chip timing
We are chip timing the race. This includes the 1k. Official results will be posted later on our website and on the lushracetiming.co.uk/results website.
Starting the races
The 1k for younger runners will start halfway down Grafton Lane. It is important that runners pick up their numbers and chips early and proceed in good time to the start which is almost 1k away. Towards the finish runners will turn right into the school car park as they approach the school (which will be closed for almost all vehicles) and then proceed along the final straight in a right to left direction.
As indicated the 10k will start on the school side of the motorway bridge and the 5k the other side of the motorway bridge near to the entrance with Grafton Lane.
Road closure
Netherley Lane will be closed for the duration of the race – albeit by law we cannot prevent local entry. The other roads will be open so please be aware of traffic. Those running the 1k should not need to go onto a public road and when coming into school they should run on the pavement.
Number pick-up
This will be from the school. You should pick up a number together with a chip tag to thread through your laces or Velcro on your shoes. Once you have picked this up please move away from the area to affix your number and tag. In fixing your tag it is important to keep it as a flowing band with the chip at the top. If the band with the chip timing is pressed up against another surface it may not work. Number pick up opens at 9.00am
Timetable
- 8:45 – car park opens
- 9:00 – number pick up opens at school
- 10:05 – 1k number pick up closes and 1k runners proceed to start almost 1k away
- 10:30 – 5k and 10k number pick up closes, 1k starts
- 10:50 – final briefing in playground before heading to start
- 11:00 – 10k start
- 11:05 – 5k start
No entries on the day
There will be no entries on the day. The 10k is almost full. There are spaces in the other races but we will close entries on Thursday evening.
Prizes
There will be prize giving following the races and everyone can put their race number into the raffle. As many of you know prizes have a Spring Chicken theme! The 1k is a fun run, but we usually recognise the first male and female child with a gift. The 5k is also a fun run. There is a shield for the first male and first female under 18 and we also provide a prize to the first 3 males and females.
For the 10k there are prizes for the first 3 males and females and then age category prizes going up in increments of 10 years.
Finally
Most important we all hope that you have an enjoyable run. This is a community event and all proceeds go to providing much needed funds for the local school. Don’t forget to bring a little money for homecooked food and cakes at the end!
Any queries my email is nigel.tillott@daviesandpartners.com and my mobile is 07979 518396.
Yours in running
Nigel Tillott
Race Director