Our most frequently asked questions. If your question isn't answered below please contact us.
The short answer is NO! It's a question we get asked a lot and one which prevents some runners from venturing away from the safety of tarmac (running on the trails is much more fun). Our course marking crew head out onto the routes before the event, placing large 'race route' signs at junctions and flags along any poorly-defined sections of the route (most of our trails are on obvious tracks). We also have the most-amazing marshals all along the route to direct and encourage you. They're renowned for their friendliness and support.
For the Ultra routes, we supply the gpx files for you to upload to your watch for added re-assurance.
All prize winners recieve a free place in the next year's event as well as a prize voucher.
Trail Race—Open Category
1st, 2nd & 3rd Male & Female
VET 40, 50, 60, 70 Classes
1st Male & Female
10K—Open Category
1st, 2nd, & 3rd Male & Female
VET 40, 50, 60, 70 & 80 Classes
5K—Open Category
1st Male & Female
5K—U16
1st Boy and Girl
If a VET is classified in the Open Category, they will be awarded the Open Category prize only. If an U16 is first in the 5K, they will be classed as the overall winner.
In those cases, VET / U16 prizes will not be awarded to the second-placed people in the categories.
Prizes are handed out in the Prize Giving Ceremony at the end of the event, giving everyone to celebrate in the success of the winners, whether they're the first in the Race, the fastest boy or girl in the 5k, or the first (and usually only) Vet 80. It's also a great opportunity to inspire younger runners.
Winners will automatically receive their entry for the next year's event but prize vouchers will only be handed out at the event - they won't be posted or emailed out.
Please note, competitors in the Early Start and Challenge events are not eligible for the Open Category or V40-60 prizes so we can preserve the sense of competition. The fastest V70 will be determined by the time in either the Challenge or Race.
We would highly recommend wearing specific trail shoes for all of our events, as a good grip will help with both the up and downhill. If you are just beginning to take your running off-road a general purpose trail shoe would be ideal.
Making sure the kids aren't left out, our children's Fun Trails usually takes place over lunchtime, when mum or dad has the chance to encourage the little ones around a 0.5k flat trail course alongside or in front of Zeraffa the Giraffe, the long-lost cousin of the much-loved Gerry. These short fun runs for children under 12 are about having fun and taking part in a big arena and all finishers are rewarded with their very own special medal.
We'd love all of our Lakeland Trailers to access race day maps for all of our courses. However, because some of our routes cross private land, which we work hard to secure access to, we are keen for people not to run the course in advance of the event. Where we can provide maps, you'll find these on the 'course' section of each event.
You can find full details of our cancellation and refunds policy here. The deadline for cancellation or transfer is 4 weeks before the event to enable us to finalise our preparations.
Dogs are not allowed on any of courses. Many of our trails are on narrow paths and it wouldn't be fair or safe for the other competitors if they had to negotiate a runner and a dog on a lead at the same time, especially if the dog decided to stop suddenly.
If you usually run in the countryside with a dog, please keep it on a lead to protect livestock and keep farmers happy. Sheep are easily frightened by dogs to such an extent that a pregnant ewe could miscarry and die (it happens more often than you might think). They're not the brightest of animals (we've all been stuck trying to get past them on the Lakeland roads!) so they don't know that a dog won't harm them.
Dogs are allowed at most of our venues as long as they are kept in their lead and, which goes without saying, any poop is scooped.
Finish any one of our senior races and as well as enjoying amazing trail running in an awesome part of the world, you'll receive:
Your entry fee also includes VAT, contributes to the ongoing administration costs associated with putting on the events such as staff wages, purchasing, storing & maintaining equipment, transporting equipment to events, online entry administration fee, card transaction fees and insurance.
We don't keep waiting lists for events because we usually fill any places created by cancellations with entries for our marshals and volunteers to thank them for their support. If any extra places were to be released, we would announce it on our Facebook page and our website.
Quite often we use fields for our car parking sites. Sometimes, the weather gets the better of us and the ground becomes a bit soft. The best way to drive on ground like this is very gently with your wheels facing straight. Slow and steady is the best way to go because if you start to rev the engine, it will just cause the wheels to spin and create a trench which you may struggle to extricate yourself from without assistance. If you've got a diesel, you should be able to start moving in second gear with your right foot off the gas; with a petrol engine, use as little gas as possible to start moving. Once you're moving, don't be tempted to increase your speed if the grounds flat and steer gently to avoid any obvious dips or extra-muddy sections.
27th January 2023
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