Rye Ancient Trails 30k & 15k

Race Location
Rye Sports Centre, Rye, East Sussex, TN31 7ND.

Race HQ
The Race HQ will be located in the Rye College Sports Field behind the Rye Sports Centre.

Race Start Line 
The start line is on Rye High Street outside of The Geroge.

Timings on race day
Race HQ & Registration opens: 07:30
Race Director's Briefing on the start line: 09:20
Main race starts (30k & 15k): 09:30

Bag Drop
You are welcome to leave your bag at the unmanned baggage drop at Race HQ, however, this is done at your own risk and discretion. The team will not handle your bags and you will be responsible for labelling them clearly.

Facilities
Unfortunately, there are no changing facilities available at this site so we recommend arriving ready to run.

Parking
There are various car parks available throughout the town of Rye, but we would recommend the Cattle Market Car Park as being the most convenient as it is only a two minute walk from Race HQ.

Please be aware that, wherever you choose to park, parking charges will likely apply. We ask that you make sure that you leave plenty of time to park, collect your race number (if applicable) and make your way to the start line in time for the race.

Toilets
Portable toilets will be available at Race HQ. In addition, there are some public toilets located opposite Rye Train Station. Please note, there are no event toilet provisions on the course.

Headphones
Only bone conducting headphones are permitted at this event.

The start & finish
Both the 30k & the 15k start right in the centre of town, outside The George which is on The High Street. The start will be clearly signposted from the race HQ. Both events finish on the sports field behind the Rye Sports Centre. 

About the course
This is a circular route which winds its way through ancient woodland and farmland on trails, footpaths and country lanes that link the Norman churches of Rye, Iden, Beckley, Northiam and Peasmarsh. It's a true steeple-chase! This is a challenging course, with some hills. The route is primarily off road and, as such, it cannot be officially measured however the course is as close to the 15k as we can get it. The 30k is closer to 31k. The course can change slightly from year to year due to the access through woodland and along public footpaths.

Due to the off-road nature of the course, we would urge you to race with care; surfaces are likely to be uneven and overgrown in some areas. Please be aware of protruding tree roots and uneven ground. Please also be prepared to cross stiles and pass through gates along the way; this may cause a backlog as runners pass through these points and we would urge you to take care whilst you do so, especially if the course is wet and the stile / gate points are slippery.

A note on road safety...
Although this race takes place on quiet lanes, it is not traffic free and you should be aware of the likelihood of some traffic.

Recommended Kit & Footwear
We recommend trail shoes for this race, if you have them. Please keep an eye on the forecast and dress appropriately for the conditions, bringing a spare set of clothes (and socks!) if needed. 

Litter
Please do NOT drop litter. Bins will be provided, so please dispose of any litter correctly at water stations or take it home with you.

Water & Aid Stations
There will be frequent and well-stocked aid stations on the route. In addition to water, some of the stations will also have sugary drinks and snacks to help keep you going. Whilst we will ensure that our water stations are well supplied, runners should ensure that they are fully hydrated and should also carry their own water.

Going Green
To help reduce the carbon footprint of this race, we would like to encourage all our runners to bring their own camel packs or reusable cups for this race. Our teams at the water stations will be happy to fill any receptacle that you might bring with you so that you stay hydrated and racing fit! If you are able to car share, then this would be wonderful!

Your route & marshals...
Your course will be clearly marked using large route arrows and directional cones, as well as being marshalled throughout. There will also be ribbon along the course for extra reassurance that you are on the right path! Please listen and obey all marshal instructions given. There will be a sweep marshal which will follow the last runner to make sure that no one is left on the route. All marshals will remain in place until stood down by the sweep marshal.

Spectators
We always welcome anyone that would like to cheer on our runners and join the good spirit of Rye Ancient Trails by lending their encouragement and support. Spectators will find great vantage points from which to watch the race at The Globe Inn just outside Rye, The Bell in Iden, The Cock Inn in Peasmarsh and Will's Bakery in Northiam.

Medals & Prizes
There will be a bespoke medal awarded to all finishers and prizes as stated on the website. Weather permitting, the presentation will take place approximately 45 - 60 minutes after the first runner has crossed the finish line and when all the prize winners have arrived home.

Please listen for announcements from your Race Director.

Results
Live and provisional results will be available on the Nice Work website asap after the race. If you have any questions regarding the live results, please ensure that you have emailed this through to us by midday on the following Thursday. Any changes submitted after this time will not be included in the final results.